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In 1877 there were not many Presbyterians in the small
town of Glenn Springs, SC. However, among them were three
Presbyterian elders and their families who would met once a
month in the parlor of the Glenn Springs Hotel to listen to the
Reverend A. L. Miller preach. This practice lasted for about one
year and then the Reverend A. A. James, pastor of the Fairforest
Presbyterian Church, took over the duties of preaching once a
month.
In 1880 the question of building a church was raised
and Reverend A. A. James appointed the following committee to
raise the necessary funds and build the church: Mr. C. Eber
Smith, Mr. W. F. West, and Mr. H. S. Simpson. Mr. J. Wistar
Simpson donated the lot on which the church was to be built. The
necessary funds were raised, and the foundation was laid on
March 23, 1881. The building project was completed that summer.
In the Fall of 1881, a Sunday School was organized and Col. W.
J. T. Glenn was elected Superintendent.
In 1883 a petition was signed and sent to the Spring
Meeting of the Enoree Presbytery asking that a church be
organized in Glenn Springs. This is an account taken from the
first minutes of the Session Book: "The following members of the
commission met on the 19th of May, 1883: Rev. A. A. James,
Ruling Elders J. H. Evans, T. J. Moore, and W. J. T. Glenn.
After religious exercises, testimonials of membership were
presented by the following persons desiring to organize into a
Presbyterian church: Harvey S. Simpson, Mrs. Bessie S.
Zimmerman, George D. Smith, Mrs. Henrietta Smith, Mrs. Mary
Wallace Smith, Mrs. Harriet West, Mrs. Margaret West, Mr.
William Lancaster, and Mrs. C. S. Lancaster. Also, the following
were received on Profession of Faith: Miss Hattie Smith, Miss
Patra Lee Smith, Mr. Gussie D. Smith, Mr. Frank r. Simpson, Mr.
Andrew Foster, Mr. John H. Foster, and Mr. Franklin Sloan. There
were the charter members of the Glenn Springs Presbyterian
Church." Mr. Harvey S. Simpson and Mr. W. W. Lancaster were then
elected as Elders and Mr. Gussie D. Smith and Mr. Andrew M.
Foster were elected as Deacons. The church was named Glenn
Springs Presbyterian Church by a unanimous vote.
The Reverend A. A. James was elected Pastor on March
16, 1884. He had been preaching since 1879 when the church met
in the parlor of the Glenn Springs Hotel, and then in the new
church building before and after the official organization of
the church as Stated Supply. He continued in the pastorate of
this church until his death in June 1901.
In 1905 the congregation decided to make some
improvements in the church building and the amount of $500.00
was raised by subscription. Before the work was begun, the
Simpson family conceived a plan to erect another church as a
Memorial to J. Wistar and Anne Pattillo Simpson. The
congregation on October 20, 1907 approved the plan and the
second church was constructed of stone. The money secured for
the original improvements was used for furnishings. Work was
begun on this second church on November 8, 1907 and was
completed in June 1908. Services were held in the new church for
the first time on Saturday, May 16, 1908, the 25th anniversary
of the church's organization. Rev. A. A. James preached the
sermon from Psalm 26:6. The building was dedicated on June 21,
1908.
The congregation voted on May 3, 1959 to move the site
of the church, then located just above the "springs," to its
present location on the South Carolina Highway 215. On April 3,
1960, the congregation accepted the floor plan and design of the
church as drawn and presented by Mr. James H. Smith. The present
church building was then constructed on property purchased from
Mr. F. T. White. It is the third church building erected by the
Glenn Springs Presbyterian Church. Those elected to the building
committee were: Mr. James H. Smith, Chairman, Mr. W. B. Smith,
Mr. R. W. Williams, Mr. Julian Casey, miss Margaret Williams,
Mrs. William O. Posey, and Mr. Earl McArther. Ground was broken
for the new church on April 9, 1960 and the church was completed
November 26, 1961, the date of the first service in the new
church. The Church was dedicated on August 12, 1962.
The mortgage burning ceremony was held at our
Homecoming in September 1971.
Ground breaking for the Glenn Springs Presbyterian
Church Family Life Center was held on September 28, 2003.
Construction began a few weeks later on the $550,000.00
building. Members of the Family Life Center committee were:
Frank Oglesby, Chairman, Mrs. Mary Woods, Mr. Tommy Rogers, Mrs.
Nancy Rogers, Mrs. Jennifer Eubanks, Mr. David Hart, Mr. Mike
West, Mr. Jim Akins, Mr. Frank Wilson, Mr. Jim Powell, Mrs.
Linda Powell, Mr. Kevin Horres, Miss Edith Thornton, Mrs. Geneva
Pettit, and Dr. B. E. Pettit (Ex-Officio). The building was
completed and dedicated on Sunday, July 4, 2004. At the
dedication service the Presbyterian Women presented a banner to
hang proudly in the gymnasium. Also Mr. Bob Smith, Mr. David
Hart, and Mr. Jonathan Hart laid the Cornerstone. Clerk of
Session, Mr. Kevin C. Horres, presented a portrait and plaque of
Dr. B. E. Pettit, which hangs in the Fellowship Hall area of the
Family Life Center. Mrs. Barbara Tardiff donated furnishings for
the Fellowship Hall as well as the piano that is currently in
the Family Life Center. Activities are enjoyed there on a weekly
basis.
We are happy that over the years we have maintained a
true spirit of Christianity in the community and we pray God's
Blessings upon our efforts in the future. |
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