Staff
Rev. Brian Fleming
Pastor Brian comes to Allendale First Baptist Church after serving 13 years as Senior Minister of Colonial Place Christian Church in Richmond, Virginia and 6 years as Associate Pastor for Education & Youth at Arden First Baptist Church outside Asheville, North Carolina. Brian’s passion in ministry is in teaching the great stories of faith found in the scriptures, and in coaching both congregations & individuals to live out their fullest potential in the Kingdom of God.
Brian comes to Allendale with a missional approach of engagement with the community, an ecumenical desire to see all churches work together for the Great Commission of Christ, and a strong love for people as one in the world connected by our creation in God’s image. Brian enjoys leading congregations in mission work, teaching small group Bible study and worshiping together with fellow Christians.
Brian and his wife, Rachell, have been married for 24 years and have two children, Amber (19), Jackson (13).
Brian spent the 2019-2020 year teaching in Barnwell District 45, middle school Social Studies, where he got the chance to focus on one of his passions, History. His other interests include reading, Disney movies, traveling (usually to Walt Disney World), and working outside.
Mrs. Martha O. White
Worship through music is a vital part of the ministry of our church. For more than a half century, First Baptist Allendale has been blessed with the exceptional musical talent of Martha White. Martha is our music director, our pianist, and a vocalist; she accompanies and directs our choir, and together with the music committee, chooses our worship service music. Martha’s faith is clearly reflected in beautiful piano music that does, indeed, refresh the spirit as we glorify God!
Martha graduated from Furman University in 1956, and moved to Allendale in 1964 with her husband, the Reverend Tom White, and their three young children.
Tom served as pastor of First Baptist Allendale from 1964 to 1998, setting the mark as the longest serving pastor in the church’s history. He died in 2006.
Martha has worked as a public elementary school teacher and an adult education teacher. She also has worked for the Disabilities and Special Needs Board.
Judy Ponds Kinard
Judy has been employed by the church since March 2015. She is responsible for the business and financial affairs of the church. She works in the church office Monday-Wednesday mornings and handles numerous other office responsibilities.
She has over 40 years of experience in office management and personnel. She retired from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Home Health in 2007. She worked four years for the state unemployment office in Allendale until the office closed.
She’s also been a substitute teacher at Allendale Fairfax High School as well as a poll worker during elections.
She takes pride in being a professional. As she says, “I give 100 percent in any task I undertake. I do not ask anyone to do anything I’m unwilling to do myself. The way the phone is answered or a visitor greeted is the first impression someone gets of the church.”
In addition to her office work at church she is very active on church committees and assists with several church functions.
Judy has lived in Allendale all of her life. She has two children and two grandchildren. After 35 years of marriage she was widowed in 2000.
She enjoys cooking, gardening, and going to the beach. She makes a special effort to attend all of her grandchildren’s school activities and sports events.