50th Anniversary

Special thanks go to John and Lori Zontini for capturing and producing this 50th Anniversary video.

Click a thumbnail and arrow right through the images…

[Show slideshow]

1 2 ►

The Year of Jubilee – by Bud Livers

Almost two years ago, church leaders first started planning for the King’s Grant Baptist Church upcoming 50^th Anniversary to be observed October 6, 2019.  Many ideas were floated as to how to best  commemorate this special occasion.  The challenge for church leadership then became how to identify a core element to the celebration.  Without this critical component, anything else the Church did to observe the date – reaching out to previous members, special music, keynote speakers, good food – would just amount to a “party.”  A big party, to be sure, but a party none-the-less.

In the Bible, God directed the Children of Israel to designate every 50 years as “The Year of the Jubilee”.  The Year of the Jubilee involved a year of release from indebtedness. How could KGBC personalize the forgiveness of debt in a manner that could be in keeping with the original intent of the “Year of the Jubilee”? It was learned that there were organizations, collections agencies and the likes, that would buy up a creditor’s debt for pennies on the dollar, and then attempt to negotiate partial repayment, but enough to make a profit.  Could the church do something similar?  Could they identify individuals with crushing financial debt, buy that debt at a greatly reduced rate, absorb the cost and free  the individual from that indebtedness?

No sooner had this idea come to light, but that it was closely followed by a whole host of questions.  How would the church identify potential candidate?  Ask for references?   Check with the loan departments of local banks?  Check with Hospital Billing departments?  Could this information even be accessed in view of HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) the United States legislation that provides data privacy and security provisions for safeguarding medical information?  And what other legalities were involved?  Could this be seen as establishing a business that might threaten the church’s tax exempt status?  And then there was the question of what kind of debt would they target?  Credit card debt?  But what would prevent the recipient from being right back in debt again a few years down the road.  Inherited debt, maybe – debt that would fall to the beneficiaries of an estate following the death of a loved one?  Or perhaps medical debt from unforeseen and uninsured medical treatments?

Months passed, with no apparent solution to be found.  There seemed to be no way for an individual  church to pay off crushing personal indebtedness.

Then one day, about 4 months before the anniversary date, the daughter of a previous pastor at the church posted an article on Facebook about a debt relief organization.  The post was seen by the church’s Director of Student Ministries who brought it to the attention of the Senior Pastor.  RIP Medical Debt is a nonprofit that buys and forgives medical debt across America. RIP is a company that works with individual donors, philanthropists and organizations to purchase medical debt for pennies on the dollar to provide financial relief for those burdened by impossible medical bills.

This was an answer to prayer.  Pastor Ken Pruitt contacted the organization and brought his findings before the Church body.  A special offering fund was established and generously supported by members of the church.  In honor of our Year of Jubilee Celebration, giving from the church family from May through August was used to pay off medical debt for many families in Virginia Beach and throughout the state. KGBC was able to abolish over $4.3 million in medical debt owed by approximately 3,000 individuals in 94 Virginia counties and 6 counties in North Carolina.  Donors are never told the names of the individuals helped by this program.  The recipients, however, are told who abolished their debt and they are then free to initiate contact if they wish.  The hope was that by paying off someones unpayable medical debt, they would then be open to hear about the Son of God, the one who could truly pay off the individuals unpayable debt of life for all eternity.

October 6 is going to be a busy day at King’s Grant, celebrating 50 years of ministry on the Little Neck Peninsula and beyond. Here is a checklist of things to consider:

• There is only ONE service on October 6, at 10:30 a.m.
• There is no Sunday School for that weekend.
• Church leaders are asked to park at the Little Neck Swim and Racquet Club across the street.
• Members or Sunday School classes and small groups are asked to bring food for the potluck (more on food).
• Bring food items to the church kitchen by 10:15 do the service will begin promptly at 10:30.
• All deacons, ushers, and greeters are “all hands on deck” so please serve even if October 6 is not your scheduled day.
• Children and preschoolers will be with their families that day, some assistance can be provided.
• There will be a section under the tent for those needing assistance walking in the side yard. there are several rows of chairs on wooden flooring.
• Dress for the day is casual, which is appropriate for an outdoor service and eating a potluck dinner, however, stage personalities and guests are wearing formal attire.

Items to consider bringing that day:

• Lasagna (main dish)
• BBQ (main dish)
• Chicken and Rice Casserole (main dish)
• Chicken and Noodles Casserole (main dish)
• Beef and Rice (main dish)
• Baked Ziti (main dish)
• Chicken Tetrazzini (main dish)
• Meatballs (side dish)
• Mac & Cheese (side dish)
• Hash-brown Casserole (side dish)
• Pasta Salad (side dish)
• Macaroni Salad (side dish)
• Broccoli Casserole (side dish)
• Green Bean Casserole (side dish)

Reminder Cards for our 50th Anniversary have been mailed, so mark your calendar and display the card on your refrigerator at home or in your cubical at work. There will be reflective activities and special segments during worship times leading up to our celebrating what God has done throughout the decades.

Dear Church Family,

Today we celebrate an incredible opportunity as we move forward toward our 50th Anniversary of ministry. Many things have changed since 1969, but the blessing of God continue. In response to God’s blessings, this church has always been a generous church. In the 50th Year of God’s people Israel, God blessed them with a year of Jubilee, indicating among other blessings of God that all debts of His people would be paid in full.

This year, your 50th Planning Team, Finance Committee, and Staff have been praying about how to help someone in crisis with their debt (particularly the most oppressive debt presently in our culture: medical debt). God recently led us to a non-profit agency – RIP Medical Debt (a 501 c3) – that will help give direction to donations from a church, professionally research and identify the greatest needs in the church’s general area and surrounding regions, and help resolve the medical debt ($100 of debt for every $1 donated).

With Finance, 50th Planning Team, and Staff in full support, we have the opportunity right now to give so that we can help reduce the medical debt in Hampton Roads and beyond. In this way we celebrate our Year of Jubilee and the faithfulness of God to us by giving to those presently in crisis. (The non-profit agency will research the families in the greatest need by strict standards, will keep the families anonymous to us so that we are giving freely, and will inform the recipients of our contributions so that they may know that this expression of love comes from the hearts of people serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.)

Today, we begin celebrating our year of jubilee by pouring into the lives of those who are trapped and cannot help themselves. Today we begin celebrating God’s goodness in our lives by passing on His blessings right here at home and beyond. In this way, we continue to love our city, and our cities in Hampton Roads, and our state. Let’s prayerfully consider how each of us can give to see God’s blessings multiplied. Below are two significant questions as we move forward.

How can you begin giving right now? There are two options.

• First, you may give through King’s Grant Baptist Church. (If using a check, please make check payable to King’s Grant Baptist Church, and in the memo write, “Medical debt.”)
• Second, you may CLICK HERE and give online.

How can you find out more information of our partnering agency and how this opportunity is made possible? Please CLICK HERE to learn more. (Remember that all online donations must be made through the above link.)

Thank you for your generosity, and for your heart for those in need. We are excited about the next 50 years.

Grateful,
KGBC Leadership

Don’t get left out of the King’s Grant 50th Anniversary Pictorial Directory. All of our original appointments are filled, so we have set another photography date: Wednesday June 12.

If the appointments are filled on that date, enter your information on the Waiting List and we will get another photo session day.

CLICK HERE to make your appointment!