Photo Courtesy of Courtney Herod
Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Spears
Southeastern Conference
Sonia Angulo
Across the Southern Union, churches, schools, and conferences are engaging in ministries that intentionally address physical health, mental health, and social well-being alongside spiritual health. Through these programs, health ministries create natural connections between the church and its community.
Pickleball Group
At the Spartanburg, South Carolina, Church, a pickleball group began about two years ago in the church’s gym. While other pickleball opportunities existed in the area, church members who played pickleball found the courts to be crowded and the atmosphere highly competitive.
One day while playing pickleball, the Adventist players wondered why they couldn’t start their own group. After gaining approval, the church opened its gym, taped down pickleball court lines, and set up the nets. At first they met one day a week, and then expanded to two days a week.
The players invited community members they had previously played with and posted their pickleball group on a sports group app. As a result, an average of about 20 community members attend each night. According to pickleball group co-coordinator Jennifer Spears, the community enjoys attending the church’s pickleball group because it is different. The group is competitive but is best known for having fun and caring for one another. When a returning player walks into the gym, they are greeted by name. Between games, players sit on the gym stage and chat, forming personal relationships between church members and the community participants. At the end of the night, the group prays.
Community member Tifanny Geter enjoys participating in the pickleball group. She has been playing for a year and a half and has seen a positive impact on her joint pain. “It has helped me out tremendously. [I have] less pain, and it’s great for meeting new people. I’ve built so many different positive relationships,” said Geter.
On the app, the pickleball group has 200 members in its community. Spears said it is the largest outreach on the church’s campus that reaches beyond the church into the community.
“It has brought [the community members] into a place that they would have never gone before, they wouldn’t have even known about it,” explained Spears. “They’re seeing that [the church] is real people, and that’s important.”
When the church’s air conditioning system stopped working, the congregation temporarily met in the gym. Community pickleball players saw the church set up, including a baptismal tank, and asked questions about the church’s beliefs. When the church holds events, like International Sabbath, Spears posts about them in the pickleball group app. Spears said the group has not yet led anyone to attend church, but she is at peace with that.
“You don’t ever know what the Holy Spirit is doing in the background. And that’s all we’re there for — we can plant something and see where it goes,” said Spears.
Gym Ministry
For the past five years, many health-oriented members of Pursuit Worship Church have met at a Crunch Fitness in Charlotte, North Carolina, to work out together.
Not only is the gym ministry a way to stay healthy, but it has also become a way to minister to the community through action. Different groups from the church work out together, some going every day at 5 a.m., while others meet in the evening or less frequently.
According to Ryan Hodgins, Pursuit Worship pastor, the groups do not go to the gym with the primary goal of sharing beliefs, but rather to build genuine healthy relationships. Because of their consistency, gym ministry members become familiar faces to other gym goers. They may eventually act as spotters for others in the gym or engage in wholesome conversations. Some members wear clothing with Christian messages and pray together.
As friendships form, the gym ministry members invite individuals to attend church groups, activities, or worship services. Many people have attended church because of these invitations. As a direct result of the gym ministry, five individuals have been baptized, and others are actively considering baptism. None of these individuals had any prior connection to the Church before interacting with the gym ministry group.
“We believe that true evangelism happens by slow, intentional discipleship,” emphasized Hodgins. “What actually happens is [community members] end up just feeling very loved, and because of that, they’re drawn to the community.”
The church has a long-term goal of opening a fitness center to create more opportunities for interaction with the community. Hodgins noted that many interactions outside of work are often with fellow believers, and “the thought is, let’s make an intentional way to cross paths with the community.” The church hopes to have a fitness center operational within three years.
Addiction Recovery Program
The Berrée French Church in north Miami, Florida is laying the groundwork for a new addiction recovery program in its community. The program, called C.H.A.R., stands for Community Health Addiction Recovery and will focus on four addiction categories: food, social media, tobacco, and alcohol.
Last year, Lunel Cherenfant, Berrée French Church pastor, contacted Jennifer Sankey-Battles, Ph.D., Southeastern Conference health and possibility ministries director, to discuss launching a community addiction recovery program. She said she became enthusiastic about the program and wanted to offer as much support as possible.
“Addiction is not a topic that we often talk about in our churches, it can impact not only [an addicted individual’s] spiritual health, but these people are going through physical struggles with these addictions,” noted Sankey-Battles.
