ODBM 2023 Golf Tournament

Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament

Please join us for the annual Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament on April 22, 2023. The annual tournament is one of the ways that ODBM can keep costs so low for its missionaries.

After July tournaments during 2020 and 2021, our 2022 tournament returned to its regular spring date. Both the 2021 and 2022 tournaments resulted in record donations for ODBM.

We will have a great day of golf at the beautiful Links O' Tryon in Campobello, SC. Register now and remember to invite your friends to play.

Hope in Trials: Looking Back

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We’re excited to look ahead to 2023, and we’re thankful for what God did in 2022.

Join us on the evening of January 15 for our 2022 annual report and our year in review video.

(UPDATE: WATCH THE YEAR IN REVIEW VIDEO)

Members have received the password for our annual report itself.

Our first annual report was January 2022.

Our 1 Peter sermon series will continue during 2023 as part of our new theme: Living as a Church. You can get the full 1 Peter series on our YouTube channel. Many clips from Hope in Trials sermons are also available on our Instagram profile.

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Theme for 2023: Living as a Church

It’s a new year, but our mission remains the same.

Our theme for 2023 is Living as a Church: How Our Unity Displays the Gospel.

The unity our church enjoys is not built on language. It’s not built on sharing a life stage, race, or social status.

Many of our Sunday school classes and groups are indeed built to help people build relationships within their specific stages of life: college age, young adults, young families, senior adults, and more. We’re thankful for our opportunities to minister in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and American Sign Language as well as English. We pray all the time that the Lord will help us build relationships across racial barriers.

But our unity transcends language, race, and lifestage. It’s far better than our culture, age, and all of the things that so easily divide people from each other.

What we share in Christ is more important than all those things. Our sins are forgiven. Our eternal home with Christ is secure. Our church family loves us. And together we have a unique opportunity to display God’s love to our world.

Pastor Crockett will preach on this theme throughout 2023. Our life groups will give us chances to build inter-generational relationships. Our monthly Starting Point classes (11 AM, 3rd Sundays) will be a great way to think about our church’s unity as well. We’re even making plans for a summer growth class on it.

If the Lord is leading you to join our church family, take the first steps today.

New Year, Same Mission

On New Year’s Day, many of our regular activities and even services are canceled. But we have a special opportunity to hear from one of our newest missionaries.

Paul Schlehlein has served in South Africa with Open Door Baptist Missions for several years, and Morningside has supported his family since 2020. Paul will be our guest speaker in the morning service on January 1, 2023. After the service, he’ll provide a Sunday school lesson in the auditorium.

Paul blogs at betweentwocultures.com.

Many of our classes and groups will not be meeting that day. But if you can come hear Paul’s sermon and lesson, we are sure he will encourage you to love our world as our Lord does.

Our mission remains the same: Loving God, Loving Each Other, and Loving Our World.

Our 2023 theme is coming soon!

Christmas at Morningside

Haga clic aquí para obtener información sobre nuestras celebraciones españolas.

It's a huge blessing to live in a place where so many people are willing to think about the birth of Jesus every December 25th. After all, Christmas commemorates the birth of the most important person in human history. We don't take that blessing lightly, and we would love to have you celebrate Christmas with us.

We have several special Christmas events, and on Christmas Day we'll worship together at 10 AM. We look forward to seeing you.

Come and Worship (Dec. 11)

On December 11 at 10 AM, our choir and orchestra present a Christmas program entitled “Come and Worship.” The program will mix familiar Christmas carols like “Angels from the Realms of Glory” and “Joy to the World!” with new favorites like “Mary, Did You Know” and “O Come, All You Unfaithful.”

The program will encourage you to join the angels… and the shepherds… and the wise men… to “come and worship Christ, the newborn King.”

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Morningside choir and orchestra in “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” December 12, 2021.

Sing a Song of Christmas (Dec. 18)

On December 18 at 5 PM, our kids choir presents “Sing a Song of Christmas.” Afterwards we'll celebrate with a Christmas cookie fellowship.

Lily Grimm sings a solo on December 19, 2021, as our kids choir presents “Wow! It’s Christmas.”

