boulevard-baptist-church

A Note from Anna Kate Stephenson - The Outlook: 5/16/2024

acarty@boulevardbaptist.com (Austin Carty) — Mon, 20 May 2024 18:50:28 GMT

May has been a busy month! We began the month with a Children and Youth cookout at the Newton's home and are ending the month with our church wide retreat. We wrapped up Wednesday night activities with a beautiful vespers service led by the children's choirs, and finished mid-May with a church wide trivia night. It was a blast. We will take a break from regular Wednesday night activities until August but have many other activities planned throughout the summer for our children's families. Don't forget, VBS is June 2-6th! Our Prime Timers celebrated spring with a picnic at Gordon and Carolyn Hammond’s home on May 7th. We enjoyed our time together! Be on the lookout for our Prime Timers calendar of upcoming events and trips soon! ~ Anna Kate

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 5/16/2024

Mon, 20 May 2024 18:50:27 GMT

Dear Church,

As we prepare for Pentecost Sunday, we open our hearts and minds to what the Holy Spirit will do among us this summer as a family of faith. And as we do, I’d like to remind us once more of that which we confess together each Sunday: that we will be always on the lookout for the fruit of the Spirit.

So, as Pentecost Sunday 2024 gives way to the official start of summer, and as we travel for vacations and go about our own unique summer routines, may we all keep an eye out for the same winds of Holy Spirit as those that blew through Jerusalem on that long ago Pentecost Sunday. And how will we know those winds? Because they will look like this:

Love.

Joy.

Peace.

Patience.

Kindness.

Generosity.

Goodness.

Faithfulness.

Gentleness.

Self-control.

This summer, may we live by—and be always on the lookout for—these ever-present Holy Spirit winds.

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Anna Kate Stephenson - The Outlook: 8/24/2023

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 17:46:01 GMT

August has been an exciting month in the life of our children's ministry! We started the month with a blessing for our kids and their backpacks as they started their school year and then we kicked off Wednesday night activities with Music and Mission Friends. I have loved so much getting to know these kids and their families and look forward to many exciting conversations ahead. We will dedicate Luke Mitchell on August 27th during worship. We hope you will join us as we celebrate the commitment being made by his parents and by us as a church family! Zeke, Ellis, and I want to thank all of you for such a warm welcome to Boulevard. We've hit the ground running and I know there are many great things to come here at Boulevard! ~Anna Kate

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 8/24/2023

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:37:11 GMT

Dear Church,

Even with temperatures currently averaging above 90 degrees, the fall is nearly upon us. Meanwhile, our church year has already kicked off in earnest, with Wednesday night programming back in full swing, deacon installation and ordination having taken place, new committee assignments having taken effect, and children’s backpacks having been prayed over and blessed. Things are off to a great start!

To that end, I am excited to announce two new offerings this fall: a men’s Bible study (led by me) and a women’s Bible study (led by Lucy and Anna Kate).

These studies will begin on Monday, September 18, and will take place every first and third Monday of the month. All who attend are invited to bring a lunch, as we will meet for these studies at noon—the men in the CAC fellowship hall and the women in the multipurpose room.

More details about these studies will be forthcoming, but, for now, please mark your calendars and invite friends, as Lucy, Anna Kate, and I are eager to bring a renewed emphasis on Bible study to Boulevard this year.

We can’t wait to get started!

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 8/24/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:37:08 GMT

A new school year is officially in swing for all of our students! For some of them, this new year includes learning new hallways and schools. For all of them, they are learning new schedules and rhythms. With the youth, we have discussed how this new year is full of new opportunities. Opportunities to make new friends, to learn new things, to serve like Jesus, and so much more. As we were reflecting together, I was struck about how set into routine we all naturally become, especially as adults. Maybe we too should travel a new hallway or strive to make a new friend or find a new way to serve. After all, this new school year is full of new opportunities! I challenge us to follow in the example of our students and break out of our routines some this season. May this change also be a reminder to continue praying for our students throughout the year. ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 7/20/2023

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:37:05 GMT

Dear Church,

The calendar says that summer officially ends on September 23, but here in Anderson—given the early start to the 2023-2024 school year—summer is already drawing to a close. And, with school starting back in early August, so too will our fall programming at Boulevard be starting early this year, as well.

To that end, our fall kickoff will take place this year on Wednesday, August 9 ^th .

Along with the resumption of Wednesday night catering and children’s activities, we will also be launching a new Bible Study that night. This study, a 12-week journey through the Gospel of John, will provide an in-depth examination of the 4 ^th gospel.

