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Annual Report of the July 29, 2009
General Superintendent Dr. Nina G. Gunter, District Superintendents Emeriti Dr. James Bearden and Dr. Moody Gunter, Trevecca Nazarene University President Dr. Dan Boone, fellow pastors, delegates, and friends of this assembly: With joy and gratitude I welcome you to this 67th annual assembly of the South Carolina District Church of the Nazarene. The theme of this assembly is “Celebrating the Call.” This is my third annual report on progress made toward our three priorities: the call to be Christlike disciples, the call to be holiness pastors, and the call to be missional churches. We praise God for the progress made in each of these areas. What follows is an accounting of our efforts this year to reach our mission field – the 4.5 million souls living in South Carolina. THE CALL TO BE CHRISTLIKE DISCIPLES The call to follow Christ is God’s gracious invitation to each of us. It is a call sounded from our pulpits, from our Sunday School classrooms, and from our youth and children’s ministries. It is a call sounded through compassionate ministry, community outreach, and our relationships with those in our mission field. The most important thing that happens in our churches is the making of Christlike disciples. This is our mission. Jesus, in Matthew 28:19-20, reveals two major components of discipleship: baptism and teaching. Our churches baptized 316 disciples last year, an increase of 181 over the year before. Through the “teaching” arm of the church—Sunday School—an average of 5,070 souls were discipled each week, an increase of 11 over the previous year. Each week, as Diane and I attend a different Sunday School class, we are reminded of the significant impact a Sunday School teacher can make. When Sunday School teachers have a sense of calling—a call to teach, a call to engage a class, a call to shepherd those under their care—they become disciple-makers. We must continue to invest in the development of our Sunday School teachers. They are on the front lines of discipleship-making in our churches. The D. Moody Gunter Camp and Retreat Center continues to provide a great location for intense, short-term discipleship and spiritual-growth activities. The 2008 activity audit revealed a significant increase in the use of our district campground. The total number of users in 2008 was 12,458 (an increase of 923). Camp Meeting continues to be well supported in attendance and finances with the largest crowds for Youth Night on Wednesday and IMPACT Team Reunion Night on Friday. This year’s Youth and Children’s Camps have had the highest attendance in recent history. Our vision is to see 6,000 persons being discipled each week through Sunday School Ministries by our 70th anniversary assembly in 2012. We also hope to enhance ministry at the campground by beginning construction on a new dining hall in the next year.
THE CALL TO BE HOLINESS PASTORS Our mission field desperately needs to hear the message of God’s transforming grace, and the call to live a holy life, pleasing to God. Our Centennial Celebration this past year gave us opportunity to revisit our wonderful heritage as a holiness movement. Many churches preach, “You can be saved...” But in addition to that we also preach, “…and you can be transformed by God’s amazing grace.” Hearts can be purified! Our calling is to season our culture with the good news of God’s transforming, sanctifying grace. The Church of the Nazarene has been placed in South Carolina to have this “seasoning” effect. This year we have invested in the development of our pastors through the Pastoral Leadership and Development Program, two Pastoral Prayer Summits at the campground, a pastors’ seminar with Dr. Harold Graves, Jr., the district Christmas banquet, and the annual District Ministry Team Retreat with Dr. Bob Huffaker. This coming year we will add “Teaching Church” Seminars, in which two of our leading missional churches (Manning NewStart on October 29, 2009, and Greenville First on March 25, 2010) will host one-day “Teaching Church” seminars for all district pastors. The following churches have welcomed new pastors this past year: Batesburg (John Powell), Columbia First (Paul Johnson), Hartsville Calvary (Myra Harding), Hartsville First (Carey Pratt), Lexington Shepherd (Richard Coleman), Lugoff Faith (Scott Crandall), Orangeburg First (Brandon and Amanda Watts), and Rock Hill Grace (Dan Swan). Fourteen pastors and church boards have undergone ministry reviews. Three of our elders were promoted to glory this year: Rev. Luis Valverde, Rev. Charles Horne, and Rev. T. P. Phipps. Among my heroes are our NewStart pastors, whose faith, passion, and commitment to the mission are inspiring. They are: Cherrydale Hispanic Pastor Jonathan Saenz, Clemson “The Bridge” Pastors Ken and Mary Paynter, Indian Land Pastor Andy Bird, and West Columbia Hispanic Interim Pastor Leonardo Cortes. The District Advisory Board recently approved two more NewStart churches: Aiken (Pastor Ben LaPlace) and Honea Path (Pastor Bill Higgins). One of our NewStarts became an officially organized church this year: Duncan Lifespring Community with Pastor Alan Harkey. I am so proud of our pastors—the South Carolina District Ministry Team—for their faithfulness and fruitfulness. I am privileged to serve you and to serve with you. Our vision is to see 50 district-licensed ministers added to the roll of licensed ministers between 2007 and our 70th anniversary assembly in 2012. In this regard it is imperative that our churches provide the kind of atmosphere in which God’s call can