Sankey-Battles met with teams at the church and guided them through the materials needed to help facilitate the program. Initially, 25 completed the course; now, 50 people have completed the training. To provide additional preparation, the Southeastern Conference partnered with the Florida Conference and the North American Division to host a two-day training session in Altamonte Springs, Florida. The church has continued to conduct trainings and prepare for the program’s launch.
Alongside its training efforts, the church has prepared for the C.H.A.R. program by hosting health fairs and actively engaging with the community through meals and service initiatives. While in the community, members wear C.H.A.R. shirts to spark conversations and help build relationships. The church looks forward to launching the addiction recovery program soon.
Social Ministries
Samantha Bowers, social director at the Alpharetta, Georgia, Church, understands firsthand the importance of social ministries. After leaving the Church as a teenager, she drove past the Alpharetta Church in 2023 and decided to attend that Sabbath.
She felt welcomed in the church and continued attending. Soon, the pastor, knowing her background in the fitness industry, asked Bowers to lead a small fitness group. Through the class, Bowers developed friendships with attendees, and felt more comfortable at church because of the connections she formed.
“Those connections brought about a strong sense of belonging, which in turn encouraged my spiritual growth to the point of being baptized,” shared Bowers, who was baptized in May 2025.
As a member, she began welcoming guests each Sabbath and intentionally building relationships. A self-proclaimed “hugger,” Bowers is quick to offer an embrace, hoping to help others feel welcomed and valued, especially those facing challenges.
“Social health is so important because we never know what relief, what goodness, what smile, what joy we can bring to someone just by saying ‘hi,’” said Bowers.
Recognizing the impact of connection, and hearing God’s calling, Bowers accepted the role of social director for 2026. In February, she hosted her first event in the position, a Valentine’s banquet for couples. The event had 60 people and received positive feedback. She looks forward to planning future events that reduce isolation and build relationships.
Children’s Gardening and Cooking Class
At the Jupiter, Florida, Church, a weekly children’s gardening and cooking class called “God’s Helping Hands Community Service,” helps children learn healthy living in a Christ-centered environment. Launched about three years ago as a way to reach the community, the ministry brings together children, parents, and volunteers each Tuesday under the leadership of Sonia Angulo.
The class begins in the church’s eight-bed garden and then moves to the kitchen, sometimes using produce from the garden for the dishes they prepare. All the dishes made in the class are simple and plant-based. The class makes a variety of foods, from salads to sweet treats. From harvesting in the garden, to chopping ingredients, seasoning, and cooking, the children are involved every step of the way. The class concludes by eating the prepared foods together.
Angulo said the primary purpose of the class is to help children understand healthy living in relation to God. The class is Christ-centered and uses an Adventist gardening book as source material. Following an exercise break, the group has worship. Oftentimes, while preparing the food, the children begin humming or singing Christian songs.
One community parent, whose child has been attending since the program’s inception, said they have enjoyed the program. “It is more than a gardening and cooking class. It is a time to gather with brothers and sisters in Christ for the greatest purpose.”
As part of the ministry, the group spoke to a local Montessori school about vegetables and planted a small kale garden. The church also holds summer camps that include gardening and cooking components.
“Because of our garden, we’ve reached a lot of people in the community,” shared Angulo.
Angulo said the group hopes to extend its reach by bringing the classes directly into the community. They plan to visit schools, nursing homes, and other community spaces that may not be able to come to the church. Their goal is to share the lessons and joy of gardening and cooking with as many people as possible.
“Our desire is to bring these classes to our community so families can learn how to grow their own food, prepare healthy meals, and make positive lifestyle choices,” said Angulo. “Above all, we want to share the joy and hope that comes from knowing Jesus.”
Wholistic Health
Across the Southern Union, churches, schools, and conferences are using health ministries to bridge the gap between church and community, and strengthen their own church communities. Beyond the examples already listed, Highland Academy, in the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference, launched a peer-led program training students in mental health awareness; the Montgomery First Church, part of the Gulf States Conference, hosts a weekly grief support program; the South Atlantic Conference will soon open a wellness center; and the South Central Conference recently hosted a weight loss program. By taking a wholistic approach to health, the Church can meet people where they are and witness through its actions.
is the associate communication director for the Southern Union Conference.
Southern Union | April 2026
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