So, please mark your calendars for August 9 ^th , make reservations for that night’s supper, get your children ready for an exciting new year, and get your Bibles ready for an immersive experience in John’s Gospel.

It’s going to be great fun!

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 7/20/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:37:03 GMT

Rebuild Upstate is a non-profit working in Anderson to keep our neighbors in their homes. They accomplish this ministry by setting up volunteer teams to handle maintenance issues and other house repairs for those living in unsafe conditions. They handle projects like patching roofs, building ramps, replacing windows, etc. Each team is led by an expert supervisor so the volunteers just need to have willing hearts and hands. Our church will be partnering with Rebuild Upstate to work on a home Saturday, August 26. All skills are welcome! Mark your calendar and be on the lookout for more details. ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 6/15/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:37:01 GMT

Dear Church,

I’m pleased to announce an important new ministry that Boulevard will begin offering on Tuesday, June 27 ^th . Our Mission Council has approved a yearlong partnership with a licensed counseling practice, Hopetown Counseling LLC, to begin providing free grief counseling on the 2 ^nd and 4 ^th Tuesdays of each month.

These group support sessions will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be facilitated by two of Hopetown’s licensed counselors.

Many in our church family have experienced bereavement in the past few years, and we believe this opportunity for grief counseling will provide a vital resource for processing loss and for healing from pain.

While this ministry is specifically being provided for Boulevard members, it is also open to the wider community—so please pass along this information to anyone you know who has experienced loss and would be aided by this service. We see this as being an important outreach opportunity, as many are either unable to afford grief counseling from a licensed professional or are uncomfortable seeking it out on their own. It is therefore a blessing to be able to offer, free of charge, such a vital resource—just as it is a blessing to be able to invite folks into a safe space like Boulevard in order to benefit from it.

If you have any questions, please contact Lucy or me for more details.

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 6/15/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:36:58 GMT

Over 30 years ago, Project Ruth started educating children in Romania. Four years later, in 1997, the first group from Boulevard traveled to Bucharest starting a profound and lasting partnership. Along with teams traveling to Romania, Boulevard members have monetarily supported the Ruth school by sponsoring students.

Recently, Project Ruth has stepped in to help care for their Ukrainian neighbors by hosting refugees on site and supplying food relief into Ukraine. Each food box provides a family of four with enough food for seven days.

Mihai Ciopașiu, the executive director of Project Ruth, is soon coming to Boulevard. Please make plans to join us in the chapel Monday, June 26 ^th at 6 pm, to hear directly from Mihai about the ministry of Project Ruth and how we can continue to support this important ministry. ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 5/18/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:46:00 GMT

Dear Church,

It feels as if it was just Easter, does it not? Somehow, though, Pentecost is already upon us. And while this means that summer draws nigh, it also means—according to the liturgical calendar—that we are about to enter the season of “Ordinary Time.”

This designation—“Ordinary Time”—can be misleading, because “Ordinary Time” does not imply that Sundays during this season are “ordinary” while those that have preceded it (and those that follow it) are extra ordinary; instead, “Ordinary Time” simply refers to the “ordinal” numbers that count the 26 Sundays between Pentecost and Advent.

This year, to kickoff “Ordinary Time,” we will begin a sermon series that aims to tease out various implications of Jesus’ Ascension (which we will reflect upon on Ascension Sunday, May 21) and of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost (which we will reflect upon on Pentecost Sunday, May 28).

More directly put, we will begin Ordinary Time by spending four weeks considering the intercessory work of the risen Jesus, our glorified human Savior who even now pleads our case, advocates on our behalf, and works to restore the broken places of our lives and of this world.

Talk about something far from ordinary!

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 5/18/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:43:40 GMT

Dear Church Family,

Please join me in celebrating our 2023 graduates! We rejoice over all they have already accomplished, and we are excited to see what comes next for each of them. Please join me in praying for them as they navigate big life transitions. Their addresses are listed for you to send a card or note of encouragement. We will celebrate them in person during worship on May 21st. ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 4/20/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:40:17 GMT

Dear Church,

He is risen, indeed!

As we continue to proclaim this wondrous news, we will spend the Easter season—which lasts until Pentecost on May 28 ^th —reflecting on the various implications of Jesus’ resurrection. For, so much more than a one-off, isolated miracle, the resurrection of Jesus marks the inauguration of an all-new reality .

Thus, each Sunday during Easter we will be considering a different implication of Jesus’ resurrection—that is, a different aspect of reality that has been forever altered by what happened that long ago Easter morning.

