Two Year
Ministry Plan

This summer, we celebrated 20 years of partnering with Christ for the City International in Nicaragua! Over the past two decades, many teams from Grace Church have come alongside our friends at CFCI to support them and minister to local churches in Nicaragua. Click the video below to see photos from over the years and hear both our members and our partners reflect on how God has worked in our lives and in the lives of those we minister to.

Believe it or not, we are halfway through our summer of ministering in Allendale County through Camp Impact—a six-week day camp for children ages 5-12. Hosted by Fairfax First Baptist Church, Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church, and Grace Church, Camp Impact aims to equip the next generation to make an impact for Christ in their schools and communities.

We have six college interns serving full-time as Camp Staff counselors at Camp Impact in Allendale this summer. They are working to make mature followers of Jesus and empower campers to become young leaders in their communities.

• Pray for campers to embrace the gospel and develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
• Pray for the Camp Staff's energy, joy, and peace as they serve the campers and facilitate our Students mission teams.
• Pray that this experience draws each staff member closer to the heart of God.
• Pray for the short-term mission trips going to Allendale this summer—that they may serve, love, and share the gospel with the campers.

We are thankful for all the ways God has worked in the first three weeks of camp, and we ask you to join us in praying for the remaining three weeks! To learn more about the history of our partnerships with local churches and organizations in Allendale, click below.

One of our long-time local Outreach partners is Homes of Hope—a nonprofit organization that seeks to inspire lasting change in communities through multiple avenues of development. They recently celebrated 25 years of building affordable homes and helping men coming out of addiction through their Workforce Development program.

25 years of supporting our communities:

• 700 homes built
• Over 330 men graduated from the Workforce Development program
• 179 new homes in the construction pipeline
• Planning a 50% increase in capacity for more men in the Workforce Development program

Grace Church has been committed to supporting Homes of Hope—over the past five years, we have contributed over $900k in financial support. We believe their mission demonstrates the love of Christ to the under-resourced in our communities. Will you join us in praying for their continued work? To learn more about Homes of Hope, click below:

May is Foster Care Awareness month! Our Foster & Adopt ministry is always busy caring for adoptive and foster families, biological parents, and our local DSS workers, but we want to bring your attention to a few of the ways we are making disciples and serving our community. Click the video below to hear teaching pastor Matt Williams give an update and share how you can get involved.

Resource Center

The Resource Center is located at our Taylors campus and is run by volunteers. In the first two months of 2023, it has served over 70 children!

Families Count

Families Count is a parenting class that allows participants to complete a part of their DSS plan working towards reunification with their children. Every participant has a mentor, and this spring, six moms graduated from the class.

Front Porch Housing

We now have an apartment at Front Porch Housing that is set aside for DSS workers and foster children. If a foster child does not have an immediate placement, they are able to stay in the apartment along with their DSS worker. Front Porch Housing has generously furnished the apartment, and our Outreach ministry is keeping the pantry stocked. Our goal is to provide a safe place for children and teens to rest during an uncertain time.

Volunteer Opportunities

There are always volunteer opportunities with our Foster & Adopt ministry!

• Resource Center—sort and organize donations
• Childcare when campuses host a Parent’s Night Out for foster and adoptive families
• Mentor a parent through Families Count (next class coming up in July)
• Become a guardian ad litem

To learn more about our Foster & Adopt ministry, click below to visit our website and fill out an interest form. You can also email Beth Drake with any questions at [email protected].

Over the past six weeks, all our campuses have participated in Just Serve Days! This is an intentional time when we express Christ’s love to the community in tangible ways. Across all campuses, over 1,500 volunteers served at over 50 sites throughout the Upstate. Participants worked on a variety of projects with our local partners, for members within our church body, at Front Porch Housing, and for many other organizations in our communities. Thank you, Grace Church, for showing up and serving in this way!

Our friends at Miracle Hill’s Renewal House had this to say about the landscape work by one of our crews:

The grounds look AMAZING! I cannot imagine what Renewal would look like without you . . . We really are the showpiece for Miracle Hill. And, more importantly, our beautiful grounds make for such a therapeutic and beautiful canvas for God to restore our residents. I cannot thank you enough for that!

