This week marks the start of year number 2 for this column. My first one appeared June 22, 2017. Since then, it has been a joy and great learning experience for me.
Bear with me as I share some of what I’ve learned. I have been involved in short-term mission trips since August 2000 and local ministry programs, too. Missions foreign and local are my passion.
I know that others in Lexington are just as passionate about a mission or ministry. They are the reason I started writing this column – to let you know what others are doing to share God’s love in Lexington County.
There are a variety of interesting, unique and unusual things I found to write about. Here are some highlights of the past 12 months.
There were 5 stories about new churches starting in Lexington and one about a Church planted in Portland, OR, by a local Lexington church.
Each one was started to serve a specific group of believers.
Lexington County gains 1,000 new residents each month, and they all need somewhere to worship and serve.
Many stories were about ongoing missions and ministries locally and around the world.
A fabulously successful Vacation Bible School has served nearly 2,000 local children. Several churches have programs to help people kick addictions through counseling.
My favorites were about:

- A West Columbia church that collected 16,000 pairs of shoes for a ministry in Africa.
- A homeless program started by a teenage girl 20 years ago.
- A Christian school started because of one man’s vision.
- A ministry that turned plastic bags into sleep mats for homeless people.

To sum up year 1 of Church Buzz, I found you don’t have to be a huge church to make a difference.
And your age or lack or experience mean little when you have a vision for serving others.
Let me know about a ministry or mission that you love. And help me make year 2 as enlightening, inspiring and informative as year 1.
Read my very first column at lexingtonchronicle.com/lifestyle/are-you-planningmission-trip