Christmas Eve Service

On Saturday, December 24 at 6pm (note the special time!) our Spanish congregation hosts a special bilingual candlelight service in the Chapel. Join us as we reflect on the coming of our Savior with Scripture and traditional carols in both English and Spanish.

Christmas Service

On December 25, we will celebrate Christmas Day with Christmas carols and a Christmas sermon (10 AM). Child care will be available from birth through grade five.

Our Spanish congregation has several Christmas celebrations too. Check them out here.

Pie & Praise - Happy Thanksgiving!

Update: 11/22

The Sunday evening before Thanksgiving is our third annual Pie & Praise night (Nov. 20, 5 PM).

We’ll begin with our service in the auditorium. We’ll celebrate with a Thanksgiving-themed song service. (If you aren’t already humming “Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul,” consider this a great opportunity to start!)

Afterwards our Homebuilders group will sponsor a pie fellowship in the Chapel. Suggested donation $1/person, $4/family: pies and drinks are provided.

After starting in 2019 and taking a break in 2020, our 2021 service featured an update from our Pursue mission to Reno, NV. We’re still praying for what the Lord is doing in Living Hope Church!

If you’re able to come on November 20, bring a friend--we’ll have plenty of pie to share.

Happy Thanksgiving! Get our full holiday schedule here.

Reception & Dinner

On the evening of October 16, we have several special opportunities to love each other.

We’ll recognize 28 years of service from our financial administrator Jon Jezowski, who is transitioning to serve at the Greenville County Treasurer’s Office.

Jon has served at Morningside since finishing school in 1994.

We’ll hear reports from our pastors’ recent trip to a discipleship conference.

And we’ll enjoy an international dinner provided by our Spanish congregation (suggested donation $3/person, $10/family).

Our Spanish congregation has families from all over Latin America.

We hope you can join us!

Family Camp

Join us for Morningside Family Camp (The Wilds, Nov. 11 - 12). All language ministries will be blessed by the preaching, fellowship, food and activities. Translation in Spanish and Chinese will be available for most sessions.

Families and individuals can choose from a variety of accommodations. Morningside is offering an early bird discount (50% off) October 2 - 16. Payment is required at the time of registration. Cash or check is accepted. Look for our registration table in the lobby through November 6.

Check out our guest speaker, packing list, dress, tentative schedule and activities, accommodations, and rates and make your plans to come. For additional questions, contact Pastor Huffman.

our guest speaker: Jon crocker

Jon and his wife, Andrea, served as missionaries in Mexico City for 10-1/2 years. They have 5 children. Jon is GFA's new Executive Director. He is deeply committed to serving missionaries around the world and is passionate about motivating young people to give their lives to fulfilling the Great Commission. Jon is a bilingual speaker.

packing list and activities

What to bring: Bible, camera, and casual clothes and shoes for informal sessions and recreation. Linens and pillow provided only for those staying in the Lodge and Inn.

What NOT to bring: Alcoholic beverages, drugs, tobacco or cigarettes of any kind, fireworks, ammunition, guns, weapons, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, drones, magazines, apparel with inappropriate graphics or lettering.

What awaits: Cool Beans Coffee Shop • Land Trolley • Paddle Boats • Canoes Game Room • General Store • Snack Shop • Craft Shop • Frisbee Golf • Archery Range • Slingshot Range • Mountain Hikes • Basketball • Volleyball • Human Foosball Third Falls Zipline • The Giant Swing

Dress: Casual dress is appropriate for the informal camp atmosphere. Modest necklines and knee-length shorts are requested by the camp.

Updated weekend schedule

(Revised since Brochure Printing)

November 11-12, 2022

FRIDAY

5:00 - 7:15 Check-in

6:00 - 7:15 General Store/Cool Beans

7:30  - 8:05 Supper (Dining Hall)

8:30 - 9:00 Funtime (0-4 Childcare) - Fireplace Room

*9:00 - 9:30 Session 1 English (Spanish and Chinese translation) - Fireplace Room