be heard and nurtured. In the last two years we have added 15 newly-credentialed ministers, including eight this year. THE CALL TO BE MISSIONAL CHURCHES This past year our weekly worship attendance averaged 6,513 (increase of 54). Membership in our churches stands at 9,757 (increase of 84). New Nazarenes totaled 344 (increase of 63). Several of our churches have been in building programs this year: Chester, Manning NewStart, Pageland Rose Memorial, and West Columbia First. Sumter Wise Drive and Clover are in the midst of significant facility improvements. In addition, the following churches are in the process of relocation: Charleston St. Andrews, West Columbia Central, Pageland Rose Memorial, Rock Hill Celebration Place, and Rock Hill Trinity. In a financially-challenging year that saw unemployment in South Carolina reach 12.1%, Nazarenes continued to be not just faithful in their stewardship, but generous as well. We are so grateful for our pastors who provided great leadership, remained positive, and modeled sacrificial giving. In January 2009 the economic downturn, combined with a decrease in the District Fair Share percentage, resulted in a district operating deficit of $38,000. The district responded as many of our churches did. We determined not to waste a good recession. We re-evaluated our priorities, adjusted the budget to reflect economic reality, expressed gratitude for the faithfulness and stewardship of our churches, and led the way in sacrificial giving, With God’s help, we were able to end the church year with an operating balance of $8,000, without reducing ongoing support of district missional efforts by even a penny. This past year, many of our pastors made choices that entailed significant personal financial sacrifice in order to lead their churches and model faithful commitment. I have been humbled by their example. Isaiah 58:9 has proven to be true: “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here I am.” As we recently heard at General Assembly, “We are not in crisis. We are in Christ!” One of our churches faced a significant financial challenge this past October. They followed the lead of their wise pastor, were faithful in their stewardship, re-evaluated their priorities, trusted God, and not only ended the year with all obligations to others fulfilled, but also provided resources that enabled one of our smaller churches to meet their obligations! While we have experienced increases in membership, new Nazarenes, worship attendance, and Sunday School Ministries attendance, we experienced a decrease of $228,881 in total giving (when last year’s 11-month church year is prorated) and fell short of giving goals for Pensions and Benefits (80.5%), World Evangelism Fund (95%), Trevecca Nazarene University (90%), District Operations (97%), District Missional Growth (90%), and Camp (90%). An emerging missional opportunity on our district is ministry to Hispanics. South Carolina has the fastest-growing (by percentage) Hispanic population in the U.S. We presently have five Hispanic congregations worshipping on the district, with potential for many more. It is my hope to announce the appointment of a District Hispanic Ministries Director soon. Our vision is to see 70 strong, missional Churches of the Nazarene in South Carolina by our 70th anniversary assembly in 2012. As of today, the number of Nazarene churches in South Carolina stands at 66, including our six NewStarts. Our prayer is for a great outpouring of God’s Spirit that will result in souls saved, believers sanctified, members mobilized for ministry, and communities transformed. Disciples called to be like Christ, Sunday School teachers called to invest in others, pastors called by God to the ministry and to their particular place of service, and churches called to see their communities as mission fields – to this we are called.
APPRECIATION From Seneca to Bennettsville, from Beaufort to Spartanburg, we are blessed with incredibly gifted and committed pastors and laypeople, including those who serve through the district office and through our camp and retreat center ministry. Executive assistant, Peggy Smith, office manager, Rachael Watts, and district treasurer, LaNora Jensen, continue to provide the district skillful service with servants’ hearts. We appreciate the leadership and great service Dennis Johnson provides as manager of the D. Moody Gunter Camp and Retreat Center. The District Advisory Board has met regularly to extend good advice and godly counsel. I am grateful for the service of these wise laypersons and pastors: Donnie Arant, Jimmy Haynes, Ron Howard, Brenda Lupton, Wendel Nixon, Richard Coleman, Chuck Fountain, Bill Harmon, Rodney Lindsay, and Brent Van Hook. We are grateful for the good leadership of Greg Pressley (Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International), LaNora Jensen (Nazarene Missions International) and Brad Bellomy (Nazarene Youth International), and the faithful service of John Powell (district secretary), Marion Love (district archivist), and Amy Henthorn (district website and newsletter editor). Diane and I celebrated our twenty-fifth anniversary last month. God has blessed us with a wonderful marriage, two wonderful sons, and a wonderful place of service. “Surely, the boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places” (Psalm 16:6). We are grateful for the opportunity to serve the wonderful Nazarenes of South Carolina and to join you in the mission. Thank you for the privilege of being your district pastor.
Warmly Yours in Christ! Edward L. Estep |
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