The History of Summerville Baptist Church
Serving Summerville, South Carolina Since 1896
Summerville Baptist Church has been part of the religious and community history of Summerville, South Carolina, since 1896. What began with fourteen committed Christians gathered in a Summerville home grew into a church with a long tradition of worship, missions, Christian education, community service and ministry throughout the Lowcountry and beyond.
The Founding of Summerville Baptist Church
Summerville Baptist Church was organized on January 29, 1896, when fourteen Christians gathered in the home of J. T. E. Thornhill and his wife, Lula Wilbur Thornhill. They believed Summerville needed a Southern Baptist church and came together to establish one.
Twelve of the fourteen charter members brought letters from Citadel Square Baptist Church in Charleston. Two others came from Cannon Street Baptist Church in Charleston. At the organizational meeting, the congregation formally resolved that the new church would be known as Summerville Baptist Church.
The church’s corporate charter was dated March 14, 1896, and was accepted at a March 18 meeting. Later that year, the congregation sought membership in the Charleston Baptist Association and became part of the cooperating Southern Baptist fellowship that shaped the church from its beginning.
The First Church Building
The young congregation quickly began planning for a permanent home. In April 1896, the church voted to purchase two acres on Second South Street between Pine and Laurel Streets from the South Carolina and Georgia Railroad Company for $200.
In January 1897, the Reverend Watson Scott Dorset was called as the first pastor of Summerville Baptist Church. Construction of the first church building began in July of that year.
The first Summerville Baptist Church building was dedicated on April 17, 1898.
Even in those early years, the church was closely connected with the wider Summerville community. Records describe shared services and cooperation with local Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran and Episcopal congregations.
Growth on Central Avenue
Through the first half of the twentieth century, Summerville Baptist continued through periods of growth, financial hardship, the Great Depression and two World Wars.
By the 1940s, growth created the need for larger facilities. The church purchased the Cuthbert property at the corner of Central Avenue and Carolina Avenue for $4,500 and undertook a major building program there.
The move established the Central Avenue location that became closely identified with Summerville Baptist Church for generations.
The James H. Storm Years
One of the most significant periods in the history of Summerville Baptist Church began in June 1955, when the Reverend Dr. James H. Storm began his ministry in Summerville.
Dr. Storm would serve the church for thirty years. When he arrived, the congregation was experiencing significant internal division. His ministry became a period of stability, expansion and growth.
By 1965, church membership had grown to nearly 1,000. During the Storm years, Summerville Baptist expanded its facilities, increased its ministries and developed an extensive commitment to missions.
The church helped establish the Old Fort Baptist Mission, which later became Old Fort Baptist Church. It also helped develop the mission on Old Trolley Road that became Oakbrook Baptist Church. Other mission efforts and new congregations followed as the church continued looking for ways to reach the growing Summerville area.
International missions were also an important part of church life. Members supported missionaries and mission projects in places including Canada, Tanzania, Japan, the Philippines and other parts of the world.
During the early 1970s, Summerville Baptist undertook another major construction program for a new sanctuary and additional ministry space. Later expansion included the Christian Life Center and church offices, dedicated in 1979.
When Dr. Storm announced his retirement in 1985, more than 1,500 people had joined Summerville Baptist Church during his thirty year pastorate, and approximately thirty men and women had responded to a call to vocational Christian service. He was named Pastor Emeritus.
A New Era
Following Dr. Storm’s retirement, Summerville Baptist entered another period of transition and ministry growth.
The church continued establishing and supporting missions. New Hope Baptist Mission was constituted as a church in 1987, and Summerville Baptist subsequently sponsored the Flowertown Mission.
The church also expanded ministries to children and families. A weekday early childhood program that began with thirty children in 1985 eventually grew to serve more than one hundred children.
In September 1989, Hurricane Hugo caused widespread destruction throughout the South Carolina Lowcountry and nearly $200,000 in damage to Summerville Baptist’s facilities. Despite the disruption, the church continued its ministry as the community recovered.
Another Summerville tradition began in 1990 with the first presentation of the Lowcountry Singing Christmas Tree. The large musical celebration brought people from throughout the community to Summerville Baptist to hear the Christmas story through music.
At the end of 1990, the Reverend Dr. Joe Wren was called as pastor. During the first four years of his ministry, the church recorded nearly 700 additions. In 1994, Summerville Baptist paid all outstanding debt on its sanctuary and Christian Life Center as the congregation prepared for another phase of expansion.
Summerville Baptist Today
More than 130 years after fourteen believers gathered to establish a Baptist church in Summerville, the ministry of Summerville Baptist Church continues.
In May 2017, Pastor Randy Harling began serving Summerville Baptist. Today, under his leadership, the church continues the mission carried forward by generations before us: helping people know Jesus, grow in faith and share His love with others.
That mission is expressed in our vision and values, lived out through our ministries and Life Groups, and carried throughout the Summerville community through our Downtown, Pinewood and Lincolnville campuses.
From fourteen Christians meeting in a home in 1896 to a multi campus church serving the Lowcountry today, Summerville Baptist Church remains committed to building vital relationships with Jesus that bring others to His love.
We invite you to meet Pastor Randy and our church leadership, learn more about what we believe, explore our ministries, or plan a visit to Summerville Baptist Church.
Source: Being Found Faithful: A Centennial History of Summerville Baptist Church. Summerville Baptist Church, Summerville, South Carolina, 1995. Authors: Dan Murray, David Bell, Ollie Smith, Janie Myers and Bernice Bell. Edited by Robert M. Knight.