On April 30 ^th —right in the middle of the Easter season—we will be hosting Amanda Tyler, the Executive Director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, who will be in the Upstate for an event at in Greenville. Ms. Tyler will be preaching at Boulevard that morning during our worship service, and then at 3:00 p.m. she will be delivering a lecture in Greenville entitled, “How Christian Nationalism Threatens Democracy and Christianity.” In her sermon, which will be a wonderful complement to our sermon series on the implications of the resurrection, Ms. Tyler—whose organization has stood firmly since 1936 for the distinctive Baptist principle of separation of church and state—will draw from the biblical text to remind us how the all-new reality ushered in by Jesus’ resurrection is one in which all individuals are free to worship God—in spirit and in truth—without any fear, coercion, or encumbrance.

Finally, as Eastertide concludes on May 21 ^st with Ascension Sunday, we will consider how “this same Jesus” (Acts 1:11) who rose from the dead and who ascended into heaven, will return from heaven in the fullness of time to consummate the Kingdom of God that his resurrection inaugurated.

Yes, what hope we have in this wondrous proclamation: He is risen, indeed!

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook:4/20/23

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:36:25 GMT

Do you know the smallest breed of dog? What about the year the Beatles disbanded? Do you know the names of all three Jonas Brothers? If you know the answers to all these questions or none of them, you are invited to a Trivia Night on Wednesday, May 17 ^th ! We will meet in the CAC at 6 p.m. for a night of fun together as a church family. Teams will be formed the night of and will consist of players from all generations. In order to do well with the variety of questions, teams will have to pull on the knowledge of all ages. You are also welcome if you would rather watch and cheer on the teams instead of play. We know it will be a night filled with fellowship and shared wisdom that you will not want to miss! ~Lucy

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 3/16/23

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:58:52 GMT

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 3/16/23

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:57:19 GMT

Dear Church,

In late February, a group of 43 people from our church began meeting in coordination with a grant I’ve received from The Lily Endowment and Luther Seminary. Our first meetings as a group have focused on the importance of belonging—on how true community is formed by rooting and investing oneself in a place and a story.

To that end, our group has discussed how a community’s story is not limited to the people active in and the specific activities of the present. Instead, all of those from the community who have gone before us—and all of the items and events from the community that have happened in the past—are also important aspects of a community’s ongoing story.

In the process of this conversation, our group began naming saints from Boulevard who have gone on to glory—names many of us in the room did not know, but names we are all further enriched by hearing recalled and re-membered.

Moreover, we also heard stories of certain things around Boulevard that we walk past every day but had not heard stories about before. And that got me thinking: wouldn’t it be great to create a section of the monthly newsletter called “Did You Know?”—a section devoted to telling the story behind specific Boulevard people, items, landmarks, etc.?

Thus, please accept this monthly note from me as an invitation to write or call-in to the church office with a “Did You Know” story about Boulevard. We will all be enriched by learning stories about our community’s past. For, we can’t truly understand our church’s present without knowing its past, and we certainly can’t prepare properly for the future without knowing these vital truths about where—and who—we’ve been.

So, please send your stories. I can’t wait to learn from—and with—you!

All my love, Austin

Copy of A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 2/16/23

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:41:40 GMT

Dear Church,

The season of Lent is almost upon us—and, as always, Lent officially begins on Ash Wednesday, which falls this year on February 22.

And, as always, we will hold an Ash Wednesday worship service that evening at 6:15 in the sanctuary. The Ash Wednesday service is among my favorite worship services of the year, and I encourage everyone to try to attend. While the emphasis of Ash Wednesday is on our mortality and on our utter dependency on God, this is nonetheless a deeply moving and hopeful service. For, as we receive the imposition of ashes, and as we hear the words, “Dust you are; to dust you shall return—but from dust you shall arise,” we are reminded of the power and promises of Christ Jesus our Lord. So, please try to join us this year for our Ash Wednesday service; it gets us emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically—not to mention, theologically— prepared in the best way possible for the remainder of the Lenten season. And, speaking of the Lenten season, I will be preaching a six-week sermon series during Lent called “The Prophetic Vision,” in which we will consider one of the minor prophets of the Old Testament each Sunday, exploring that prophet’s unique vision of what the Kingdom of God should—and will—look like, and what was— in that prophet’s view—most destructive of that coming reality in their present circumstance. This series will give us a more robust understanding of the ancient prophetic vision and will further ground our understanding of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and proclamation of God’s Kingdom Come. This promises to be a rich and meaningful Lenten season, and I look forward to journeying through it together.

All my love, Austin

Copy of A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 1/19/23

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 17:37:30 GMT

Dear Church,

With a new year upon us, I will be leading a new study on Wednesday nights called “Learning with the Early Church.”

This study will be equal parts history lesson and Bible study.

