Our Church Family is Becoming a Family of Churches

Easter Sunday, I shared with the congregation a mission opportunity that has come our way. The First Myanmar Baptist Church, a congregation of some seventy Christians who trace their roots to Myanmar (what many of us grew up calling Burma), need a place in which to study, worship, and fellowship. Their present location is not safe and has no heating or cooling. Jamie Rogers, Executive Director of our Columbia Metro Baptist Association, called me to ask if St. Andrews would consider offering First Myanmar a new home. Since that call, I have met with our church leaders, leaders from First Myanmar, and representatives of the CMBA to explore this possibility. I’m thrilled to report that this ministry partnership is well on its way to becoming a reality. Though a few details remain to be worked out, our plan is for First Myanmar to worship in our Chapel on Sunday mornings while our facilities are opened for St. Andrews’ Bible Study and worship service. This arrangement will not complicate our Sunday schedule or require us to heat or cool, or open and close, our facilities at additional times. First Myanmar includes about a dozen children in their fellowship. They will meet in their own Bible Study Group in the near future, but we have the dream of bringing these children together with our own in Bible study to strengthen the ministries of both congregations.

St. Andrews has hosted Columbia First Haitian Baptist Church for several years and has been blessed by our partnership with Pastor Tony Danastor and his church. This new partnership will not interfere with our ongoing relationship with First Haitian. Instead, it will add a new group to our growing family of churches.

We believe First Myanmar will be ready to worship at St. Andrews some time in May. Pray for Pastor Thomas Thein and his congregation as they approach this new beginning in their church life. We thank God that He has blessed us with facilities we can share with other Baptist congregations. Our St. Andrews Baptist Church family truly is becoming a family of churches.