Issue no.

16, December 2010

Join us in thanking God for teachers and “adopting” students who are in • Continued development of leaders who are equipped to
need this holiday season. lead small groups as our groups multiply
His provision and grace in our
• Mitchell Road Elementary School right next door to East
lives in the following ways: Prayer Needs:
North Street as we seek to serve and love the parents,
• His plan to redeem us, even in the • God to continue to draw those who are far from students, teachers, administration and staff
beginning with Adam, through the gift of Him so that they would trust Christ for salvation • Opportunities to get to know the many people who
His Son and sanctification make up the neighborhoods surrounding East North
• 18 new members presented to the church • Protection from the enemy for marriages and Street
in November families of Renewal • Meltdown in Joplin, MO December 28-30th
• Matt able to speak at the South Carolina • Preparation for Renewal’s first team to travel to
Baptist Convention’s Annual meeting this Scandinavia in January to seek out a partnership
month with churches in that region
• Developing relationship with the • Hugh and Hollie Carson as they continue raising
principal, staff, and teachers at Mitchell support to be on staff full-time at Renewal
Road Elementary School through
opportunities to serve them - breakfast for Renewal’s Thanksgiving Dinner

This month we concluded a new members class

Renewed Relationship with God
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to
the fellowship, and to the breaking of bread, and to
prayer.” (Acts 2:42)
“The Disciple Experiment” concluded this month as
we examined the final texts in Luke where Jesus
describes the marks of His disciples. With great
clarity, challenge, encouragement and hope Matt
proposed that a disciple of Jesus rejects hypocrisy,
shows mercy, and perseveres. Hugh taught for the
first time this month and we were blessed to hear his
message on disciples living in light of Jesus’ return.
We are so grateful for men who love God’s word,
study it, live it, and who are willing to teach it to our
congregation for their growth and maturity.
December will mark the beginning of a short series,
“Christmas before Christmas” as we trace through
the entire Bible the promise of Jesus, His arrival, and
His present and future reign as King. We look
forward to celebrating His birth together as a body
this Christmas.
If you would like to listen to any of the sermons from
“The Disciple Experiment” as we walk through Luke,
or messages from “Christmas before Christmas”, you
can access them from www.renewalupstate.com/
sermons .
and presented 18 new partners to Renewal! Please
continue to pray with us for these partners as God “Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone
uses Renewal to stretch them as they serve the
body, reach the lost, and grow in community with
other believers.
We are continuing to praise God for His provision how to give:
of East North Street where we now gather. We are
much better equipped to welcome new families
through our nursery and kids rooms, greet
newcomers in the Welcome Area as you enter the
building, and enjoy meals together in the
fellowship hall. Join us in praising God for His
provision through the building and pray that we
would continue to use it for His glory!
Matt was asked to speak at
the South Carolina Baptist
Convention’s Annual
meeting this month and
we are so excited that he
was able to represent
Renewal Church well! He
spoke on the need for
Gospel centrality in the
church. We are grateful
for a good relationship
with the convention and Matt speaking at the
desire to see it continue to SCBC Annual Meeting • Should you desire to give to send our first
flourish.
How to Give
as he had need.” Acts 2:45
Thank you again for your commitment to give to
Renewal Church! See the following information on
• By check
Place a check in the pre-labeled envelope along
with a stamp, and mail to Renewal Church - 201
B. West Butler Rd. #151, Mauldin, S.C. 29662
• Online
Go to www.renewalupstate.com and click on
“Online Giving” at the bottom of the home page.
Click “Register” to give a one time gift.
• Automatic Draft
Go to www.renewalupstate.com and click on
“Online Giving” at the bottom of the home page.
Click “Register” to complete your automatic
draft.
A few reminders:
• All gifts are tax deductible
• Please make us aware of any address changes or
changes to your giving so we can make the
necessary adjustments. Send an email to
church@renewalupstate.com to update your
information!
exploratory team to Scandinavia, please not that
on your checks.

