First Year Good News Report from Clemson

We wanted to encourage everyone as we close out our first official year here in Clemson! One year ago this month Stacey and I moved to Clemson to help get the church and a new campus ministry started in this wonderful community.

We had no idea what was in store but we were faithful and excited to see what God would do. Along with 12 others we started the Clemson Foothills Church on January 1st, 2009. On January 4th we had our first official church service in our home. We began studying the Bible with people almost immediately. In April we had our official kick off service with an attendance of just about 700 over looking Lake Hartwell in Clemson.

On May 3rd we had our first two baptisms. Meredith Cole and DJ Alrutz who are both doing great! As a matter of fact, both are super solid disciples who are contributing a great deal to this ministry. In June, Aaron Rowland was baptized in Lake Hartwell…he and his wife have since moved to Virginia. On August 2nd Blake Badders was baptized in Lake Hartwell. He originally came out to church with Meredith. As Fall rolled around, Joe and Alison Bradford officially moved in as well as Royce and Alfreda Miller. Also, Ryan and Endia Jones moved in. Emily Shapiro, Stacey Leas, Victoria Wright, Charruex Bell and Chris Filipski moved to Clemson for School and to help the Mission team…Each of these brothers and sisters have been an amazing addition to our team.

Back in October, Meredith Cole also invited her band mate, Bryce Pinson who is in the Tiger Band with her. Bryce was baptized this past Sunday at the Clemson Rec Center by our young christian, Blake Badders who helped me study with Bryce! This was our 5th Baptism in the Clemson Foothills Church. We feel super encouraged here about what God is doing.

With our 25 members, we have been averaging between 55 and 60 on Sundays since mid October. We have had interest from graduating teens from Atlanta, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina in Coming to Clemson next Fall. If that’s the case we will be super excited, but if God has other plans we trust those plans and know that we will see incredible growth here regardless. Stacey and I feel strongly that the growth we have had this year is the kind that will enable us to really train and encourage in a way where no one will get left out. We don’t want to grow in such a way that we cannot take care of those who come around…We are encouraged by the 5 baptisms we have seen here this year as well as those who have moved in and believe that it is as much as we could’ve handled in order to build strong.

Thank you so much everybody for all of your ongoing support and prayers…Your financial help and your moral support has been beyond encouraging and we know that we could not be doing what we are able to be doing for God here without it!

Also, The Robinsons are expecting another little one in May! We are keeping the gender a secret until Christmas day…please pray for us to have a healthy delivery.