TESTIMONY, CHARITY HIGHLIGHT MAYOR’S PRAYER BREAKFAST IN LEXINGTON
Rainy weather didn’t stop Wednesday’s planned fellowship, testimony and charity at the Lexington County Baseball Stadium VIP room.
The fifth annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast brought together more than 100 Lexington County leaders in business, politics and law enforcement.
For just more than 90 minutes, they had a buffet breakfast during Lexington County Blowfish co-owner Bill Shanahan sought to entertain and inform during his presentation, which included religious testimonials and recognition of charitable causes.
But the big highlight at the Prayer Breakfast was guest speaker Mark Reynolds.
A 13-yard Major League Baseball veteran, Reynolds took the attendees on his athletic and personal life journey. The journey consisted playing for nine different teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was during that time with the team’s Double-A franchise run by Shanahan where he gained permission to meet and eventually marry his daughter, Kathleen.
Years later, the Reynolds followed a path which resulted in a baptism at a Colorado room inside a stadium in front of his teammates.
“That night, December 2015, I gave my life to the Lord and accepted him into my heart,” he said. “I got baptized in front of all of my peers which I think more is personal than I think doing it at a church where we really don’t know a lot of people.”
Further “fueling” Reynolds’ religious zeal was his desire to have a personal relationship with his savior which he said has enriched he and his family’s lives.
Reynolds closed by revealing his favorite bible verse: John 3:30, which states “He must increase, but I {must} decrease.” He includes the verse with every autograph he signs.
In addition to Reynolds’ testimony, the Prayer Breakfast saw mayors Steven McDougall of Lexington and Lancer Shull of Batesburg-Leesville receive donations raised by the sale of special Blowfish Lexington County jerseys during an auction this past summer.
Mayor MacDougall then presented a $500 check to Kara Jefferson for Sole Stepping, a nonprofit in Lexington County that provides shoes to needy children.
BL Mayor Shull followed with a $500 donation to the Wittenberg Food Pantry.
Lexington Mayor Steve MacDougall closed out the event by presenting a $500 check to the Big Red Barn from proceeds from this year’s Mayors Prayer Breakfast.
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ANNUAL MAYOR’S PRAYER BREAKFAST IS WEDNESDAY AT LEXINGTON COUNTY BASEBALL STADIUM
The home of the Lexington County Blowfish will once again gather the community for a morning of prayer.
The annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast will take place starting at 7:30 a.m. inside the Stadium Club at Lexington County Baseball Stadium.
The public is invited to join Mayor Steve MacDougall and the Blowfish organization for the event, which will include a breakfast buffet.
Admission is $10 with limited seating available and proceeds will benefit Sole Stepping out of Batesburg-Leesville run by Kara Jefferson.
Former Major League Baseball player Mark Reynolds is this year’s featured guest speaker. During a 13-year career with nine teams, Reynolds belted exactly 298 career home runs, had 1,283 hits and 871 RBI and earned a reputation for always trying to swing for the fences.
Reynolds’ Christian faith was aided during his professional career by a number of major league ballplayers who mentored him on and off the field. His wife, Kathleen, is the daughter of Blowfish co-owners Vicki and Bill Shanahan and they have three sons — Jacob, 12, Reid, 10 and Declan, 5.
How they live their lives through Jesus Christ are among the stories expected to be told at the Prayer Breakfast.