We also wanted to share a story from our Anderson campus lead:

We had one site canceled due to the rain that had occurred the morning of our date. We did our best to send volunteers to them the next weekend, and when it was looking like we wouldn't have enough, we contacted the wrestling and soccer coaches at Westside High School to see if they could send any of their athletes. A handful of them showed up since they could use the volunteer hours for National Honor Society requirements. It was a great opportunity for our people to serve alongside students from a local high school, and those high schoolers got to witness how we as believers demonstrate love.

These stories represent a few of the many ways we saw God at work through Just Serve Days. Thank you again to all who participated and prayed over this labor of love. To get a glimpse of some of the ways we got to serve our communities, check out the photos below!

Last month, a medical mission team traveled to Kenya to host a medical clinic, partner with local churches, and support local pastors and their families. The team was able to see over 700 people while they were there, offering dental, vision, and medical care. Each person who came through the clinic not only received physical care, they also talked to a local pastor who engaged them around the gospel and in prayer.

Although we are providing medical care, we are also building partnerships with Aberdare Baptist Convention pastors and with the local church in the communities we serve. Many pastors travel from across central Kenya to the medical camps. We provide medical care for those pastors every six months, but we also partner with them in serving the local community. It has been encouraging to get to know those pastors and to pray for them and with them.

Team member Amanda O’Kelly had this to say about her experience:

One thing I have experienced in Kenya that has really built my faith is how God tangibly answers specific prayers. So often in the US, I can get on “auto-pilot” and subconsciously think I can operate independently of God. But in Kenya, it truly is a daily dependence on the Lord as we are so clearly not in control. He also provides for us in ways that we aren’t even asking for, and that we don’t know we need until after the fact.

We praise God for this opportunity to be a small part of making disciples around the world. If you would like to learn more about our international mission partners and upcoming opportunities for short-term mission trips, click below.

Last month, a team from Grace spent a week ministering alongside our partners in Nicaragua. While the team was originally slated to host a medical clinic, they found out shortly before departure that the medical clinic was not approved for this trip. Although this news was disheartening, the team was able to pivot quickly and God worked in amazing ways to allow them to show his love, encourage fellow believers, and share the gospel in Nicaragua.

Some of our medical professionals were able to participate in health talks on a local Christian radio station. They shared information about pediatric care, dentistry, women’s health, and addiction recovery. The response was particularly encouraging around the topic of addiction and recovery, which is rarely discussed publicly in Nicaraguan culture.

The team also got to minister to local families in multiple ways—they hosted a kids camp at the church while ministering to adults in men’s and women’s groups. About 50 children participated in the camp, and they spent time enjoying skits, hearing Bible stories, memorizing Scripture, and doing crafts. The men’s and ladies’ groups spent fruitful time in discussion and hearing testimonies. It was an opportunity to bring to light many sins that are kept in the darkness culturally and talk about the gospel’s power to rescue us from the enslavement of sin.

In the local elementary school, team members got to spend time talking to students about health and interact with them in a variety of ways. A few team members partnered with translators, local church members, and the pastor to complete work projects at the church and the school. And finally, many local pastors and church leaders participated in training regarding marriage and parenting.

Although the original plan did not work out, God faithfully provided many ways for our team to reflect and extend his love to the people of Nicaragua. And it was an important discipleship moment for our team members as well—understanding that God is in control and we can trust him with our plans.

Will you join us in celebrating what God has done and praying for continued discipleship in Nicaragua? To learn more about international missions at Grace and see upcoming short-term opportunities, click below.

Last week, we had several volunteers serve by running a camp for kids at Front Porch Housing during Greenville County's spring break. This was a great way to care for both the kids and working parents who wouldn't otherwise have childcare. Each day, about 20 kids from Front Porch, World Relief, and United Ministries participated in arts and crafts, playground time, outdoor activities, lunch, and movie time. The week of fun ended with a carnival Friday night for families to enjoy inflatable obstacle courses, carnival games, cotton candy, and group games. We are grateful for all the volunteers who made this possible, and it was great to see families and community groups serve together. If you are interested in volunteering with Front Porch Housing, click below to visit their website and learn more.