In it, we will begin with the resurrection of Jesus and, from there, trace the development of the Christian Church through the first 4 centuries.

Each session of the study will do more than just cover historical detail: we will likewise explore the theology underpinning various developments in church history while pairing each session with relevant Scripture(s).

I will be using Justo Gonzalez’s widely read book, The Story of Christianity (Volume 1), as a primary text for the study, and I encourage everyone planning to participate to buy a copy.

My hope is that this study will not only lend us greater familiarity with church history but will likewise help us learn from—and with—our earliest Christians forebears about why our own faith is so precious and important.

Please make plans to join us!

All my love,

Austin

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 12/15/22

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 15:11:42 GMT

Dear Church,

What a year 2022 has been for us at Boulevard. With pandemic concerns having continued to ease this past year, we have seen our church emerge from the hardships of 2020 and 2021 in a most demonstrable fashion. Engagement in all spheres of church life is on the rise, and for that I am most thankful.

Meanwhile, I sense an increasing hunger among our congregation to experience further growth as Christian disciples and to become more actively present in one another’s lives. Seeing as one of our Vision Team’s core emphases—as presented in our intergenerational Sunday School series in July—is about defining “church success” as deeper spiritual formation and deeper connectivity among our fellowship, this developing desire is something that heartens me greatly.

And so, my end-of-year prayer is that 2023 will see us continuing to hunger for this kind of spiritual and relational growth.

To that end, please be on the lookout on January 2 ^nd for a brief survey that will ask you to reflect on your growth as a disciple this past year, as well as on your sense of connectedness to the wider church family and on how attuned you’ve felt in 2022 to the fruits of the spirit.

Our aim as a pastoral staff is to release a survey like this in January of each year, hoping that these short questions will (a) inspire some important reflection and introspection, and (b) serve as cues to remind us what we most value here at Boulevard: becoming evermore like Jesus and experiencing increasingly deeper fellowship with one another in his name— not numbers for the sake of numbers or busyness for the sake of buzz.

I love you all and am so thankful that I get to be your pastor. Here’s to another great year!

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 12/15/22

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 15:10:47 GMT

As you can probably imagine, this season of Advent has been extra special for me. I have learned a brand new level of waiting and anticipating. I have experienced a renewed yearning for the hope Jesus brings both now and for the future, especially the future of those coming after us.

I am reminded yet again how humbling it truly was for God to come to us in human form. I also have a whole new appreciation for Mary and all she endured those final days. I hope and pray you too are struck by the Advent and Christmas story in fresh ways this year. May you be drawn into the wonder anew. May you see and name the hope, peace, joy, and love all around you. May you share these insights and stories with others.

What a joy it is to journey through this season with you! ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 11/17/22

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:42:40 GMT

Dear Church,

In less than two weeks, Advent will once more be upon us.

Advent—which means “Coming” in Latin—is the season of the liturgical year in which we as the Christian Church reflect on and prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ—the coming of Christ at Christmas, yes, but also, and even more emphatically, the future coming of Christ with his consummated Kingdom.

To that end, we will spend the first Sundays of Advent concentrating on our Christian hope for that which is to come: the state of things in a restored Creation and the experience of a resurrected body impervious to maladies such as death and sin.

Then, we will turn our attention to the promissory note on that hope: the coming of the incarnate God at Christmas whose resurrection in the face of a humiliating death vindicates all he said and promised concerning the Kingdom which is to come.

At this time of year, we have so much for which be thankful and hopeful. Christ has come, indeed—and Christ is coming once more.

This Advent season, let us prepare ourselves to celebrate and affirm both of these wondrous truths.

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 11/17/22

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:42:32 GMT

I love how our church family lives in community together. How we collectively mourn losses, how we celebrate exciting changes, and how we walk together during all the life in-between.

This was displayed so clearly the week leading up to and following All Saints’ Sunday. We welcomed a new family, the Dicksons, into the life of our church. We named and remembered those precious to us whom we loved and lost in the last year. We celebrated the joy of new life – both with a baby shower and with the birth of Carolyn and Albert Mitchell’s son. Thank you, Boulevard.

On a personal note, thank you for showering our family with such overwhelming love as we anticipate the birth of our baby girl. But, thank you even more for being a church family that seeks to welcome all, support all, and journey with all through the diversity of life’s seasons. What a beautiful picture of the church being the church! ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 10/20/22

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 13:56:36 GMT

Dear Church,

Autumn is now officially upon us, and, as the leaves change color and begin to fall, we as a church family look forward—as we do every year at this time—to two important annual observances: All Saints’ Day and Stewardship Awareness.

