[Nfbofsc] Columbia Chapter Newsletter

Fri Nov 10 16:36:32 UTC 2017

In case any of you do not have Microsoft Word, I have posted the text to an
email for your access.

COLUMBIA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER - NOVEMBER 9, 2017

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES

          There will be a BINGO Fundraiser on Saturday, November 11 at the
Federation Center.  Food will be served between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and
the $6 menu is as follows: Your choice of a Hot Dog Basket, Hamburger Basket
or Wing Basket with a salad.  The fundraising BINGO takes place between 2:00
p.m. and 5:00 p.m.  BINGO Cards will cost $4 for one, $7 for two and $10 for
three cards.  Our usual free BINGO will be held on Thursday, November 16.

SUMTER CHAPTER ANNOUNCEMENT

          The Sumter Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of
South Carolina invites YOU. All tables have been reserved and we are now
offering individual tickets at available seating at tables for $25 (While
they last) for the gala.Sumter Chapter, National Federation of the Blind,
44TH Annual Fundraiser Christmas Gala, Tuesday, December 12, 2017, Keynote
speaker Mr. Shawn Callaway, NFB of DC affiliate president, Trinity
Missionary Baptist Church, 155 Wall Street, Sumter, SC 29150, 6:30 p.m.
Semi-Formal Affair, Dinner served at 6:45 p.m., Donation $25.00

          For give-a-way prize eligibility you MUST write your name on the
back of the ticket before arriving at the gala and present at the door.  If
interested please respond.  

Mega thanks, Debra Canty, Gala Planner and Organizer

ORLANDO NFB CONVENTION 2018 $1 BUS TICKETS

          If you did not receive your 25 count pack of 2018 $1.00 Orlando
bus tickets at last night's Columbia Chapter meeting or if you need more,
contact David Houck at 254-3777 to get yours sent to you.  Sold ticket stubs
and cash can be turned in to David Houck as well at the Federation Center.
The winning ticket drawn at the January 6 Statewide Seminar will yield the
purchaser $300, the seller $100 or if you bought your own ticket, $400.  The
chapter which sells the most bus fund tickets will receive $300 for its
treasury.  Let's work hard so that the Columbia Chapter wins again!

2018 STATEWIDE SEMINAR

          Get your 2018 calendar and mark that calendar now for January 6,
2018 Statewide Seminar which begins at 10:00 a.m.  Don't forget about the
auction for the Federation Center and the NFB Orlando Convention bus ticket
drawing!  An NFB of SC Board of Directors meeting will take place during the
luncheon.

NOVEMBER 9 COLUMBIA CHAPTER MEETING

          President Tiffiny Mitchell gaveled the meeting to order at 6:15
p.m.  Steve Cook welcomed everyone attending the meeting and monthly
birthdays and visitors were recognized.  Keep Wanda Sheck in your prayers as
well as Steve and Brandon as Wanda had a foot amputated.  The Church of the
Harvest provided a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.  President Mitchell
recognized the church and Pastor Ken Jumper who gave the Thanksgiving
devotional on Psalm 23.  Levon Stack sang a few hymns and patriotic songs as
well.  Eighty chapter members were present and with volunteers from The
Harvest, numbers swelled to 100 attending the meeting.  Dr. Capps spoke,
showing his gratitude for the work of The Harvest and for being able to be
present for the evening.

          NFB of SC President Frank Coppel addressed the gathering
concerning the Statewide Seminar, Orlando bus ticket sales and the fact that
attending other local chapter Christmas parties in December will prevent him
from being at our December 14 chapter meeting. Those wishing to participate
in the birthday pantry club for 2018 needed to contact Dorothy Barksdale at
765-1622 to give her your list of items by the November 30.  There was no
Treasurer's report. The 50-50 drawing was made and Catherine Williams won
$50.  Isaiah Nelson reported that at 2:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day there
will be a Thanksgiving dinner provided with all the trimmings at a cost of
$10 per person.  Transportation may be provided.  Call Ike at 413-2434
before Thanksgiving week if you plan to attend.

Tiffiny Mitchell, President, Columbia Chapter, NFB of SC
The Harvest's Pastor Ken Jumper: Still Showing Up Every Day

The Harvest's Pastor Ken Jumper: Still Showing Up Every Day

The  Story

Log on to the Harvest's website and you'll find the following recap of the
church history:

In 1988, Pastor Ken Jumper and his late wife, Connie,  were serving under
Pastor Arlie Whitlow and the Community Church in Northern VA  when they felt
the call to start a church in Columbia, SC. The first service at  Church of
the Harvest was held on August 13, 1989 at what was then Irmo Campus Middle
School. We rolled out carpet, set out plants and preached the word to 30-50
people. 

A couple years later in 1991, Harvest moved to the "Candi Lane"  location
near Riverbanks Zoo. God really grew a strong leadership core during  these
years and many memories were made. In the mid 1990's we were able to
purchase property on Hwy 378 and began construction on our very first
building.  We had many Saturday night prayer meetings on this property,
dedicating our  lives and service to His church. The first service in our
new building was on  Easter Sunday morning 1996.