East North Street

Baptist Church Thanksgiving Dinner
in the fellowship hall
at East North Street

www.renewalupstate.com

Renewed Relationships With
Each Other
“Everyday they continued to meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together
with glad and sincere hearts.” Acts 2:46
We were able to connect with the whole body of
Renewal in two fun ways during the month of
November. On Sunday the 14th, Renewal hosted our
first annual Turkey Bowl. Hotdogs were served and
several partners played a great game of flag football.
We recognize how necessary it is in the growth of
relationships and love for each other to spend time
enjoying those in our body, and the Turkey Bowl
definitely accomplished this! Grown men and
women played like children and we all had fun
seeing the different personalities of those in our
church as we connected over games, food, and fun!
1st Annual Turkey Bowl
Secondly, on the 21st, a Thanksgiving was meal
shared together in the fellowship hall at East North
Street. It was a special time to be able to enjoy a
wonderful meal of turkey, dressing, and all the side
dishes as well as the delicious desserts. Renewal
partners gathered to remember all that God has
given us and blessed us with. We are all
encouraged to see the faithfulness of God as we look
back over the past year and see His provision as He
has grown His church. He brought us from a
handful of couples to numerous families, college
students, and children, from borrowing space in a
youth room to the hotel and now an amazing
building that meets our needs, and from small faith
in a powerful God to deeper trust and faith in Him.
We are also very thankful for God’s provision
through your generous giving. We know that God
would have accomplished His purposes no matter
what, but we are thankful that He chose you to
partner with us. We pray that you also can recount
the faithfulness and blessings of God in numerous
ways over the past year.
Thank you to all who
brought food,
centerpieces and
decorations, and for
serving by putting the
Thanksgiving Dinner
together!
Thanksgiving Dinner
Our college group has grown this semester and we
are very thankful that God has challenged these
students to connect to a local body of believers and
commit to loving and serving there. This month
college students, young adults, and some young
married couples traveled to Pigeon Forge for our
Fall Getaway. We were blessed to have Jonathan
Elrod lead music and Dustin Willis, from Midtown
Church in Columbia, SC, teach through the book of
Jonah. This group enjoyed a fun weekend away
together, good teaching, and the deepening of
relationships with other followers of Jesus. We love
our college students! They’re ideas for how to serve
our community, passion for the lost, and joy for the
Lord are contagious! Please be in prayer for them
as they finish exams and head home for the
holidays. Many will be on mission trips over
Christmas break and others will be headed to their
mission field at home.
Renewed Love for Those Far
From God
“...And the Lord added to their number daily those who
were being saved.” Acts 2:47
November was a month of reflecting on the many
ways God has blessed Renewal. The partners of
Renewal have much to be thankful for in their
personal lives and in our life as a body of believers.
Thanksgiving Dinner
The Elders and staff of Renewal were able to reach
out to the teachers of Mitchell Road Elementary
School. On November 23rd, they took a breakfast of
biscuits, fruit, juice, and milk to the fifty teachers of
the school. It was a great opportunity to begin to
build relationships with these men and women.
Partners playing at the
1st Annual Turkey
Bowl!
www.renewalupstate.com
Renewal will have an opportunity to serve the
teachers of Mitchell Road another breakfast during
the month of December. Please continue to pray
with us for a good relationship to develop
between us and teachers, administration, staff,
students and parents of Mitchell Road Elementary
School.
Preschoolers on Sunday morning
During the month of December, Renewal will have
many opportunities to reach out to others within
our city. The church will adopt several children
from an Angel Tree of students from Mitchell Road
Elementary. Each small group, as well as individual
families will be adopting these students who are in
need during this time of year. The Dix small group
will be visiting the National Health Care facility in
Mauldin to deliver Christmas cards and sing carols
to the patients of the home. Also, the Dix small
group is making a candy cane treat that looks like a
“Christmas Rat”. These treats will be given to all
the children of Mitchell Road Elementary School.
Each small group is being encouraged to do
missions in ways they would enjoy and take
advantage of the opportunities they know they can
serve others with. It will be wonderful to be able to
help meet the needs of those within our community
over the exciting days of celebrating our Savior’s
birth. The Rutland small group will be partnering
with Pendleton Place which ministers to abused,
neglected and abandoned children. The Rogers’
small group will be providing gifts for children from
Mitchell Road Elementary School. We look forward
to serving families over the holidays this year.
December also brings an opportunity to share the
gospel with middle and high school students in
Joplin, Missouri through Meltdown, a youth camp
which Toby Dix founded. Toby started Meltdown in
Pigeon Forge 13 years ago with less than 100
students and now draws over 1,000 students each
year. This year, Toby will be starting a new
Meltdown camp in Joplin with a small number of
students. Please pray for Toby as he prepares for
camp, for Matt as he preaches at this camp, and for
the students who will attend to be receptive to the
gospel.