New church coming to Pine Ridge

New church coming to Pine Ridge

August 21, 2010

Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Read all about It!

Sunday August 15, was a huge day for me.  Not only did I have to preach, but I was ordained.  At Sunday nights fellowship following the ordination, we saw a large crowd of friends whom Jean and I love dearly.  We will truly miss our friends at First Baptist Church of Lexington.  It is our family. 

I just want to say thank you to everyone for the generosity.  A total of $ 5,000 was received for the new church plant.  This will allow us to pay for the building modification in the Fellowship Hall/Youth Center and for signage required by city ordinance.  We still have to raise our first months rent, but I have no doubt God will provide for this is His work to honor His Son. 

New Coat of Paint

A huge thank you thank you goes to Herb Shafer and Eddie Appling for putting on a fresh coat of paint in our sanctuary.  A second coat will complete the job this week.

Lease

The lease on the sanctuary will be signed this week.  This will allow us to get our water running under the church name Journey Baptist.  This is exciting as we watch the church building begin to look like a worship center.    

The second building, our Fellowship Hall/Student Center is still under construction to meet fire codes.  We will sign the lease for that building upon completion of all the work.  

Prayer Meeting

This week's prayer meeting will be changed from Monday night to Wednesday night.  There will be a business meeting at the new church for all core group members on Wednesday August 25 at 6:30 PM. 

Baptist Bible Fellowship International is the organization that makes up pastors and not churches of like faith of which Journey will associate itself with.  Pastor Hector and his wife Jean are both graduates of Baptist Bible College, Springfield, MO. 

Pastor's Hector, Ralph Schneck and Richard Flemming will be traveling with their wives to this meeting this week.  Pastor Hector will mention the new work and begin the process of requesting for some financial assistance from the fellowship. 

Piano

We have our first piano! Thank you goes to the Lanier's who purchased this item for Journey Baptist Church.  We're excited about this important instrument. Our pianoist played a few songs for us on Saturday.  We can't wait to hear some more old favorites and well as new songs being played on for the first time during our worship hours.

Our Celebrate Recovery Ministry will begin in October.  I met with our leaders Dan and Cassie Marshall who will head up this important ministry.  Dan plans to begin this ministry on Thursday October 7, 2010.  Tailgating will be at 6 PM and Big Stuff will start at 6:45 PM. 

New church coming to Pine Ridge

New church coming to Pine Ridge

August 12, 2010

Countdown: 30 days until our first day
September 12, 2010 is the first day for Journey Baptist Church


Hello Everyone,

My name is Hector Rodriguez, Pastor of Journey Baptist Church in Pine Ridge, South Carolina.

If this is your first time here, we have exciting news for you if you're ever in the Pine Ridge area. 

God has led my wife and I to start a church in a community that is growing and has so much potential to see phenomenal growth in a few short years. 

We would like to invite you to attend our very first first service on September 12.  It has been an exciting summer as we have seen God's plan unfold before our eyes.  His hand and blessings are truly in this new start up church. 


Ordination

Well today was a big day for me.  I started the ordination process by answering questions on important doctrinal beliefs.  Needless to say, my mind was swerling as I have been mult-tasking this week on very important things in preparation for the start date of Journey Baptist Church.

It's all good!  I passed. Sunday evening will be the culmination of years of ministry and completion of the ordination process.  Your invited to attend this important service at First Baptist Church of Lexington, 415 Barr Road, Lexington, SC. at 5 PM on August 15, 2010.

What's Happening this week?

For starters, we met with the owners of the buildings.  The architect made his recommedations to bring the building up to code.  Knowing that modification pricing will be incured by the new church, they are working with us in our rental fees. 

I will be contacting some key people from First Baptist to see if they will be willing to come over and help install sheet rock and one dividing wall for the church.  This is super exciting to see progress being made.  Soon our children will have a place that will be fun, exciting and safer.

Bugs

Not these kind!

We will be spraying for bugs this week before Saturdays big day.  Keep in mind that the restaurant has not been in operation for a long time so we might see some critters, but they'll be dead when Devon begins his eradication process on Friday.






Set-up

We'll be setting up in the sanctuary on Friday night to be ready to hand out maps and flyers for those engaging in canvassing. 





Address
Some have asked about the address to the new church.  It is a little confusing I must say, but each building has it's own address:

• The sanctuary and offical church address is: 638 Pine Ridge Dr., Suite D, West Columbia, SC 29172 (Send mail here)
• The Youth and Children's Center is: 636 Pine Ridge Dr., Suites A, B. 
• The Post Office Box is: Journey Baptist Church, PO Box 4124, West Columbia, SC 29172.

Journey Baptist Church
Services:
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Worship: 11:00 AM
Sunday PM: 5:30 PM
Wednesday Service/Prayer: 6:30 PM

Pastor Hector

August 10, 2010

Hear Ye, Hear Ye Read All About It!

Journey Baptist Gets their first Convert!