9:30 -  10:15 General Store/Cool Beans/The Snack

SATURDAY

7:30 - 8:00 Cool Beans 

8:15 - 8:45 Breakfast

*9:15-10:15 Session 2 English (Chinese translation) – Fireplace Room

Spanish God & I Time and Freetime

*10:15-11:15 Session 3 Spanish – Fireplace Room

English and Chinese God & I Time and Freetime

11:15-12:30 Giant Swing/Land Trolley/Wall/Craft Shop

12:45 - 1:20 Lunch 

1:20 - 1:30 Group Photo in front of General Store

1:30 - 5:30 Freetime 

1:30 - 5:15 Craft Shop

1:30 - 5:30 Boats

1:45 - 3:15 2nd and 3rd Falls Hike and ZIP (arrive by 2:45 to ZIP)

2:30 - 5:15 General Store/Cool Beans/The Snack

3:00 - 4:00 Archery/Superslide (Tentative)

5:30 - 6:05 Supper/Dismissal 

* Nursery and childcare available

• Ages 0-2 should be taken to Conference Room B (lower level of Inn II) before services and be picked up there immediately following the services.

• Ages 3-4 should meet their leaders in Conference Room A (lower level of Inn II) before services and be picked up there immediately following the services.

• Age 5-5th grade should meet their leaders at the Pavilion before services and be picked up there immediately following the services.

Freetime Activities

Daytime and Lighted Activities                   Saturday Freetime Activities

Volleyball                                                         Boating (Adult supervision/life jackets for all)

Basketball                                                        Self-service Hikes (Adult supervision)

Soccer Arena                                                         -Turtle Rock (Trail across the grass to the right of Lake)

Human Foosball                                                    -2nd & 3rd Falls (Follow to ZIP then Trail signs)

GaZEEball                                                        Frisbee Golf (Disc and map by Land Trolley)

Mini Golf

rates and accommodations

Adult rates for meals, lodging, and activities range from $50 (Sat. only) to $150 per person, and a 50% discount is available through October 16. For full details, pick up our brochure in the lobby.

Lodge Rooms: Motel rooms in the main building, with one queen-size bed and two sets of bunk beds, including linens and pillows.

Inn Rooms: Located 150 yards from the Lodge area. Motel rooms with one queen-size bed and one set of bunk beds, including linens and pillows.

Duplex Cabins: Located down the hill, several hundred yards from the Lodge area. Each unit is an individual, winterized cabin with one queen-size bed and four sets of bunk beds and large bathroom. No linens or pillows provided.

See above for schedule updates since brochure publication.

Homecoming Events for your Family

Join us Oct 2-5 as we gather for Homecoming events for the whole family.

During the week of our Gospel Conference, men, women, teens and kids are invited for times of fellowship, food and reflection from God’s Word. Ticket for the Men’s and Women’s events begin 9/18 in the Lobby (suggested donation of $10 per person). Kids and teens may donate $5 at their events.

Sunday, October 2

10:00 AM Homecoming Service

5:00 PM Sacred Concert, Frazor Team

Monday, October 3

6:00-8:00 PM Women’s Dinner (Pork Loin, sides & dessert) and Corn Hole Tournament

For ladies 6 years and up. Invite a friend.

Tuesday, October 4

6:00-8:00 PM Men’s Dinner (Beef Short Ribs, sides & dessert) and Corn Hole Tournament

For boys/men 6 years and up. Invite a friend.

Wednesday, October 5

6:00-8:00 PM Kids’ Dinner and Awana (Nursery open. Serving dinner to K3-5th grade only. This is a date night for parents)

6:00-8:00 PM Teens’ Food and Fun (Cola Wars).

Annual Church Picnic

Pig Pickin’ is a yearly tradition where we enjoy eating fantastic BBQ and fellowshipping with our Morningside family and friends.

This year’s Pig Pickin’ is 4-7 PM on Sunday, September 25 at the Pavilion Recreation Complex (400 Scottswood Drive, Taylors). The cost is a suggested donation of $3/person or $10/family. Food will be catered by Mike & Jeff’s BBQ.

Activities begin at 4:00 pm with kids’ face painting. Food will be available 4:30-5:30 pm. Your family may wish to bring lawn chairs for the outdoor events and socks for any wishing to ice skate or play in the bounce area.

Every Pig Pickin’ is special. Enjoy some of our memories from last year!

Come and fellowship with us!

