Grace UMC reaches out to Sweetwater community with The Way

NORTH AUGUSTA—Grace United Methodist Church is working with the Greenwood District and the South Carolina Conference in creating The Way as a satellite location for Grace UMC.

The Way sits on 17 acres located at 417 Randall Road in Edgefield County near the Aiken County line.

On Sept. 18, an outdoor worship service was held under tents at The Way Sweetwater property for the North Augusta Sweetwater community.

The Greenwood District purchased this property on Aug. 20, 1990, with the vision of a United Methodist presence in an area of new housing developments being constructed in the area within the next few decades.

Plans for the new building include monthly and weekly worship services, Bible studies, small group meetings, scout meetings, children’s activities and other church and ministry events.

The Way currently offers a meditation trail through the woods with Scripture posts and benches along the way. The vision is one in which the people moving into the Sweetwater community will have a United Methodist place of worship and ministry.

At the Sept. 18 event, Doug and The Henrys bluegrass group provided old-time gospel music for entertainment, as well as singalong music for the worshippers. The guest preacher was the Rev. James Friday, South Carolina Conference director of congregational development, and special guests included Greenwood District Superintendent Dr. Stephen Love and Greenwood District Lay Leader Tony Watson.

Friday also officiated a service for the dedication of the new building as Grace UMC Senior Pastor the Rev. Tommy Wilkes and Associate Pastor the Rev. Randall Haase anointed the building with oil.

The Way also hosted a Fall Luau Festival Sept. 23, joining forces with the Grace Children’s Council. It featured different events entice the people of the community to attend, including a pumpkin patch and a hayride through the meditation trail, plus beach games, a Hawaiian costume contest, a hula competition and a performance from the Grace ukulele class.