For Stewardship Awareness, which will begin on Sunday, October 30 ^th , our worship services will feature reflections from members of our Vision Team, each of whom will reflect on his or her experience with the team and on the importance of giving back. Our Stewardship theme this year—drawn from our work as a Vision Team—is “Building God’s Kingdom with Time, Talent, and Treasure.”

Meanwhile, we will be observing All Saints’ Day on Sunday, November 6 ^th . On this day, we will light candles in remembrance of all of those from our church family who passed away this year. And, on All Saints’ Sunday, rather than have Vision Team members reflect on their dreams and hopes for the future, we will be mindful of the countless Boulevard saints of the past: beloved church members whose gifts of time, talent, and treasure have made possible the Boulevard story.

In short, we have intentionally combined our Stewardship Awareness and our observance of All Saints’ Day this year into one interconnected movement: a combination of our dreams for the future with a time of thanksgiving for the gifts we have received from dreamers of the past.

Please make plans to attend each of these services—October 30 ^th through November 20 ^th —as we pay respect to those who have gone before us and as we reflect on the stewardship of time, talent, and treasure necessary for building God’s Kingdom and making possible future dreams.

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 10/20/22

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 13:55:05 GMT

The theme for our Family Fall Retreat this year was, “We Are All a Part of God’s Story and Family.” We took time over the weekend to join our stories with others’ stories and with scripture. It is always such a joy hearing stories being shared across generations. Speaking of generations: there is no age limit on our Family Fall Retreat. All are welcome to participate as we spend time away together.

The goal of this annual retreat is to make time for connecting with each other, resting, enjoying God’s creation, and experiencing God in new ways. If you want more information, I invite you to ask someone who went with us on the retreat this year to share a story or two from the weekend.

Be on the lookout for a “Save the Date” announcement for next year’s Family Fall Retreat. We would love to have you join us! ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 9/15/22

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 15:44:25 GMT

Dear Church,

I write this month with a simple but important request:

Will you please let the church community know when you have prayer needs?

Perhaps this seems like an obvious thing for a pastor to ask of his or her congregation. Perhaps it seems like a given that we as Christians would be sharing our burdens and our needs, asking one another to be in regular prayer for one another.

Yet I dedicate this month’s pastoral note to this question because we live in an age in which people are increasingly less apt to ask for prayer—whether from their pastor or from anyone.

And while I think that there are many reasons for this, I fear that the primary reason is that we—as 21 ^st century Christians—feel increasingly less certain that prayer actually makes a difference. Or, to put that differently: in our scientific age—in an age in which our maladies and troubles can so often lend themselves to concrete diagnoses and explanations—we can easily grow less and less dependent upon prayer. We can begin to assume that the medicine will either make things better or it won’t; that the situation will either resolve itself or it won’t; that time itself will either heal the hurt or it won’t—and, in assuming this posture, an expectation that prayer can strengthen us and support us and make a difference gets diminished.

To the degree that this is true, it is troubling. Because prayer, even in a scientific age, remains powerful beyond measure. For not only does prayer bring us before God regarding specific needs and concerns, but it invites the rest of the Christian community to go before God with us. For us. In asking others to pray for us, we are sharing something of our deepest selves with them, trusting them to be guardians and stewards of things closest to our hearts.

And so, in closing, I again ask:

Please let me and others in our church family know when you have prayer requests. I want to be praying for you, and I know that others do, too.

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 9/15/22

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 15:42:19 GMT

After summer, I always enjoy returning to the rhythms of a new school year and fall. I have been even more thankful for “normal” routines after our last couple of years. As you find yourself settling back in, let me give you some options of service in our community. We are looking for more drivers for our Meals on Wheels route. Our church delivers Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. You can either take a day each month or be put onto a substitute list to help cover on days when our regular drivers are unable. We can always use help with our children or youth on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings.

Every second Saturday of the month, we pack 300 sack lunches in support of Saturday Servants. Our Prayers and Squares ministry meets every Wednesday morning to handcraft quilts for our community. We would love to connect you with an area to serve. Please talk to me if you want help finding just the right fit for you! ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 8/18/22

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 14:36:27 GMT

Dear Church,

What joy it was to gather in July for our intergenerational Sunday School meetings!

We are grateful for all of the wonderful feedback we received after the July sessions, just as we greatly appreciate the responses we received to the summative survey. Moving forward, this feedback—both the informal feedback received during and after the sessions as well as the formal feedback received in response to the survey—will be very helpful for the Vision Team as it continues its work and seeks to make more concrete the ideas and values and overarching vision that was presented and discussed in July.

