JP and Pat came to us from Atlanta six years ago, in the summer of 2004, where JP had worked as a physician recruiter and in real estate the previous ten years.  Prior to their time in Atlanta, JP and Pat had served full time in the ministry for 21 years for churches in Maryland, Kansas, Boston and Florida. God put on their hearts to return to the full time work of the ministry and we were fortunate enough to be the place they choose to return. Since their arrival in 2004, the Columbia Church has been blessed with times of refreshment and a spirit of unity and cooperation, both locally and between many churches throughout the southeastern United States.  Under their leadership we have enjoyed six straight years of positive growth. Beyond that, the church has matured as new elders and other leaders have been appointed, new ministry staff hired and trained, many marriages and families impacted and many lives changed forever. Words alone cannot express how much JP and Pat have meant to the Columbia church and eternity alone will reveal the full extent of the impact of their love, their wisdom, their gentle spirit and compassion and their tireless and humble service. We will miss them but they will continue to faithfully serve God in Orlando and we look forward to hearing how God will bless the church in Orlando and throughout Florida through their efforts.

Now it is time to consider how we can also preach the good news to other cities throughout the state.  As with all of our plans, it is not wise to say "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city" (James 4:13) but to say "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." (James 4:15) Without God our plans will come to nothing. Sometimes we make a plan and God directs our steps differently. So it is with the realization that no matter what we plan God will make his will more clear along the way that we would like to announce our vision to plant a new church in the city of FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA in 2012!

Over the next ten years, by 2020, we have plans to partner with existing churches and plant new congregations in Spartanburg, Aiken-North Augusta, Myrtle Beach, Orangeburg and Sumter, South Carolina. If it is the Lord's will, we hope to grow from the current four South Carolina churches to TEN South Carolina churches by the year 2020 - TEN BY TWENTY!!

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:14-15)