HOMECOMING SERVICES

Rev. John Sullivan, Pastor

October 2, 2011

Prelude………………………………………Mrs. Patricia Johnson

Welcome and Announcements………………Rev. John Sullivan

Fellowship Hymn...……………………………..…………. No. 333

“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”

Invocation

Hymn of Praise……………………….……………………..No. 227

“Praise Him! Praise Him!”

Recognition of Mrs. Wilma Booth …………………Mrs. Amy Bell

Special Music ……………………………………………Ben Atkins

Scripture Reading

Music Worship………………………………………….……..Choir

“O the Love of My Redeemer”

Offertory Hymn..……………………………………………..No. 4

“To God Be the Glory”

Offertory Prayer

Offertory…………………………………………………..Musicians

“Largo”

Special Music……………………………The Good Hope Quartet

Sermon…….………………………………..Rev. Tom McElhaney

Invitation……………………………………………………..No. 307

“Just As I Am”

Benediction and Blessing of Food…………..Rev. John Sullivan

Rev. Thomas McElhaney

Our Pastor and the Homecoming Committee are proud to welcome former pastor, Rev. Thomas McElhaney, as our special guest today. Rev. McElhaney will preach our 2011 Homecoming message.

Tom was born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is a graduate of Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in religion. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Rev. McElhaney has been married for forty-two years to the former Patricia Healy, also from Chattanooga. Tom and Pat have two children, Stephanie and Bryan. Stephanie is married to Kevin and they have two children, Kaitlyn, age fifteen and Jacob, age nine. Bryan and his wife Rachel have one child, Megan, who is three and are expecting a new addition, Logan, in mid-October.

Tom has been in the ministry for thirty-seven years and has pastored churches in Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina. He was pastor of Good Hope Baptist from 1985 to 1987, leaving Good Hope to enter the U. S. Army as a Chaplain. As an Army Chaplain Tom served at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Fort Gordon, Georgia, Fort McClellan, Alabama, Fort Campbell, Kentucky and Erlangen, Germany. He participated in Desert Shield/Storm in Southwest Asia and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

After eleven years of active duty, Tom returned to the pastorate, serving High Point Baptist in Covington, Georgia for eleven years. He has served his present pastorate, Four Holes Baptist in Orangeburg, South Carolina, since June, 2006.

Today is a very special day for Good Hope Baptist Church. It is Homecoming 2011, and we are so glad you are here to help us celebrate. We hope you will enjoy the singing, praying, reading of God’s Word and especially Rev. Tom McElhaney’s message, These things should be our priority on this special day.

After the service, you are invited to stay for a great meal. We would like to honor our Seniors by letting them go first in line. If you have children under 10 years of age, please keep them with you and help them serve their plates. After you have eaten, we hope you will take time to reminisce with family and friends. Thank you for being with us on this special day.

God’s Peace and Calm

With the Lord as your shepherd

You have all that you need,

For if you follow in His footsteps

Wherever He may lead,

He will guard and guide and keep you

In His loving, watchful care,

And when traveling in dark valleys,

Your Shepherd will be there.

His goodness is unfailing,

His kindness knows no end,

For the Lord is a Good Shepherd

On Whom you can depend.

So when your heart is troubled,

You’ll find quiet peace and calm

If you open up the Bible

And read the Twenty-third Psalm.

Helen Steiner Rice

Wilma G. Booth

Wilma Ladena Gerald was born December 24^th, 1932 to Lucian and Blantie Gerald of the Cane Branch / Allsbrook community. There were eleven children and she was right in the middle; five older and five younger. And to hear her tell it, she was quite a handful. Unlike her brothers, she wasn’t quite as strong for farm work, but she never was one to be stuck indoors doing household chores. She wanted to be following her daddy all over the farm. Being the loving father he was, he’d say “Come on”.

Wilma grew up in the Cane Branch community and attended church there. Baptized at age twelve, she was very active in her church. She attended school at Allsbrook and later Loris High School where she was in the National Honor Society and was on the basketball team. In 1951 she married Wallace Booth of Good Hope Community and so began her love of this area and especially of this church family.

Wilma and Wallace had three daughters and believe us, we were all very sure where we were going to be on Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night…right here in this very place. You never wondered if we’d be going to church or to the beach on Sunday…no, that wasn’t even a thought. We didn’t know people went anywhere but school, church and the tobacco barn to work.

We grew up hearing Mama’s voice as she sang hymns while doing housework, tying tobacco or gardening. She’d sing old hymns and new songs she learned in the choir where she was a member for many, many years. Studying her Sunday school lesson was not a matter of reading it once and being done. She was diligent in being prepared for her task as a teacher. Daily Bible study is still a part of her life.

Mama never used any words that could be misconstrued as off color…no, as a matter of fact a friend nicknamed her Oh My Stars because that’s the worst expletive she ever used. Some find that so funny, but in truth, we are proud that our mother has always been a lady and has strived to be Christ-like in every aspect of her life.

The legacy she has given us is she is a Christian and her love for The Lord Jesus Christ is first and foremost. She expresses joy in believing death is not the end; it begins her life with Jesus in her heavenly home. This gives us great peace.

Mama is a loving wife to Daddy. After more than sixty years of marriage, they have become attached at the hip. If Daddy steps out the door, Mama is right on his heels, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. She is a sweet, kind and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. We’re very lucky and blessed to have her. We love her to no end.

A Church with a Heart

in the Heart of Horry County

CHURCH DIRECTORY

CLERK………………………………………..Mrs. Virginia Hucks

TREASURER………………………………….Mr. Charles Hucks

CHURCH SECRETARY……………….....Mrs. Betty Sue Carter

SUNDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR………………….Mr. Rick Rush

DISCIPLELIFE DIRECTOR…………….....Mrs. Renee Sullivan

YOUTH DIRECTOR…………………….............Mr. James Mew

CHILDREN’S DIRECTOR……………………...Mrs. Dana Booth

ORGANIST…………………………………Mrs. Patricia Johnson

PIANIST..………………………………………Mrs. Dana Groome