The Missions Of Grace
"Go ye into the world...." sets the tone
for mission of churches of all denominations and places in the world. Throughout
the history of Grace United Methodist Church in Pickens, this has been
interpreted and carried out on a local, state, national, and international
level. The slogan "Every member in ministry" has been used in the
past to describe whose job it is to be in mission.
In the Greenville News clipping, dated June 14,
1948, was an article and picture stating "Pickens Church Folk Like
Work". Following the tragic burning of the Grace sanctuary in 1945 , the task of rebuilding a newer structure
was taken on by the membership. Men members were shown unloading the train
carloads of bricks to be used for the new church, brought in by the Pickens
Railroad. Responding in times of tragedy and times of need have always been in
the forefront of the Grace mission program.
Believing that charity begins first at home, Grace
Methodist has tried to actively involve itself in the community. It furnishes
office space to the Pickens area Meals on Wheels program. AA and NA, which meet
seven days a week, are given meeting rooms in the basement, free of charge to
the organizations. The Methodist Men and United Methodist Women have donated
funds in past years to help support the Elephant Men, Helping Hands, Habitat
For Humanity, WINGS, The Worth House, and the United Christian Ministries. The
Methodist Men have taken on the sponsorship of the Pickens Cub Scout Pack, and
furnish meeting space for the many dens each week. Many Grace members have been
active participants in these community organizations.
Retired members have been led to volunteer their
time in the community. June Campbell has donated her Monday and Wednesday
afternoons for many years in the Hagood Elementary School homework center. Roy
France and Malinda Holroyd can also been seen there helping in the library. Cynthia
Boudreau shares her British heritage and customs with students at Pickens
Middle School and Ambler Elementary.
Children are given opportunities to use their
talents in a special ministry. Children's ministries sponsor projects where the
children make cards or crafts to share with church members who are shut-ins or
are in area nursing homes. Hugs and singing are a big part of spending time
with elder folks, who look forward to their visit. Miracle Hill Children's Home
has received visits and gifts from Grace children at Christmas time. This
year's Vacation Bible School project was decorating and delivering flowerpots
of mums for the Rosemond Nursing Home residents.
Sunday School classes have chosen mission projects
in past years. The Marvin Gravely Class (named after a man who gave of himself
so generously in the Pickens community) collects and delivers donations to Country Santa each year. This class
renovated the bathhouse at Asbury Hills Methodist Camp in 1995.
Following the destruction of Hurricane Hugo, they
became involved with the McClellanville (SC) United Methodist Church. Weekends
(in 1989) were spent there painting and restoring their church building, which
survived being underneath 10 feet of ocean water during the storm surge. A
Grace-style barbeque was given for the McClellanville members as a show of
emotional support, as well as new kitchen equipment donated for their use.
This past May the class joined forces with the Rocky
Bottom Baptist Church in reroofing a home, of someone in need. This same class gave McKinney's Chapel a
needed exterior painting.
Grace has also joined forces with other churches in
the area in assisting with disaster relief. In 1992 Pickens area residents
contributed bottled water, food, blankets, and money to be shared with the
survivors of Hurricane Andrew. This meshed together efforts of the Southern
Baptist and United Methodist relief groups. Four Grace men delivered the
supplies to Homestead, Florida, witnessing the mass destruction.
In later years, Hurricane Felix victims were taken
emergency supplies in the Wilmington, NC area. Bleach bottles were collected to
be sent to Honduras, to purify water that was contaminated by Hurricane Mitch.
Coats were collected and sent to refugees in Armenia in the winter of 1993. The
winter blizzard of 1993 in the Pickens area caused much devastation to the
Asbury Hills Methodist Camp. Trees were cut and cabins reroofed by many in the
area who heard of the plea for help.
Ongoing local ministries that Grace continues to
participate in include the semi-annual blood drives and the donations to the
United Christian Ministries. Working with other churches in Pickens is a vital
part of ministry.
The missions committee at Grace has lead many
projects, in addition to the Methodist Conference programs. Youth have
participated in the Salkahatchie Project in the state. Teens and their adult
counselors repair homes for the needy throughout South Carolina. Cora and Willi
Henny have served as adult counselors and youth who have worked include Melissa
Berrong, Jennifer Haskett, and Jason Martin.
Children have made Christmas stockings for Haitian
children and adult classes made midwifery kits.
One group within the church that was formed as a mission
team was the Bells of Grace Handbell Choir. Formed in 1987, this group not only
plays for worship services but also has an annual mission trip that taken them
in seven states and over 10,000 miles. They have been in North Carolina,
Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, West Virginia, Florida, and throughout South
Carolina. Many concerts have taken them to Baptist and Methodist children's
homes and the Redbird Missionary Conference (Kentucky). Clothing, school
supplies, or medical needs are donated by them when visiting poverty-stricken
areas.
Senior high school youth spent a week at the Redbird
Missionary Conference in June 1997, assisting those who live in poverty areas.
This is in the eastern section of Kentucky, in the mountains.
Mission work abroad began in 1975 when a team from
South Carolina went to Haiti to repair homes damaged from hurricanes. In 1980
more went to the Dominican Republic. Grace was represented in both these
efforts. The most recent countries of focus have been Mexico and the Bahamas.
In the past 6 years, the Anderson Volunteers In
Mission (ADVIM) has been constructing a sanctuary for a Methodist church in
Delicias, Mexico. Three men from Grace-David Garrison, Joe Durham, and Ken
Lowe-began the project. Every year the team grew in numbers. In 1999 the
largest team was sent. Of the 38 who went from the upstate, 20 were from Grace
Church.
In the daytime, the sanctuary (which was finished)
was painted and wiring completed. Youth painted a church in the countryside. At
night a district handbell choir (painters in the day) played concerts at
churches in neighboring towns. Church pews and benches were built. Men, women,
and youth all worked for 10 days.
This past July 2, the bishop from the state of
Chihuahua, Mexico, came to visit Pickens. His visit was part of the
International Church Service that celebrated the friendship and heritage of
Methodism in both countries.
Following the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd, ADVIM
sent a team to the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas, in February. David
Garrison, Joe Durham, Ray Haskett, and Ken Lowe were a part of the group who
helped repair homes that were damaged. Seeing that much more work needed to be
done, Ken and Ray set up a return trip in July. In addition to this, money was
collected to replace Bibles and hymnals that were destroyed in churches during
the storm.
Seventeen men, women, and youth went to Eleuthra for
this "Grace only" renovation trip.