UPCOMING EVENTS

DID YOU KNOW?

• Spring Valley Presbyterian Church is the SECOND-LONGEST running host site for Thornwell's Building Families Program
• Since 1875, Thornwell has faithfully walked alongside children and families as they have faced confusion, challenges, and crisis. 
• Thornwell Celebrates 150 Years This Year!
• Thornwell is the longest-serving, faith-based children and family ministry of our kind in South Carolina and one of the oldest in the Southeast
• Elizabeth Ogorek, our on-site Family Specialist for Thornwell’s Building Families Program, has an office off of our Sanctuary's narthex and has been with us for 11 years!
• Last year, through our partnership, Elizabeth served 78 children and family members.

This Mission is very important to our church and we hope that you will join us on Sunday, November 16 to celebrate Thornwell's milestone, and learn all about what they do for our community.

Pledge Sunday Info

God pledges much to us. He pledges that He will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb. 13:5). He pledges that if we believe in Him we shall have eternal life (Jn. 3:16) . He pledges that if we commit (pledge) our way to the Lord, He will bless us (Ps. 37:5). There are examples of pledging ourselves to the Lord's work - they did this in making the tabernacle, building the Temple, rebuilding the walls for Nehemiah.

The idea of a covenant is that God calls us into commitment to Him. Baptism is a pledge to live for God and (if for an infant) raise that child up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The Lord's Supper is a renewal of our covenant pledge commitment to God- to remember and follow Him.

This Sunday (11/9) we are encouraged to pledge ourselves to God through our church family at Spring Valley Presbyterian. Hopefully, this will be a time of joy like when Moses told the people they didn't need to bring any more offerings to build the tabernacle because they had more than enough. We pledge to God in faith that He will provide for us - and in gratitude for all He has pledged and done for us.  

Pastor Ben

Make Your 2026 Pledge Here

Order a poinsettia in honor of or in memory of someone you love. Add to the beauty of the Christmas season by sponsoring a poinsettia for the Poinsettia Tree.

The cost is $20 each and a dedication will be published in our Christmas Eve bulletin and email newsletter. The deadline to order is Dec. 15.  ORDER HERE.

Poinsettias can be taken home aft the Christmas Eve service in time for Christmas Day.

Share the Joy of Christmas — Be an Angel This Year!

This Christmas season, help brighten the holidays for families in our community by participating in our Angel Tree project!

Here’s how you can make a difference: 

1. Visit the Angel Tree in the Atrium and choose a tag. Each tag represents a gift that will bring joy to a child or family in need.
2. Write your name on the sheet next to your tag number so we can keep track of each gift.
3. Purchase a new, unwrapped gift and attach the tag securely to it.
4. Return your gift by Sunday, December 7th.

All gifts this year will go to support Thornwell, the EMS Closet, and the Backpack Program—organizations making a real difference in the lives of children and families.

We are encouraging everyone to be extra generous in helping keep our neighbors fed. Our food drive is continued through November 23 with a fun, competitive twist: THE USC–CLEMSON–OTHER SCHOOLS FOOD DRIVE!

Bring your donations and place them in the corresponding buckets in the atrium:

Garnet & Black – USC

Orange – Clemson

Blue – Other Schools

We’ll weigh the food each week and announce which team is in the lead. Let’s show our school spirit and our compassion—because when we all give, everyone wins. 

 NOVEMBER 6 STATS: 618 lbs total 

 CLEMSON: 261 lbs 

 USC: 230 lbs 

 OTHER: 127 lbs

Every Sunday from 9:30AM to 10:15AM (except for certain holidays). 

For the full schedule, click here.

Join Pastor Ben in CrossRoads (off of the Atrium) every Tuesday, 12:00-12:45PM for this lunchtime Bible study. BRING YOUR LUNCH!

Join us in CrossRoads each Wednesday from 10am - 11am.  We will begin a study of the entire book of Acts of the Apostles.

Grief is harder around the holidays. Join us and find a space where people will listen, without judgment, and share helpful insights and advice on how to journey through the season.

Wednesday, November 19

5:15PM-6:15PM in Crossroads

https://landing.griefshare.org/holidays

Let's meet for lunch! Ken McManus has reserved a private room at Lizard's Thicket for us to gather and socialize on the 3rd Monday of the month. Please email Ken at kenmcmanus@mindspring.com if you have questions or plan to attend.

Join our monthly breakfast/discussion group that meets in the private dining room at Lizard's Thicket in front of Target on Two Notch Road at 7:00 AM (PLEASE NOTE THE TIME of 7AM). Led by Stephen Bower and/or Ken McManus. 

This week's topic: "The Christian Art of Dying - Learning from Jesus"

Email Stephen Bower at stephenebower6@gmail.com or Ken McManus at kenmcmanus@mindspring.com.

Join us for a FESTIVE DAY with a Jubilee Luncheon following the 10:30 service in Potts Hall. Right after lunch we will be decorating the church so we hope you will stay and join in on this fun day of fellowship and holiday cheer.

Join on Sunday, Nov. 30th at 11:30AM (following the Traditional Service) in the Outreach Room.

Items to Bring:  12” or smaller saucer, garden clippers, gloves, xtra greenery. 

Church provides: candles, candle holders, oasis, floral tape, scissors, some greenery. 

Cost: $5.

Please make only 1 advent wreath unless there are leftover Advent supplies.

Please sign up so we have an accurate count as to how much material will be required. Refreshments provided.

Sign up by emailing Drea Bender: drea.bender@gmail.com 

Who: All 3rd-5th Graders (a.k.a. Strikers)

When: 3:30pm-5:00pm - see dates below!

Where: Meet in the Strikers Room-Room 220

Join Us to Grow in Your Faith, Enjoy Fellowship, and Serve Others while having FUN! and Have Fun!

Questions or Concerns? Contact Liz Campbell: liz.campbell@live.com or Julie Coffey: juliecoffey5@gmail.com.

Strikers Meeting Dates

November 30

December 7-Yuletide Festival

December 14-Strikers Christmas Party

January 11

January 25

February 1-Souper Bowl Tailgate

February 22

March 15

March 29-Easter Egg Hunt

April 19

May 3

JOY GROUP: Just Older Youth group is generally ages 55+ and meets the first Monday of every month. Bring a covered dish to share and join us at 12:30PM, on Monday, Dec. 1 in Potts Hall. 

Pastor Ben leads this Advent Bible Study on Wednesday evenings in Crossroads from 5:15-6:15PM. The topic is on hospitality: "Welcome to Our World". Join us on Dec. 3, 10, and 17.

An intergenerational celebration! Join us for this festive day with a Gingerbread Church contest, Live Nativity, Crafts, Music, Games, and a display of Nativity Scenes from all over the world.

Sign up for the Gingerbread Church Contest

Sign up to display your nativity

Youth Live Nativity Participation Signup

Our Christmas Cantata will be held on December 14 at 10:30AM in the Sanctuary. Join us for this festive time with our choir. This year's cantata is "JOY!" arranged by Joel Raney; telling the Christmas story through six dynamic choral settings.

Pastor Ben leads this service for all to hear words of comfort and to receive blessings for wholeness and healing during the longest night of the year. We offer a reflective space for those who are experiencing grief, loss, or loneliness during the holiday season.

New members are always welcome. Upcoming meeting info & book selections are available in weekly announcements & email newsletter.

Books we have read in the past are listed here.

On Nov. 2, we will discuss “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman. PLEASE NOTE THE NEW TIME OF 3PM. Meet in the Atrium.

We read fairly new fiction with a few non-fiction selections a year. Meetings are informal and almost always include M & M's!