Awana Kicks Off

We are excited to begin this year’s Awana Clubs on September 7. Children 3 years old through 5th grade are all invited to join us at 6:45 PM on Wednesday nights throughout the school year.

What is AWANA?

Awana is designed to help your child understand the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our caring, trained volunteers develop engaging relationships and teach Bible truths so that Christian discipleship can happen. Your kids will not only memorize truth from God’s Word but will also receive guidance in understanding it.

Games and special dress up nights create a fun environment and help kids earn team points, and missions focus happens twice a year too! Check out our Awana calendars at Morningside Kids for more details about special themes, memory verses and events.

Cubbies (K3-K4) features Bible memory, snacks, crafts, puppets and age-appropriate hands-on Bible learning in a setting that fosters love and respect for God. Cubbies resources will encourage and equip you to actively nurture your child. Our volunteers will work alongside you to guide children into truth.

Sparks (K5-Grade 2) learn and memorize God’s Word with an emphasis on developing caring relationships with their leaders. Bible biographies show children how others in Bible times interacted personally with God. Sparks learn that they can also know God personally through the gift of His Son, Jesus. Sparks also experience fun through songs, games and periodic crafts.

Truth & Training (Grades 3-5) kids begin with games, and our volunteers always have a Bible application for each one. Clubbers then transition to a Bible lesson, songs, and Bible memory in small group discussions led by caring adults who want to help them grow in their walk with the Lord.

If you would like to serve in Awana, sign up to volunteer at morningside.org/kids. We will look forward to working with you.

Back to School Splash

On Wednesday, August 10, we welcomed over 250 people to our Back to School Splash! Our volunteers gave away over 100 school boxes and 50 backpacks provided by Select Health. Kids enjoyed crafts, water wars, carnival games, popsicles and the giant water slide. We were thankful to be a part of helping families prepare for school on a cooler summer night!

Back to School Event

Last Friday, we were able to partner with Select Health/First Choice in our front parking lot to give away backpacks and school supplies to well over 200 families. Paul Mitchell School also joined us to give free haircuts. In addition to giving away free school supplies, we also invited carloads of families to our upcoming Back to School Splash happening Wednesday, August 10 from 7-8:30pm. Our Back to School Splash includes a water slide for the kids, water games, craft stations, popsicles, free school supplies and signup for Awana. Please pray that families will come and enjoy the fun and free things, but more importantly will return to worship with us, find hope in Christ and build relationships at Morningside.

Life Groups

Life Groups are launching on July 24 to help us fulfill our mission of loving each other.

What are morningside life groups?

Life Groups are small groups of Morningsiders (6-10 adults, plus children) that meet in homes to fellowship (food optional), pray, and discuss application questions from Pastor’s sermon.

When do they meet?

Life groups will meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month as an alternative to the Sunday PM service. We will still have a Sunday evening service at church 52 weeks a year. But Life Groups offer an alternative every other Sunday for those who want to build close connections in Christian community.

Why do we do life groups?

When we look at the priorities of the early church, Acts 2:42 says they devoted themselves to: Doctrine (Sun AM, SS), Prayer (Wed PM), Breaking of bread (Communion), Fellowship- They were meeting “from house to house.” They received their food with glad and generous hearts (v. 42) 

When Paul lists the marks of a true Christian in Romans 12, he says we should be “given to hospitality” (v. 13). Hebrews 13:2 reminds believers, “Do not neglect to show hospitality. Peter tells even persecuted believers, “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9).

Life Groups are launching on July 24 to help us fulfill our mission of loving each other. 

Life Groups are small groups that meet in homes twice a month to fellowship, pray, and discuss application questions from Pastor’s sermon.

Learn more about our life groups and sign up at Morningside.org/Life-Groups today.

New Associate Pastor

We installed Jeriel Ontoy as Associate Pastor on May 8.

Jeriel had the privilege of being born and raised in a Christian home in Houston, TX where he was first exposed to music and most importantly the gospel. Because his family was so involved in their local church and Christian school, Jeriel was often roped into accompanying for special music and congregational singing, conducting choirs, and organizing rehearsals. Jeriel looks back on these early years with fondness and views them as the foundation for his future ministry.