 <http://www.the-harvest.org/> The Harvest Church
(Candi Lane building)

 Since that day God continued to grow and bless our  church. We extended our
first building to make more room in the sanctuary and  nurseries and
eventually added our current sanctuary in 2006. In 2008, we  expanded our
territory and launched our first campus in Northeast Columbia!  Then, in
2009 we had the opportunity to purchase the Whiteford Campus and  Daycare
and began services that September. Recently, we purchased a new  building
for our Northeast Campus and had our first service there in January  2014.
It has been awesome to be a part of HIS story and we look forward to all
God is going to do at Harvest in the coming years. To God be the glory.

 <http://www.the-harvest.org/> The Harvest Church
(Main campus sanctuary today)

The  Story Behind the Story

Pastor Ken Jumper, affectionately known by all as "PK," is the only pastor
Lexington's Harvest Church has ever known. Now in his early sixties, his
good looks, soft spoken demeanor and stylish dress still render him
immediately recognizable to many in the community. Some know him as their
pastor. Others know him from his participation in many community events and
organizations. And still others only know him from his morning segments on
WACH Fox <https://vimeo.com/harvest378> 's Thought For the Day.

By all appearances, one would assume the secret of his and the Harvest's
success are in large part due to his pleasant appearance, personality,
charisma and penchant for cutting edge marketing, technology and social
media engagement.

One would be wrong.

Despite his recognizability, few are familiar with the path that's brought
him to this point.

The  Seeds of Success

Surprisingly, Pastor Ken does not attribute the success of the Harvest to
any great talent, revelation or strategy. He attributes it in large part to
the simple act of "just showing up every day."

A product of parents who were "faithful every day" to work, family and
community instilled in him an appreciation for faithfulness and consistency.
"'They just showed up every day'" Pastor Ken stated, "and that obviously
influenced me to never consider living my life any other way."

Fast forward to 1988 as young Pastor Ken is about to leave his mentor Pastor
Arlie Whitlow and start a new church in Columbia, SC, Pastor Whitlow imparts
the almost humorous words of advice to him on how to achieve success as a
pastor: "Just show up every Sunday and don't do anything stupid."

Little did he know that this heritage of "just showing up" would prove to be
just the quality, the only quality, that could get him through what lay
ahead.

A Rough Start

Just after starting their new church and right after the birth of their
second daughter, Pastor Ken's 25 year old wife Connie was diagnosed with
life-threatening cancer. He spent the next 5 months driving to Duke Hospital
immediately following the Wednesday night service and then returning home
Saturday in time to preach the following day.

>From Bad to Worse

Six months after Connie's return from Duke, the young couple once again find
themselves in an unexpected battle. Connie began to lose her eyesight as a
side effect of the radiation treatments. Eventually she became completely
blind leaving her husband as the sole caretaker of her, their two small
daughters and their young church.

When asked if he ever questioned God, felt this was unfair and wanted to
quit he responded "sure! Connie and I had our 'I hate I'm blind days' but at
the end of the day, even though we didn't understand, we knew God loved us
and this was just a part of our journey. Running was never an option."

"I still loved her but there were days I didn't like her very much. But I
had to remind myself that she didn't want to be like that either. One of the
revelations that kept me from becoming bitter was when God revealed
Colossians 3:19 to me. It says 'husbands love your wives, and be not bitter
against them.' It was then that I made the decision to perform acts of love
toward my wife in spite of my emotions to the contrary. Eventually the acts
overcame the emotions and bitterness wasn't able to remain."

Fast Forward

Fast forward 30 years, Connie begins suffering from Alzheimer's and
dementia. Yet instead of viewing this new challenge with a "why me"
attitude, Pastor Ken stated that he felt he was "given the blessing of
caring for one of God's great saints. Through it all she never lost her
faith."

Connie passed away in 2013 at the age of 60. She and PK were married 37
years, 32 of them she was blind, and the last 5 in Alzheimer's and dementia.

Seeds  Produce Fruit

To what does Pastor Ken attribute the church's success? Why do people seem
to be drawn to the Harvest?

"I think my life's path helps me to appreciate and sympathize with people's
struggles better. I can not only understand and minister to the person in
the hospital, but also the person in the chair beside the bed. I've been
there and done that. I know what they are going through."

"Speaking to the message of suffering helped shaped the Harvest's vision of
being a refuge for the hurting. We might all be pretty people on the surface
but look behind the curtain in everyone's life and you will see that it's
not very pretty. We've all got struggles and issues."

"I've got a young man right now in our congregation that will shortly die of
cancer if God does not intervene and heal him. I can't have fluff on Sunday.
It's got to be real."

Not  Just A Slogan

The Harvest's mission is:

Creating  a place of love and grace for all people where everyone is
becoming a wholly,  devoted, passionate, follower of Jesus Christ.

It's popular these days for churches to have a slogan, or vision or mission
statement that defines what their church is about.  One that is catchy and
marketable. Sometimes, in this big church age, one can't help but wonder how
sincere these statements really are. When considering the Harvest, that
question never enters one's mind.

Thomas Spittle

 <http://www.freedomscientific.com/Certification> JAWS Certified, 2017

From: NFBofSC [mailto:nfbofsc-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David Houck
via NFBofSC
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2017 9:03 AM
To: nfbofsc at nfbnet.org
Cc: David Houck
Subject: [Nfbofsc] Columbia Chapter Newsletter

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