MSB Highlights & Candids: Potato Gleaning & 5 Kingdom Goals

On November 7 and 8, 2020, Eastminster held its first potato gleaning, an intergenerational outreach event to help fight hunger in the Midlands. Led by Croskeys Royall, Dir. of Children’s Ministries, and Rev. Brian Marsh, Associate Pastor for MSB, it was a process that began on Friday evening when volunteers young and old went through a large truckload of potatoes to separate and salvage literally 11 pallets and 600+ bags that would be driven by volunteers to various locations the next morning. Community outreach partners included: Harvest Hope (3 Pallets), Rehoboth UMC (75 bags), Gloryland Ministries (1 Pallet), Progressive Church (2 Pallets), Second Nazareth Baptist (1 Pallet), Oak Grove Baptist (1 Pallet), His Heartbeat Ministries (1 Pallet), Trinity Baptist (40 Bags), God Ministries (1 Pallet), Set Free Ministries (1 Pallet), Center for Learning (25 Bags) and Ambassadors on the Move Outreach (300-500 Bags). Deliveries were made to Transitions, Columbia Women’s Shelter, New Light Beulah, Oliver Gospel Mission, Fairfield Community Food Bank, Palmetto Home and a Housing Development near Lorick Park. Thank you to all who participated in 2020.

L to R: Coreen Smith, Nayana & Brian Totman and Phillip Smith (Coreen and Phillip are missionairies who also manage Hope Unlimited in Brazil) L to R: Jane Brissette, Nayana & Brian Totman and Peter Brissette

"Whose kingdom are you building?” It was a question asked to the group by a member participating in our Wednesday S.O.A.P. discussions on Esther. And it’s a question we Christians should ask ourselves often to keep our minds, bodies, dollars and time in check. In the book of Esther, the first scene opens with a sumptuously rich description of the citadel of Susa where the pompous King Xerxes flaunts his wealth to all in his kingdom. For a moment, a reader may mistake this biblical reading for a novel… only to pause when realizing the obvious missing component: Where is God? Although not mentioned by name, God is all over the book of Esther, working out all “circumstances” in His perfect timing; but He’s not in the hearts of every character mentioned. The book offers a glaring juxtaposition between good and evil, right and wrong, and the million-dollar question asked a moment ago: Whose kingdom are you building-- your own or God’s?

his was the basis for Eastminter’s theme -- “For Such A Time As This” T (Esther 4:14) -- for the 2020-21 church year. Under the umbrella of this guiding scripture, Pastor Brad challenged our congregation with Five Kingdom Goals to strive for over the next 12 months.

Five Kingdom Goals:

1. Build a house with Habitat for Humanity, possibly partnering with another area church.

2. Raise $1 million to feed the hungry across our state, by taking a leading role in South

Carolina with the Souper Bowl of Caring.

3. Affirm local Law Enforcement/First Responders who embody character, compassion and community building. 4. Provide both guidance and scholarships to CHAMPS students, some of whom may be the first in their families to go to college. 5. Help couples build their marriages, by applying the Bob and Pat Ariail endowment earmarked for marriage enrichment to couples’ workshops, retreats or other support programs through EPC.