“If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? So it is not the will of my Father… that one of these little ones should perish.” – Matthew 18:12-14
Alyssa, a 12-year-old girl, faced significant challenges after her mother’s death. Living with her grandmother, who has mobility issues, Alyssa missed 70% of school days and struggled with bullying due to her sensitivity to noise and crowds. This led to truancy charges. Despite her grandmother’s desire to keep her, Alyssa’s supervision and transportation needs couldn’t be met, so she moved to her godmother’s home.
At her godmother’s, Alyssa faced new challenges, including bullying at a new school and a physical altercation, resulting in an assault charge. Her attempts to run back to her grandmother’s home added more charges. Desperate, Alyssa’s grandmother reached out to Connie Maxwell, but their needs didn’t fit our current services, leaving them to seek other support.
But what if. . . the Healing Center was open and ready? Alyssa and her grandmother’s trajectory would look totally different.
The Healing Center at Connie Maxwell
This proposed 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, featuring three distinct characteristics (HEALING, LEADERSHIP, INFLUENCE), is boldly seeking to minister to children and families with in a new way and offer a more comprehensive array of services through a ‘new healing culture’ with cutting edge interventions, research, and education. The Healing Center will create generational impact for thousands of children like Alyssa and families across South Carolina and beyond in Jesus’ name. Please join us and be a part of this incredible, ‘holy’ adventure!!”
— Danny Nicholson, President
Guiding Principles – Healing, Leadership, Influence
The Healing and Learning Center have been developed with strong support and guidance from Connie Maxwell’s executive leadership. These two buildings create a physical manifestation of Connie Maxwell’s dedication to become a national leader in Christian ministries of healing for vulnerable children and families. With this development, Connie Maxwell positions itself to become a leading voice with the capacity to influence and turn the narrative from treatment to prevention.
Nicholson Center of Healing
“We can send a kid for an hour to counseling, or we can train this whole place to be a powerful healing community.”
— Danny Nicholson
Nicholson Healing Center – First Floor Plan
Main Lobby and Reception
Alyssa is warmly welcomed at the Nicholson Center’s vibrant lobby, filled with playful elements like ladders, ships, and play walls. The Atrium sparks childlike wonder, designed to calm and engage every child. Incorporating nature, the center creates a soothing environment for all.
Outdoor Therapy Rooms and Sensory Gym
The Sensory Gym and Outdoor Therapy rooms, used by children, counselors, and therapists, create a healing environment through movement, play, and nature. These spaces enhance therapeutic services and expand Connie Maxwell’s care offerings.
Care Modules and Consultation Rooms
Advanced care modules offer flexible, individualized therapy spaces tailored to each child’s needs, supporting interventions like art, play, sand, dance, or animal-assisted therapies alongside traditional talk therapy. Combined with the Sensory Gym and in-house Occupational Therapist, these facilities drive the next generation of healing at Connie Maxwell.
Nicholson Healing Center – Second Floor Plan
Executive Suite
The Executive Suite supports Connie Maxwell’s leadership operations, welcomes benefactors, and fosters collaboration. Strategically located near offices, it enhances accessibility and teamwork for current and future staff.
Office and Collaboration Zones
Connie Maxwell’s vision to lead in Christian Ministries for vulnerable children and families includes a unified administrative hub on the Nicholson Healing Center’s second floor. Designed to foster creativity and innovation, it features collaboration spaces, workstations, meeting rooms, and dedicated offices for current and future staff.
Gathering Space
The gathering and kitchen space fosters creative staff interactions, serving as a hub for idea exchange and collaboration. It supports Connie Maxwell’s goal to lead in Christian ministries by leveraging the talents of its entire team.
McCall Center for Learning
“Everything that we’re doing here is for our kids on this campus, but the lingering essence of what we learn is to be shared with the world.”
— Danny Nicholson
McCall Learning Center
Presidential Library and Museum
The Presidential Library celebrates Connie Maxwell’s 133-year history with exhibits, including a Historical Timeline Wall tracing its journey. The McCall Learning Center welcomes and orients guests, volunteers, and tourists, with a small gift shop nearby.
Executive Board Room
The new executive boardroom, located across from the Chapel, hosts board meetings, guests, and small events, reflecting Connie Maxwell’s mission. Nearby, the Presidential Library and connected gallery, doubling as a reception venue, feature rotating exhibits of alumni and community work, the Stockman Gallery for children’s art, and a display honoring distinguished alumni.
Kauffmann Auditorium
The Kauffmann Auditorium will be the hub for training at Connie Maxwell, fostering a “new healing culture” through lectures by national trauma experts on trauma, relational, and spiritual health. It will serve cottage parents, staff, leadership, and community members, with a capacity of 200–250 people.
Tower of Faith and Healing
“As I asked myself, what is the Tower of Faith and Healing? It popped into my mind ‘who is the Tower of Faith and Healing?’ It is Jesus.”
