November 2021 PSBC Connections
Operation Christmas Child (OCC) is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization. Operation Christmas Child’s mission is to provide Christian partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities with the Good News of Jesus Christ. They ship these simple gifts outside the United States to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease; and to children living on Native American reservations in the U.S.
PSBC Shoebox Gifts Collection Sunday is November 14th!
Local ministry partners distribute your gifts to children in their communities. After receiving shoebox gifts, many boys and girls are invited to enroll in The Greatest Journey, our 12-lesson discipleship program. Through the program, ministry partners are able to establish long-term, caring relationships with children and families, sharing the love of Jesus Christ. With a $6 donation to The Greatest Journey, you can also sponsor one shoebox recipient’s complete participation in OCC’s follow-up discipleship program, including workbook, graduation certificate, and a copy of the New Testament written in his or her own language.
Shoebox gifts demonstrate God’s love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. By partnering with the local church worldwide, each shoebox gift is a powerful tool for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. Join PSBC in packing OCC Shoebox Gifts this year! Bring them to church on Sunday, November 14th for us to pray over and send – with the Greatest News ever told, the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
The Church at Piedmont Mill: Jason Reid
Sunday, November 14th, our good friend Jason Reid will bring the message and share with us about the church he is helping to plant, The Church at Piedmont Mill, during worship service at 10:30 a.m. in the Hilton Greenville. Come early for coffee and snacks and re-connect with Jason and his family!
Ronald E. Geyer, Architect
Drawings remain in the City’s hands, where they are awaiting review and approval of a Building Permit. We don’t know how long that will take. Pray for a positive response requiring minimal changes (if any) so that construction may proceed.
At the same time, we’ll be sharing our plans with the neighbors. Pray that they, too, will be receptive and that the discussion will build and strengthen our relationship with the community.
Pastor Marty Price
One significant thing we have learned going through our re-visioning process and now our study of Flickering Lamps is to focus on how God is working, and the things we have, rather than the things we do not. We may be small, we may be meeting in a hotel, we may not have a large slate of programs, but we do have Jesus Christ and His life-changing presence and power. We have God’s perfect Word. We have the Holy Spirit who is working in and through us. Our strategy development process is to spend time praying, trusting Him to open doors for ministry here and now.
God’s Grace and Our Thankfulness
by Scott Stephens, Pastor of Biblical Counseling
God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)
Praise the Lord. Give Thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever (Psalm 106:1)
Have you ever really taken the time to consider the grace that God shows you every day? If you’re like me, it’s easy to go about your daily affairs and not really consider that all that we have, our families, our finances, our intelligence, our homes, our friends, our “stuff”… everything has been given to us by a God who loves us and is working for our good. James 1:17 explains that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming to us from the Father of Lights.” God loves us so much that He provides for our needs, and even though some circumstances in our lives bring about sorrow and tears, He promises that He will use those circumstances for our good (Romans 8:28). Furthermore, the Lord will always be with us, He will never leave us and will not forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). An amazing fact that many of us seem to take for granted is that the sovereign God of the universe loves us, is watching over us, and is guiding us throughout our life!
Some of the most beautiful passages in the Bible come from the Psalms. Psalm 121:5-8 tells us that “The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” What great comfort and peace we have from God’s promises to us in His Word!
The greatest gift, and I believe the greatest sign of grace that God has given to mankind is Jesus. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! We don’t deserve His grace, but because God loved the world, He gave His only Son, so that those who believe in Him will not die, but have eternal life living with Him in His presence (John 3:16). Showing us His grace and mercy, Jesus came to this world, lived sinlessly amongst us, and willingly laid down His life for us. Jesus’ sacrifice paid the price for the sins of those who follow Him (Mark 10:45). Because of Christ’s sacrifice, the sins of those who follow Him are paid for, and He has given them the righteousness that only He can provide (2 Corinthians 5:21).
As I consider this wonderful love that Almighty God shows me, I pray that the Holy Spirit will convict me of my self-centeredness, and that thankfulness will fill my heart. I pray that I will remember to be thankful for what He provides, and the sacrifice that He has made. I pray too that the words of Ephesians 5:20 will resonate in my heart, so that I will give “thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I pray the same for you too!
Scott Stephens is the Pastor of Biblical Counseling at Pendleton Street Baptist Church and a founder of the West End Counseling Center with PSBC. To find out more about our counseling center (WECC), please call the church office at 864-232-7312 or check out our webpage: www.psbcgreenville.org/west-end-counseling-center.
Upcoming Events
Time Change: “Fall Back!”
Set your clocks back one hour on Sunday morning, November 7th at 1:00 a.m.
Ladies: Food, Fun and Fellowship Evening!
- Wednesday, November 10th at 6:00 p.m., at 123 Arlington Ave. (PSBC Office Building)
- $5.00 and Bring a Friend at no charge!
- Register HERE!
PSBC Men & Boys Camp-out at Table Rock
- November 12-13 (Friday & Saturday) at Table Rock State Park
- A time for all men and boys of PSBC to connect in the outdoors
- Including a night (or two) of camping, hiking, fishing, and hanging around the campfire
- If interested, please contact the church office with questions or to register. Or CLICK HERE!
PSBC Kids and Family: Save the Date!
Sat. December 4th from 3:00 to 5:00pm, Fun Fellowship with S’mores and Hot Chocolate! More details coming soon…
GPS Children’s Program
Tuesdays at 6pm this fall!
Last day for GPS this semester is Tuesday, December 7th!
PSBC hosts GPS (Gospel Project for Students) on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. at 123 Arlington Ave. Through teaching, music, and games, the kids age 3 and up learn about the Gospel, God, the Bible, and having good relationships with Jesus Christ and with others. Contact PSBC at 864-232-7312 for more information.
Register here: www.psbcgreenville.org/permission/
Contact Mark Foster for weekly updates.