One of our local ministry partners is Homes of Hope, a nonprofit organization that seeks to inspire lasting change in communities through multiple avenues of development. By providing affordable, energy efficient rental and home ownership options, Homes of Hope is actively developing foundational, safe environments for low-to-moderate income families in the Upstate. Throughout the years, they have built more than 600 energy efficient homes, enabling local families and individuals to thrive.

Homes of Hope also runs a workforce development program for men overcoming drug and alcohol addictions—helping them restore their lives through sobriety and construction training. Currently, this program has graduated over 300 men who are in high demand for construction related employment.

We are thankful to partner with Homes of Hope through financial support and volunteer efforts. To learn more about Homes of Hope, other local ministry partners, or to get involved, click below.

Since officially launching in the summer of 2022, Front Porch Housing has helped many in the Upstate find a place to call home, with more than 400 residents at the Greenville Tech Campus location alone. As a three-year supportive housing program, Front Porch provides a foundation for residents who need help getting back on their feet. And as director of Front Porch Housing, Brian Burgess says there’s no shortage of need.

Brian, a husband and father of three, worked in management, stayed at home with his kids, and a few years ago, returned to school to finish a degree in Parks & Rec Tourism Management. In 2021, he interned with Ascend, a ministry for students dealing with loss, and in 2022, he interned with Front Porch, which led to the director role. Brian’s job ranges from fundraising to developing partnerships, but it’s clear that resident care is a priority.

“When you have that many people, you have a lot of unforeseen needs,” Brian says. Residents are often coming out of difficult circumstances and connecting them to the resources they need, which can be as basic as food or transportation, can be challenging. His staff carries a heavy load, and Brian welcomes prayers for them as they help residents navigate their part in God’s story.

Financial giving is certainly a huge way people can help, and since Front Porch is its own nonprofit, Brian recommends giving directly via their website. But volunteers are also needed, from tutors to skilled maintenance workers, and even help with childcare while parents attend classes. But you don’t have to be a volunteer to be a part. In fact Brian recommends just stopping by, especially on a Food Truck Friday starting again in April.

“Just come visit,” Brian says. “Let that speak to what we are doing.”

For more information or to give to Front Porch Housing, visit frontporchhousing.org, or stop by the clubhouse for a coffee at Inspire Coffee House, 1433 Cleveland St, Greenville.

Last month, our Pelham campus hosted a special Christmas Luncheon for DSS workers in Greenville County. These men and women serve foster children and families in our community tirelessly and often without thanks, so we wanted to find a small way to show them that we see and appreciate all they do.

About 150 people attended the event, and they got to enjoy a delicious lunch, Christmas goodies, games, a photo booth, and simply spending time with one another. We loved seeing joy on everyone’s faces, and one participant told us, “I was so honored that Grace Church would do something so special for DSS workers.”

Supporting our DSS workers is just one way we seek to serve the Foster & Adopt community. If you are interested in learning more about our Foster & Adopt ministry and how you can get involved, click below.

Over the past few years, many of our international missions trips have been put on hold due to the pandemic. So this fall, we were excited to be able to send a medical mission team to serve with our partners in Kenya for the first time in three years. The team consisted of medical providers, dentists, nurses, and several other members who helped support and organize the clinics—a total of 19 members.

Our partnership in Kenya is with LEFTI, Life Empowerment for Transformation International, led by Bernard Kabaru. Through local church networks, LEFTI provides pastoral training and support for the body of Christ in Kenya. LEFTI also works through community and school networks to support children and their families participating in the OVC Kenya program.

This most recent mission team worked to provide practical resources and meet physical needs for individuals and families in the Kenyan community of Turuturu, serving alongside Kenyan pastors who provided spiritual support. In partnership with a local church, the team helped host a three-day medical clinic for over 690 individuals. While people waited to be seen, pastors and Kenyan believers were able to share the gospel with them. As our clinical team provided medical, dental, vision and pharmaceutical care, they enjoyed having more personal conversations and praying with individuals as God provided opportunities. As a special treat, the team visited one of the schools where children in the OVC Kenya program attend. Several Grace members who are OVC Kenya sponsors were able to meet their child and their child's family! A safari and time in the local market capped off the week for this team as they debriefed and prepared to fly home.

Some of the team members had this to say about their experience:

God reminded me of how restful it is to lay down my life, forget myself, my comfort, my foolish desires, my desire for control. How truly I’m blessed when I live in dependence.

