Baptist and Reflector
Members of Rock Hill Baptist Church, Lexington, made a Christmas tree out of backpacks. The church collected 111 backpacks for the Christmas Backpack Ministry sponsored by the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board while at the same time collecting $3,450 for the Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions. The church’s goals were $3,000 for GOTM and 100 backpacks.
LEXINGTON — Rock Hill Baptist Church is a rural congregation that has been averaging between 60-70 people in worship since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, according to pastor Richard Bray.
Bray noted that the church’s missions committee led the congregation to participate in the Christmas Backpack Ministry in August but they did not begin preparing the backpacks until September, at the same time the church was promoting the annual Golden Offering for Tennessee Missions.
“We were concerned that one or the other might suffer, especially considering our attendance is only about 65 to 70 percent of pre-COVID levels,” the pastor said.
Bray also noted that members of Rock Hill Baptist “have a big heart” for kids, so there was concern that giving might decrease for the Golden Offering, but that was not the case.
The church set goals of $3,000 for GOTM and 100 backpacks. “God’s people were faithful to do both while continuing to support the budget,” Bray said. “We gave $3,450 to the GOTM and put together 111 backpacks. The Lord blessed us. We were able to accomplish both goals.”
When it came to the backpacks, Bray noted that a large majority of the children who attend Rock Hill come through the church’s bus ministry. “They come from some difficult circumstances,” he noted.
Chris Feathers, the church’s youth and children’s minister, led the children from the bus ministry to prepare six backpacks.
Feathers and Derek McCord, one of the church’s deacons, explained to the children the importance of giving and praying for the backpacks.
The children laid hands on the backpacks and prayed for them, Bray said. “Then, on a Sunday morning, they presented the backpacks to the church in morning worship and experienced the joy of giving,” he added.
“It was a time of celebration for the church.” B&R