Pastor Hector and Devon Shelton were out driving around getting a house count in the Pine Ridge neighborhoods on August 10 when they came across a man that accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

We were driving around getting a house count of the area when Devon spotted a man that he suggested we need to ask about what was going on in the neighborhood.  God led us to Tony Johnson who was sitting on his front steps on a very hot steamy day in August in South Carolina.  As we approached the man, we made ourselves friendly and began a conversation. Tony provided us with useful information about the community and his neighborhood. 

As the conversation went along, we made the transition to a spiritual conversation.  I had to ask him about his own involvement in church and his relationship with the Lord Jesus.  He said he didn't attend church, but did as a little kid and that he didn't have a relationship with God or His Son Jesus. He seemed knowledgable about some things of the Lord, but assured us that he wasn't saved. I asked him if he was a good person.  He said he was so I asked him if I could put that statement to the test.  He gave me permission to proceed with the questioning.  We went through several steps from Way of the Master soul winning techniques.  Unfortunately, he did not pass the test.  With this information, we were able to get him lost first and then follow through with a solution to His eternal destiny using the Romans Road.  After understanding that his sinful condition didn't pass muster and that his own goodness wasn't what gets him to heaven, we presented the gospel and the need for him to accept God's gift of eternal life. 

Tony admitted he was a sinner and wanted to turn from his current condition. His faith and personal belief in Jesus dying for him, was buried and that God raised Him from the grave on the third day was his salvation moment.  He repented for his sins, and asked Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of his life, he prayed the sinner's prayer and was gloriously saved.  Tony began to put all his trust in the Lord Jesus. 

The experience was over the top as we witnessed a man go from thoughts of misery to a smiling, standing up straight posture, more elated disposition. Tony looked different after accepting Jesus into his life.  What a privilege to have had the rare opportunity to lead a man to Christ. 

Pray for Tony as we begin to minister to him.  Devon gave him a bible with his new birth date inside and instructions to read the book of John. Tony wants to come to church and made that desire known to us.  

Red Tape

Teresa Brazell has been working extra hard to get all kinds of documents and procedures out of the way for Journey to get the tax I.D. and to get incorporated. She has also been instrumental in typing up the by-laws to be reviewed by officers of Journey Baptist.  Talk about someone who can juggle 10 balls at a time!  First Baptist Church of Lexington Cindy Oswald, Evans Jones have also been working hard to get the church up and running.  All of their labor is coming together for Journey to be established as a religious organization. 

Canvassing
Devon Shelton taxied Pastor Hector around for more than six hours on Tuesday to get a house count in different neighborhoods. A big thank you goes to Devon for being there and willing to get in the trenches to see this baby church get off the ground. 

Speaking of houses, we will need approximately 50 people to help canvass neighborhoods on Saturday August 14 from 9 AM until 12 noon.  Maps and flyers will be ready for pick-up as people arrive to participate.  We will meet at the church at 636 Pine Ridge Drive suite D, West Columbia, SC 29172.



Hector Rodriguez, Pastor
Journey Baptist Church
636 Pine Ridge Dr., Suites A, B & D
West Columbia, SC 29172
803.447.7339
E-mail: hrodriguez2sc.rr.com   

August 4, 2010

What's the latest?

For starters, I replaced a hard drive in my laptop on Tuesday night and it feels good to be working on my own machine again.  I'm actually getting and can send mail.  Wow! What a treat!

Cookout
Check out the pics from our first cookout

Some attendees at first cookout

Jeff cooking for our first cookout

Pot Luck Dinner
In spite of a rainy night on Saturday July 31, we had a good turnout for our first organizational meeting at the Brazell's. As we get closer to our start date, it's important that everyone knows their assigned jobs and where they'll be ministering.  We handed out information on some job descriptions and heard everyone give a short testimony on their gift and how they plan to contribute their talents and time to Journey Baptist Church.

Buildings

Future Church

So far this week we managed to get the permits along with inspections by the Fire Marshall and County Inspector.  We're still working on a little red tape, but we're well on our way to signing a lease on the buidlings.

Jim Filiatrault and John Heacock took a look at the buildings to see about adding dividers for different areas of usage. 

Hopefully, early next week we'll hear from the owners on what our next step is to move forward with occupancy.

Clean up Day
Due to the minor setback on our first building, there is no clean-up day on Saturday August 7.  This is actually good because this is mine and Jean's 28th wedding aniversary, so I think I'll spend the day with her instead.

Cottage Prayer Meeting
We had another good prayer meeting on Monday August 2.  Our next prayer meeting is at Cary and Jeannette Farr's house in Lexington at 6:30 PM on Monday night August 9.  We encourage as many as can make it to come out and pray for Journey Baptist Church.  The Farr's address is: 100 Misty Meadows Ct., Lexington, SC 29072.

Canvassing
Our first day to hand out flyers and information about the church is Saturday August 14 starting at 9:00 AM.  We will meet at Journey Baptist Church at 636 Pine Ridge Drive, West Columbia, SC 29172.  Deannie Shelton is working on getting our maps so we know where to go.  We will have donuts, coffee and bottled water at the church for those who come out. Remember to wear comfortable shoes.

Pastor Hector