My biggest takeaways were being challenged on being intentional and kingdom-minded with my sphere of influence along with believing and claiming power in prayer.

God reminded me that the world is much bigger than my little bubble and that there is a great need for the body of Christ to continue to go out into the world to help and serve others.

This trip was not only an opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in Kenya, but an important pathway for our members to be discipled. If you would like to learn more about our partnership in Kenya or apply for an upcoming trip (applications are being accepted for our April 2023 trip), click below!

Eric Archibald is a member of our Pelham campus, and he recently shared the story of his recovery from addiction and how God has worked in his life over the past few years. After a difficult season of addiction, Eric went through the program at Miracle Hill’s Overcomers Center, a six-month residential addiction recovery program for men suffering from life-dominating addictions. As he did the hard work of recovery, Eric met Jesus, and the entire course of his life was changed. To hear more about Eric’s story and how God is using him to serve others, click the video below.

One of our goals at Grace is to build and strengthen healthy families. We all know that we live in a broken world, and this has affected many families in our community whose children have gone into DSS care. One way we support reunification efforts for these families is by offering a parenting class—Families Count.

This seven-week biblically based class is state approved, and it helps biological parents meet requirements to reunite with their children. Each participant has a mentor from Grace who walks with them through the course, and many help with transportation as well. We also have volunteers and community groups who provide a meal before the class.

We just completed our eighth Families Count class, and 12 parents graduated. We are so excited to see parents grow and move towards being reunited with their children. This is also a great opportunity for us to show God’s love by treating each participant with dignity and making sure they know they are valued.

Will you join us in praying for these families? Pray that God would continue to work in their lives and that we would continue to serve them faithfully. If you are interested in serving with Families Count, our next class begins in January. Be sure you are subscribed to Stuff That Matters to learn about upcoming serving opportunities!

Nick and Annie VanWingerden are missionaries serving in Grenoble, France, and we are privileged to support and partner with them. Like most typical post-Christian European countries, France has great spiritual needs. Its proximity to North Africa and immigration have changed the landscape both ethnically and religiously. The VanWingerdens and their local church can connect with young people from all over the world. They are seeking to reach the least reached peoples where they are most reachable to make an impact for God's Kingdom.

Facts about France and Grenoble:

• 1.6% Christian
• 9.6% Muslim
• Strong spiritualist influence
• Grenoble is home to France’s third largest university, founded in 1339
• Over 60,000 university students and 3,000 researchers are in the city

The work that Nick and Annie are part of is necessary, developing the relatively few Christ followers that already exist and reaching those who have never heard. Through their church community, they want to give students an opportunity to hear the truth of the gospel by exposing them to God's Word and Christian community. After a year sabbatical and experiencing much of the Grace culture, the VanWingerdens are now serving partners. We are committed to monthly financial and prayer support, but even more so, hope that we can send teams of Grace members to come alongside them in special seasons of ministry opportunity.

As we begin this partnership with an exploratory team in January, please pray for God’s guidance to give us discernment for the future. If you would like to receive the VanWingerdens’ newsletter, email [email protected]. To hear more of their story, click the video below.

As our Foster & Adopt ministry grows across our campuses, we are grateful for the opportunities God has provided to care for vulnerable children. We desire to engage with foster and adoptive families personally and regularly throughout their journey. Each campus has a Foster & Adopt Champion that connects with families and coordinates support when they need it most. Recently, a community group at our Downtown campus hosted a barbeque picnic for foster and adoptive families at their campus. This was a simple but tangible way to support these families and create space for them to connect with each other.

Another facet of our Foster & Adopt ministry is the resource center, which houses clothing, baby equipment, diapers, toys, and much more. Since August, the resource center has served over 120 children. Also, volunteers are currently putting together equipping bags for Greenville County DSS workers with useful items so they can be ready to serve their clients.

On October 14-15, we hosted a simulcast for the Replanted Conference at our Pelham campus for over 65 people. Replanted is a conference designed to encourage caregivers so they can come away refreshed, equipped, and inspired, and it was a blessing to be able to provide this resource to our community. We also had over 70 door prizes such as books, pottery, and photography sessions provided by Grace Church members for those attending.

