OUR HISTORY
Our church began in 1945 when
Kathryn Weber and Christine Riece
came to Sumter with a vision to win
souls for Christ.
They pitched a tent on S. Salem Ave.
with wood shavings for a floor.
As time passed and the congregation
increased, a crude wooden tabernacle
was constructed of two by fours
and was covered with masonite.
Sometime later, a parsonage was
purchased and the congregation
moved from the tabernacle to an
old storefront building next door.
After worshiping there for some time,
a 30 x 30 slate building was shelled in
to accommodate the growing congregation.
A little while later, a cinder block building
was erected on Dingle Street,
and it still proudly stands today.
In 1963, under the leadership of Rev. Orville
Hagan, land was purchased on Camden Hwy.
for $25,000, and a cinder block building
was built there. In 1978, a new sanctuary
and education wing was built.
Additional property was purchased in
1989, and by 1998, the church owned approximately 8 acres. In 1997,
Sumter Church of God voted to change
its name to Bethesda Church of God.
In 1999, our present pastor, Rev. H. Albert Sims Jr. came to us with a vision to win the city. In 2000, we broke ground for a new educational facility with gymnasium addition. Before we started building, though, our church experienced tremendous growth, and the need for a larger sanctuary arose. While sitting in the Lowe’s parking lot due to locking his keys in his car, Pastor Sims had the idea of moving the church to the Lowe’s building, and after much prayer, God answered.
The former Lowe’s building, with a little
over twelve acres was purchased in 2003.
Construction and renovation began in 2004,
and the church on Camden Hwy. was sold in
that same year. While in transition, we
temporarily worshiped at Patriot Hall and
Alice Drive Middle School.
Our first Sunday in our current church was
May 22, 2005.