Yes, that’s my boy.

A Danish TV crew was at SAMP this morning, both the 9 & 10.45 am services. They did a profile story one of our members.  The story is to about integrating faith and life and how faith can influence a voting decision.

The station is a European CNN and CBS affiliate.  The story will be a part of their prime-time newscast and will be seen across Northern Europe.

They were interesting folks.  And, they were fascinated about the general faithfulness of Americans and as noted above, the significant role faith plays in the American electorate.

I’m pleased to let you know that at our Vestry meeting this week the following people were elected to the following Vestry officer positions:

Mary Graham, Sr. Warden
Mary is the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Regional Advancement.

Bill Maddux, Jr. Warden
Bill is the Chief Operating Officer of Greystar Real Estate Partners, LLC, and is a member of the company’s Advisory Board and Investment and Operating Committees.

Robyn Frampton, Treasurer
Robyn is the Chief Financial Officer for the MUSC Foundation and Treasurer for the MUSC Foundation Board

Andy Breaux, Secretary
Andy is the Chief Operating Officer for American Benefit Services

What a great group, we’re richly blessed.

Registration is now up and open on the SAMP website for our 2012 Men’s Retreat. 

The theme this year is,  “Be Present,” and, I am delighted to have +Terrell returning to SAMP to lead us through the weekend.

For more information or to register, click here.

Our Women’s Ministry Leader, Cassie Dodds, is off to Houston this week to participate as a workshop leader for the AMiA Winter Conference.  They have a great line-up of plenary speakers.  You can check it out here.  And, of course, keep Cassie in your prayers.

St. Andrew’s home grown missionary, Jean Berler Pereira, and her husband Pastor Francis Pereira are stateside for a brief visit.  Francis and Jean and their children, Esther (4) and Andrew (2), serve in Mumbai, India.

Jean was sent to India from St. Andrew’s in 2005.  There she met her husband Francis who has been pastor of Metro Church since 1998.  Together they are pastoring a growing network of churches which currently comprises eight congregations.  Metro Church is part of a larger Indian church planting movement called New Life Fellowship.

Jean and Francis would love the opportunity to spend some time with their friends and supporters from St. Andrew’s and the Charleston area.  You’re invited to join them for India Night on Friday, Jan 13th 2012 at Sams Hall, St. Andrew’s Church, Mt. Pleasant 6:30pm.  Indian dinner will be served.

Francis and Jean will be sharing about life in India, the incredible ways God is moving there and how you can actively participate in building the kingdom around the world.  Please feel free to invite friends and anyone interested in learning more about missions and our global God.

If you’d like to come please email us at jimnear@gmail.com so we know how much food to order (dinner is free).

Dear Friends,

I think that the most enjoyable aspect of ministry for me is the “front row seat” I have as I watch our Lord transform the hearts and minds of the men, women and children who are a part of St. Andrew’s.  And, honestly, I am always humbled as I see this process of transformation happen.

As we wind down the calendar year and prepare to remember again that great story of Christ’s descent I am particularly reminded of the many ways in which we have engaged and grown as a parish over the past year.  There are many ways to measure spiritual growth: from faithful participation in worship, to serving the body and the community to caring for one another.  To give you a snapshot of what I’ve witnessed, here are a few highlights from the past year:

• We performed 45 weddings
• We baptized 75 people
• We performed 16 funerals
• We confirmed 43 young adults
• We added 25 new LifeGroups
• We have 858 folks involved in LifeGroups
• 450 kids participate in our Children’s Ministry offerings during the week and weekends
• Our youth ministries have seen a 100% increase in high school (“Impact”) participation and an 80% increase in middle school (“Basic”) participation
• Our Men’s and Women’s Ministries saw 1056 men and women participate in their ministries this year and new leadership huddles were launched
• We added an “Alpha in the Workplace” offering downtown and saw 41 businessmen/woman participate
• 103 imprisoned men participated in the Alpha Course at the Navy Brig
• 401 people participated in the Alpha Course at St. Andrew’s, Mt. Pleasant
• We sponsored and led 9 international mission trips
• 15 months since its start-up and City Church has grown to an average Sunday attendance of 352 people
• We brought Jessica Smith on board as our fulltime Associate Worship Leader with specific responsibility for the worship at City Church
• We’ve seen a 10% increase in attendance at our Goose Creek church plant and an increase in their Children’s Ministry from 6 to 16 kids.  Men’s and Women’s Ministries have been launched in Goose Creek as well as the Marriage Course and we are seeing lives being redeemed and restored
• Our new medical clinic in Goose Creek is seeing an average of 15 patients per week
• We prepared and delivered 51 Thanksgiving meals through the Goose Creek church plant
• We helped spearhead the Convoy of Hope and other community outreach events
• We partnered with the Charleston Police to run “Camp Hope” which met at Sanders-Clyde Elementary and served 75 middle school families on the lower eastside of Charleston

One other observation from this front row seat of mine has been of the continued and faithful giving demonstrated by so many within this parish.  I learned a long time ago that once an individual encounters the transformative presence of Jesus Christ, and the work of His Spirit in their lives, generosity is a natural consequence.