— Yancey Robertson
Connie Maxwell Garden of Healing
The plaza design tells two stories, the story of Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To tell this story, the design journeys through several key experiences that include The Connie Maxwell Children Statues, Joshua Stones of Remembrance Monument, The Meditation Labyrinth, The Fountain of the Holy Spirit, The Tower of Faith and Healing, and The Fruits of the Spirit Terraces.
The greatest hope of this plaza design is that these experiences will convey the meaning of these wonderful stories in a manner that will be understood by all who visit this place and that above all, God will be glorified.
The Connie Maxwell Children Statues
At the plaza’s center, a bronze sculpture of children stands, with a statue of Connie Maxwell nearby, waving to welcome them. From 133 years past, she calls the children to a future of love and healing.
Joshua Stones of Remembrance
This is where the Connie Maxwell story and the Gospel story overlap. God instructed Joshua to build a stone monument for future generations to remember that “the hand of the Lord is mighty.” Like this monument, God builds “stones of remembrance” in the lives of the children, so they can remember His power and how He worked through this ministry to draw, save, and keep them in Jesus.
The Meditation Labyrinth
The labyrinth, an ancient Christian garden form, mirrors the Holy Spirit’s terraces, offering a meditative space for prayer and reflection on God and scripture. Its winding path symbolizes life’s challenges, twists, and turns.
The Fountain of the Holy Spirit
At the tower’s base, a fountain’s splashing spouts symbolize the Holy Spirit, the living water from Jesus that quenches thirst forever, as Jesus said, “It is to your advantage that I go away,” to send the Helper.
The Tower of Faith and Healing
The Tower of Faith and Healing stands as a representation of Jesus. Extending out of the earth, it stands as a physical icon marking the foundation of this place and Connie Maxwell’s mission and purpose to spread the gospel through ministry. When the word became flesh, He sent shocks waves through all creation that herald His preeminence.
The Fruits of the Spirit Terraces
Nine lawn terraces form concentric circles, each representing a fruit of the Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—radiating from Jesus.
What about Alyssa?
What if Alyssa and her grandmother had called when the Healing Center was open and running? Rather than turning them away, we could have:
- Offered counseling for both Alyssa and her grandmother
- Provided an OT evaluation to support Alyssa’s sensory needs
- Guided them spiritually
- Monitored and advised on Alyssa’s medications
In the future, if Alyssa’s grandmother were to have some health issues requiring her to be out of the home, Alyssa could then enter our Crisis Care Home. Once Alyssa’s grandmother was healthy, she could reunite with her.
If Alyssa’s grandmother needed long-term assistance because of her health issues, Alyssa could be admitted into one of our residential homes on the Connie Maxwell campus.
In the event Alyssa’s grandmother was no longer able to maintain custody of her, Alyssa could be adopted through our Foster/Adopt program.
No matter what Alyssa and her grandmother need throughout their time together, Connie Maxwell would be ready and able to meet their needs at every stage.
“With strong, growing momentum and God’s favor resting on our continued efforts, we embark on a bold, faith filled journey to realize our vision to become ‘a national leader in healing and ministry for vulnerable children and families.’ Please seriously consider what part you can play in helping us realize this Dream, and by doing so, impact children and families in Jesus name for eternity. Thanks again for your sincere interest in our tender ministry.”
— Danny Nicholson, President
Naming Opportunities
Nicholson Center Naming Opportunities
- Main Front Reception (featuring “For the Dreams” Display)
- Atrium & Waiting
- Consult Rooms (4)
- Care Module (3)
- Sensory Gym
- Administration Suite
- Resource Library
- Medical Room
- Small Conference Room
- Large Conference Room
- Private Offices (10)
- Open Area Offices (3)
- Outdoor Therapy Rooms (4)
- President’s Office
- Executive Suite
- President’s Conference Room
- Leadership Offices (4)
- Offices (6) – Collaboration Room – Section 1
- Offices (5) – Collaboration Room – Section 2
- Offices (6) – Collaboration Room – Section 3
- Kitchen and Gathering Space
McCall Center Naming Opportunities
- Presidential Library
- Connie Maxwell Children’s Ministries Museum
- Gathering/Event Space
- The Board of Trustees Meeting Room
- Foyer/Entrance
- Side Entrance
- The Stage/Green Room
Connie Maxwell Garden of Healing Naming Opportunities
- Overall Garden
- Circular Drive Entry
- Statue of Children Playing in Circular Drive
- Connie Maxwell Entry Statue
- Joshua Stones of Remembrance Monument
- Bistro Sitting Areas
- Prayer Labyrinth
- The Tower of Faith and Healing
- The Fruits of the Holy Spirit Terraces
- Prayer of Healing Benches
- Memorial Trees