Meanwhile, please know that the churchwide conversation about this vision continues, as I will be leading a series of discussions on Wednesday nights that will add more layering to what has thus far been presented and discussed. To guide those conversations, we will be reading Andrew Root’s book The Congregation in a Secular Age , and I invite everyone who is interested in participating to please purchase a copy and plan to join us on Wednesday evenings. Copies are available on Amazon, and our discussion of the book will begin in earnest on August 31 ^st (an overview of the book will be given at our fall kickoff on the 24 ^th ).

Finally, some of our Vision Team members will be presenting short testimonials this fall, so be on the lookout for these opportunities to hear directly from Vision Team members about our process of discernment.

As this prayerful work of discernment continues, we thank you for the help and wisdom you have shared with us and we ask for your continued prayers and counsel as we move forward.

A vision grounded in the fruit of the spirit and aimed at the Coming Kingdom of God:

Whatever concrete shape it takes, such a vision will certainly be glorifying to God and edifying to Boulevard Baptist Church!

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 8/18/22

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 14:30:55 GMT

As school begins across our county, will you please join me in praying for this new academic year? Pray for the protection and growth of all who enter our school buildings from daycares to universities.

Pray for our students, some who will be beginning at brand new schools this fall. Pray they will be filled with curiosity, understanding, and compassion. Pray they will feel seen, heard, and loved.

Pray for our parents, some who are sending their little ones to school for the first time, but all who know their child will grow up faster than they are prepared for. Pray they will be filled with comfort and excitement for what this year will hold.

Pray for our teachers, administrators, and staff as they strive to teach and encourage the next generation. Pray they will be filled with inspiration and energy. Pray they will feel respected and appreciated in their significant roles.

Finally, pray that this will be a year of academic growth but also spiritual growth. A year where we as a church family together grow closer to Jesus, to each other, and become even more embodied in the Fruit of the Spirit. ~Lucy

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 7/21/22

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 13:02:34 GMT

It is hard to believe summer is almost over and school is about to start back! What a full summer we have had between Passport camp, service week, VBS, and more. I am always thankful for our youth here at Boulevard but never more than when we get the opportunity to travel and serve together. I know I can always trust our youth to make us all proud. If you haven’t gotten the opportunity to get to know some of our special young people by name, I would love to help you build those relationships!

On a separate note, Jonathan and I would like to share a personal thank you for all the kind words we have received since announcing our big news. We joke that we are equally excited as we are nervous about having a baby. We don’t even yet know what we don’t know! Yet, having such a loving and supportive church family helps reassure us. Thank you for all the encouragement and for loving us so well! ~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 7/21/22

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 12:59:51 GMT

Dear Church,

It is hard to believe that summer is nearly over and that we will be kicking off a new church year in a few short weeks. That said, we are very excited about all that this new church year holds for Boulevard, and we are looking eagerly forward to the events that lead up to our fall kickoff event on Wednesday, August 24 ^th .

First, we will gather for a churchwide family picnic at Darwin H. Wright park on July 27 ^th at 5:00 p.m. What great fun it will be to swim in the lake, eat hot dogs, and enjoy fellowship together that evening!

Then, beginning on Wednesday, August 3 ^rd , we will meet for food and fellowship each Wednesday night for three straight weeks at a different Anderson restaurant:

On August 3 ^rd , we will meet at Mama Penn’s.

On August 10 ^th , we will meet at Master’s Wok.

And on August 17 ^th , we will meet at Tuckers.

Then, finally, August 24 ^th will be upon us, at which time our fall activities will kickoff in earnest, with catering, prayer meeting, and bible studies resuming, along with all of our children’s activities.

In short, as fall approaches, fun and exciting times are ahead, so please plan to join us for all of these lead-up events.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy these last weeks of summer!

All my love,

Austin

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 6/16/22

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 12:30:03 GMT

Dear Church,

As the calendar nears July, and as we prepare to give our children’s Sunday School teachers a well-deserved month off, we’d like to invite everyone to join us for an intergenerational Sunday School gathering.

For four consecutive Sundays in July—July 10, 17, 24, and 31—we will be meeting in the chapel during the Sunday School hour. During these four weeks, James, Lucy, and I — with help from members of the Vision Team—will be hosting conversations surrounding dreams for Boulevard’s future.

On that final Sunday together (the 31 ^st ), we will be distributing a survey/feedback form to solicit input from the church.

Meanwhile, immediately following each of these sessions, I will be preaching a sermon that is designed to complement what we have just talked about in the chapel.

We are excited about these opportunities for intergenerational fellowship and churchwide dreaming, and we hope you’ll plan to join us for each of them!