Who would have thought that this recession would have lasted four years?  And yet, we have been able to give witness to the reality of a different economy – God’s economy.  Over these past four years we have continued to meet our financial commitments to our local and international mission partners (we’ve actually increased our support for missions in this time frame).  We have planted a new church.  We have helped launch a new diocese.  We are adding (by faith) a new staff member next month (The Rev’d Rob Sturdy).  All of this possible because of what God has done in the lives of men and women like you, and your faithful response to His extravagant grace.  It is a humbling thing to see and a more humbling experience to be your pastor.

One last word, December is a critical month for us with regard to giving.  In fact, 15% of our total giving happens this month alone.  As we come into the end of the year offerings are running about 2.5% behind budget (a $3,000,000 budget).  Will you help us to finish the year strongly?

With the end of year happening over a weekend our finance office will close at mid-day on Friday, December 30^th, and, it will reopen Tuesday, January 3^rd.  If you send your year-end contribution through the mail please ensure that it is post-marked by December 31^st so that you will receive credit for your 2011 taxes.  Or, you can drop your checks, dated no later than December 31^st, in the slot through the Finance Office door anytime prior to their return.  For those who wish to give stocks or transfer other assets, you may contact Lynn Mitchell directly at 843.284.4322. And, of course, online giving can happen at any time.

With prayers for a blessed Christmas and New Year,

I remain faithfully yours,
Steve

There is a very nice article in today’s Post & Courier sports section highlighting SAMP’s own (and very active member) Georgia Compton who was named girls cross country runner of the year.  Also mentioned in the article is her closest area competitor, her little sister, Rosa Marie (also a very active member).

Here’s a snip:

Talented Wando junior runner Georgia Compton is the female runner of the year. She had the top local finish at the High School League’s Class AAAA state meet with a time of 18:58.

Read it all.

Well done, girls!

We had 8 exceptional candidates for this year’s Vestry elections and the following 4 were elected.  Thanks to all for their willingness to offer themselves to serve.

Elected are:

Kyu-Ho Lee

MInistry Involvement

• Alpha Team (Mt. Pleasant and Downtown)
• Boone Hall Easter Service
• LifeGroup Leader

Family

• Wife – Kim, Children – Eleanor (11), Henry (7)

Occupation

Medical Scientist & Assistant Professor, MUSC

Caroline Lesesne

Ministry Involvement

• Vestry Member – 2011 (Filled an unexpired term)
• Choir member, 1993-present
• Secretary/Treasurer for Women of the Traditional Services, 2008-present
• Acolyte Coordinator, 2009-present

Family

• Mother – Doris, Brother – Tommy

Occupation

Senior Client Manager, First Federal Wealth Management

Martha Senf

Ministry Involvement

• Childrens Ministry, small group leader and teacher, 2003-2010
• LifeGroup Leader, 2003-2008
• Boone Hall Tent Decorations Leader, 2005-2009
• Facilities Committee, 2011
• Honduras Mission Trip, 2010

Family

• Husband – Todd, Christian (15), Emma (13)

Occupation

Engineer, Siemens Industry, Inc.

Bruce Wallace

Ministry Involvement

• Prayer Team, 2009 – present
• Ananias Prayer Team , 2011
• Men’s Ministry Hike Leader, 2010 – present
• LifeGroup Leader, 2009 – present

Family

• Wife – Sally, Children - Coleman (13), Ben (10) Luke (7), Meg (6)

Occupation

Attorney, Nexsen Pruet

We had another first this past week.

A young couple was to be married next week.  However, the bride’s  father ended up in ICU in, obviously, very serious condition.  Seeing as he’s looking at a long hospital stay the couple wondered if we could move the wedding up and relocate it to the hospital so her “daddy” could give her away.  And so, with her father stabilized yet still in ICU, a marriage ceremony was held with family gathered around the bed.

It was one of the best ceremonies we’ve ever done.