Please pray for our foster and adoptive families, the DSS workers in our communities, and the volunteers who serve them. If you are interested in getting involved serving our Foster & Adopt community, there are many ways you can show support. Click below to learn more about how you can serve.

Senior Honor is our elder care ministry, and each campus partners with at least one assisted living community to host worship services and offer support on a regular basis. September 11-17 was National Assisted Living Week, and all our campuses were able to come alongside their Senior Honor partner communities and offer special encouragement.

Our Anderson campus had some especially fun treats for their partner community, Dominion Senior Living. On Monday and Tuesday, volunteers handed out journals, handwritten notes of encouragement, and candy to staff and residents. Another day, a volunteer helped facilitate Bingo and hand out prizes supplied by Grace. And on Thursday, volunteers hosted a carnival! Residents played games, enjoyed carnival themed treats, and especially enjoyed connecting with some of our younger volunteers. A catered lunch was provided on Friday to cap off the week.

One volunteer had this to say about serving during this special week:

The staff who I knew thanked us profusely with tears in their eyes. They said all the little things (signs, candy bars, handwritten notes, etc) and the big things (lunch, Bingo, snack cart) lifted morale and were such an encouragement all week long. You could tell walking into the nursing home that week that there was a joyful buzz about the place. It was definitely a joy for us to serve them!

What a great opportunity to serve our community and show the love of Jesus in this tangible way. If you would like to learn more about Senior Honor or volunteer opportunities, click below.

When Paul and Drew Talbert moved to Greenville early in 2020, they were able to attend Grace’s Powdersville campus once before the pandemic set in and shut down in-person services. But even through those months when church looked a lot different, they knew God had brought them to the area for his purposes, and part of that was serving in the context of the local church. After joining in the fall, they immediately jumped into serving with Senior Honor—specifically because it was a ministry where they could involve their two boys, Anderson (9) and Whit (7).

Both Paul and Drew grew up in the context of a small church where everyone was expected to serve, so the idea of being involved through serving was ingrained in both of their hearts. They also have specific memories of serving alongside their parents—learning the importance of putting the needs of others before their own. So with a vision of discipling their own boys through firsthand experience, they took on the role of Senior Honor Champion with their campus partner facility, Oakview Park. In addition, Paul serves as a shadow for Mosaic, they all serve through Mosaic Respite Nights, and Paul and Drew both serve by leading worship monthly in re:generation.

Serving as a family has its challenges. Naturally, the boys often prefer pursuing their own interests. But this has provided great opportunities for Paul and Drew to talk with each other and their boys about why they serve.

It’s a rare Sunday that we’re all excited to serve. But rarely is serving meant to be a beautiful, happy experience for everyone. It’s meant to be hard. We struggle with the same feelings of not wanting to go sometimes, so we’re honest with them and talk about why we serve.

Even through the challenges, it’s been a blessing to see their boys grow a heart for others and understand that even as children, they have something valuable to offer. Paul and Drew have also experienced spiritual growth through serving. Paul shares that serving has taught him about the concept of “imago dei”—everyone is made in God’s image. Because of that, all are valuable and worthy of love; the world does not revolve around him.

Serving is a great way to think less about yourself. We have the example of Christ, and he laid down his life to serve others. As you serve, you can’t help but think—this is what my Savior did for me. I’m not thinking about paying him back; I just know this is the best way to grow.

Drew has learned the value of serving in obscurity. Because she grew up in a small church, her family’s role was much more visible. At Grace, she had to examine the “why” of her involvement. Did she serve because it was simply expected of her? Or because she truly wanted to serve God’s people?

I learned that I was there to serve God, not to be seen by others. He has called me to serve by faith, following Jesus’ example in Scripture, and there’s no automatic payoff for serving. It’s part of cultivating a heart for him.

In the two years the Talberts have been at Grace, serving has been the heartbeat of their spiritual growth and provided a valuable structure for discipling their children. While they know it is important to feed their own souls through teaching, worship, and personal study, Paul and Drew view serving as an integral part of their connection to the church. When asked what they would say to someone considering serving, Paul and Drew shared:

Be prayerfully dependent, but don’t wait for the magical moment to feel called or led. Just get involved—think about the season that you're in and commit. We’re called to serve. If you want to see growth in your life, it’s one of the main things you need to implement in order to flourish.