All my love,

Austin

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 5/19/22

Thu, 26 May 2022 13:48:17 GMT

Dear Church,

For the last nineteen months, our beloved Lucy Cauthen, whose technical title at Boulevard is “Minister of Youth and Missions,” has also been leading our children’s ministries. Upon Karen Jones’s well-deserved retirement in August of 2020, Lucy agreed to assume children’s leadership responsibilities on a temporary basis. Needless to say, Lucy has gone above and beyond the call—both literally and figuratively—and has continued the cultivation of a thriving children’s program here at BBC.

Now, with COVID-19 having calmed down and the world having returned to a more stable situation, it is time for Lucy to turn all of her energies and attention back to her two primary foci here at Boulevard: youth and missions. To that end, the personnel committee has authorized Renee Drake and April Carty—on a volunteer basis—to assume temporary responsibilities for our children’s ministries.

Lucy, Renee, April, and I have been working this past month to ensure that the transition of leadership will be smooth, and Renee and April have already put together an exciting and impressive calendar of summer activities. With a growing and enthusiastic children’s ministry, we have much to celebrate and look forward to as a church, and I have no doubt that Renee and April will carry things on with aplomb as we continue to discern the best path forward for our children’s ministry at Boulevard.

Meanwhile, to say that Lucy deserves our thanks and appreciation is a vast understatement; she has seen this ministry through one of the most difficult societal moments of the last century, and she has helped it not only survive, but thrive. We are abundantly blessed to have her as part of our community, and I encourage you to share a word of appreciation with her when you next have an opportunity.

Here's to Lucy; here’s to Renee and April; here’s to our BBC children; and here’s to all that God has in store for our church’s future.

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 5/19/22

Thu, 26 May 2022 13:48:11 GMT

Dear Church Family,

Please join me in celebrating our 2022 graduates! We rejoice over all they have already accomplished, and we are excited to see what comes next for each of them. Please join me in praying for them as they navigate big life transitions. Their addresses are listed in the mailed copy of the Outlook if you want to send a card or note of encouragement. We will celebrate them in person during worship on May 22nd. You don't want to miss it!

~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 4/21/22

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:36:52 GMT

Dear Church,

What joy I derive from writing these words:

“He is risen!”

Once more, the tragedy of Good Friday has given way to the triumph of Easter Sunday, and what joy it was to celebrate this world-transformative event together on April 17 ^th !

As we now move into the season of Eastertide—the seven weeks that conclude with the Ascension of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost—I want to take a moment to thank you for your engagement and encouragement throughout our Lenten series on the crucifixion.

Throughout that five-week series, many of you reached out to me with questions or with words of encouragement, and I am grateful to all of you for taking the series so seriously. Many of you requested copies of those sermons, which pleases me greatly. If anyone else would like copies, please call or email the office and we will get those to you for study and reflection.

(And just for the record: all of my sermons are always available in this manner for any who would like to have copies.)

In a similar vein, I’d also like to thank everyone who came to my book release party on April 2 ^nd . It was a wonderful event, for which I am enormously grateful to James Bennett and the hospitality team for planning, and to the office and custodial staff for preparing. I am still on cloud nine, and I appreciate all of you who made me feel so loved and supported. Copies of the book are—and will remain—available in the office for any who are interested.

Yes, dear family: the crucified Jesus is risen—and we at BBC have so much to be excited about and thankful for this Easter season.

For my part, getting to be your pastor tops my list!

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 4/21/22

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 14:34:17 GMT

“I know Boulevard has traditional worship, but from the pictures I see, it seems like a strong community.” I heard this recently from someone in Anderson. I am not sure what “traditional” churches she has attended in the past, but I was happy to confirm the warmth and community of our Boulevard family.

This last weekend is the perfect example. Friday night, youth gathered at the church for a lock-in. From 9 p.m. until 8 a.m., we played games, laughed, and snacked. While sleep did eventually win out for most, lasting memories were formed. Shoutout to Clarke Walker, Jim Trautman, and Jonathan Cauthen for helping chaperone this event!

Then what a day we shared Palm Sunday. Our children of all ages eagerly joined in worship waving palm branches. We celebrated with Brooke and Drew Cole as we dedicated precious Bradleigh. I absolutely love how we dedicate babies at Boulevard. I love the special and intimate naming of the child as our church family sees and commits to help raise this child in the faith.

Immediately following worship, children of all ages gathered yet again in the sanctuary for a picture and instructions on the upcoming egg hunt. Our youth set a hunt on the playground for our little ones while also setting up a more challenging hunt in the prayer garden and front lawn for the older kids. Once all the eggs had been found, a picnic lunch was served on the playground. It was a joy to see our families spending time enjoying each other and the beautiful Sunday weather. A big thank you to all the helpers - Mariana and Mike Gardner, Melanie and Jay Kieve, April Carty, Laura Long, and Dallas Davenport.