Jeriel earned his undergraduate degree in communication and minors in business and music. While in school, Jeriel further developed his piano and conducting skills, directed a music ministry team, participated in collegiate-level choirs, gained leadership experience, and developed the Rooted music ministry at Morningside. Most recently, he mentored under Mac Lynch and led the choir and congregational singing at Catawba Springs Christian Church (Apex, NC) where his father-in-law pastors.

Jeriel has an MA in Biblical Studies. When he’s not making music, Jeriel enjoys traveling to new places with his wife.

Jeriel and his wife Carmel were married in 2020.

Online Giving Update

This month, our online giving platform is changing. If you haven’t been giving online, this is a great time to start.

Navigate to our website at morningside.org/give. Find the button that says “Give Online Via Our New Platform.”

That will take you to a secure donation form where you can choose whether to give once or set up recurring gifts, decide which fund to support, and provide necessary contact information. You can even decide whether to remain anonymous.

If you have any questions, our office will be happy to help. We are so thankful for the faithful gifts of our church family and so many others.

Graduation Sunday

for 2022 Graduates

We plan to recognize this year's graduates on May 1. We want you to know how proud we are of you.

Finishing an educational milestone is a great time to think about what God has done and to look forward to what He will do in the future.

We will recognize our graduates on Sunday, May 1 during the 10:00 am service. For our kindergarten and high school graduates, please email name and picture to mypicture@morningside.org by Sunday April 24.

We truly are proud of you, graduates, and we look forward to recognizing you!

Easter at Morningside

April 17 is Easter Sunday. Our 10:00 service will celebrate that Jesus rose from the dead. Kids can enjoy an Easter Egg Hunt after the service, and high-quality family photo sessions will be available.

Easter is a wonderful day for many reasons. Plants are blooming, eggs are hatching, and we remember the day that the Son of God conquered death to enjoy eternal life. We dress up, we plan fun activities for our children, and we thank God for proving that Jesus told the truth about Himself.

Our Easter service is always a special one. The choir and orchestra provide great music about the Resurrection, we praise God together, and our pastor preaches about how Jesus’ resurrection applies to everyday life.

Pastor Crockett’s Easter 2021 message, “Much Wisdom Is Much Grief,” came during our series Living for More.

All morning long, a corner of our lobby is buzzing with activity as families and friends line up to take pictures in their Easter outfits together. We’re so thankful for the gifted photographers in our church family who serve this way. We always send the pictures out so that everyone can keep their memories later.

Family photos are available in our coffee nook from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM.

We cap off the morning with an Easter egg hunt, telling our kids that there’s something worth remembering in the promise of new life that comes every spring.

Our egg hunt is a few minutes after the morning service. Thanks to Pelham Road Elementary School for the use of their lovely field!

We are excited to celebrate again this year. Will you join us?

ODBM 2022 Golf Tournament

Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament

Please join us for the annual Open Door Baptist Missions Golf Tournament on April 23, 2022. The annual tournament is one of the ways that ODBM can keep costs so low for its missionaries.

The last two tournaments were in July, but this year we return to our regular spring date. We will have a great day of golf at the beautiful Links O' Tryon in Campobello, SC. The golf tournament will be Captain's Choice, and registration will begin at 11:30 AM. Men, women, and juniors are all welcome. Your registration will include lunch at 12:00 PM, before golf, and door prize and awards following golf.

Register now and remember to invite your friends to play. Thanks to the many local vendors who have donated already.

Thank you for your support of Open Door Baptist Missions.                  

Date: April 23, 2022

Times: 11:30 am

Fees:

Individual Golfer: $110.00
Late Registration - after April 18, 2022: $120.00

One Body

What does the Bible say about racial reconciliation?

On the evening of February 20 we learned about racial reconciliation from a multi-ethnic panel. The theme of the panel was "One Body: A Christian Perspective on Racial Reconciliation."

Pastor Dave Smith moderated, and guest panelist Ben Gordon (Hope Baptist Church) joined Dr. Mary Mendoza and several of our staff members.

After Pastor Ben Gordon shared a short challenge, we celebrated Communion together. Afterwards, the Pursue life group hosted a church-wide fellowship in the chapel. We enjoyed meatball subs and activities in the gym.