Yes, a strong community indeed!

~Lucy

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 3/17/22

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:57:41 GMT

As we reflect on the past two years, let us not forget to name the good things. What brought you joy? When and where did you feel close to God? Did you pick up any habits you plan to keep in your life?

Personally, I am thankful for the opportunity for us to retreat together. To spend an intentional weekend as a church family getting away.

Mark your calendars now for the weekend of October 9th-11th. Instead of making our way back to Bonclarken for our Family Fall Retreat, this year we will be traveling to Heart Ridge Retreat and Cultural Center in Sunset, SC. This will be a time for connection and rest. Please reach out if you are interested in joining us or if you have any questions.

God, we give you thanks and praise!

~Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 3/17/22

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:52:50 GMT

Dear Church,

At the time of this writing, we have just finished sermon #2 (of 5) in our series on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The third Sunday in Lent will soon be upon us, which means that we are drawing closer and closer to the arrival of Palm Sunday and Holy Week.

Thus, as a proper conclusion to our sermon series, and in preparation for Easter Sunday, I ask you to please make plans to attend three important services:

Our Palm Sunday service on April 10, which will take place at our usual 10:30 a.m. worshiping hour
Our Maundy Thursday service on April 14, which will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will include communion
Our Good Friday service on April 15, which will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be a Tenebrae service

In order to appreciate fully all that happens on Easter Sunday, and in order to understand more clearly what the resurrection of Jesus from the dead means, it is vital that we observe these key days first. Each of these worship services will invite us further into the story and will help illumine for us the significance of Jesus’ death and the salvific nature of his resurrection.

So, please: mark your calendars and make plans to be in attendance for each of these services. I promise that these will be meaningful and memorable experiences for us all!

All my love,

Austin

A Note from Lucy - The Outlook: 2/22/22

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 15:01:17 GMT

Even before my vast time here as Youth and Missions Minister, Boulevard has celebrated Souper Bowl of Caring. We do this by taking up a monetary collection on Super Bowl Sunday to help tackle hunger in Anderson. This year we as a church family supported Honey’s Place through HOPE Missions of the Upstate.

Honey's Place was named for Ms. Honey, a generous woman who selflessly provided biscuits and breakfast to all the guests at the temporary showers. These showers operated for weeks during the beginning of the pandemic when Clean Start had to temporarily close. Her heart was and is to provide guests who have become her family with a good start to their day and to serve everyone with a smile. As the temporary showers progressed, coffee also became a staple. The conversations that happened over coffee were the beginnings of deeper relationships.

Honey's Place through HOPE Missions of the Upstate continues to provide breakfast Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:15-10:00 a.m. in partnership with Clean Start's shower services.

Just recently, HOPE Missions of the Upstate has also met a need of becoming a Warming Center during the colder months by offering dinner and a warm place to sleep when the nightly temperatures drop.

For more information or to volunteer, you can visit the website: https://hopeupstate.org/

~ Lucy

A Letter from Austin - The Outlook: 2/22/22

Thu, 24 Feb 2022 14:57:15 GMT

Dear Church,

When the apostle Paul sought to remind the church in Philippi of the risen Jesus whose “mind” they were to emulate, he quoted a hymn that had become popular in the early Christian Church:

“[Christ], though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death.

Then, rather than end the quote with “death”—the final word of the hymn—Paul added three extra words:

“… — even death on a cross .”

Paul’s point, here, is that there is theological significance not only in the death of Jesus Christ, but also in the manner in which he died.

Therefore, as we journey into the season of Lent this year, we will spend our Sunday mornings reflecting on these words, “even death on a cross.”

For, in order to truly appreciate what was secured for humanity in the resurrection of Jesus at Easter, we do well during Lent to consider how it was secured.

The Christian church has been unnecessarily divided over this question—over the “how” of the cross—and this five-week sermon series, which begins March 6 and lasts through April 3, will present five various approaches to the “how” question, each sermon highlighting one such approach. Taken together, this series—“Even Death on a Cross”—will present how each of these approaches, when properly and biblically understood, work in unison; how they represent a polyphony of voices that, in proper harmony with one another, sing of a grand mystery, of the grandest mystery: the salvation of humankind from death and sin.

Please make plans to be present for each of these Lenten Sundays, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday, a celebration that makes sense only in contradistinction to the death that precedes it—even death on a cross.

All my love,

Austin