The History Of SUMC

Families came from all parts of the community to worship under the Bush Arbor Church and to hear Reverend Carolina Rivers, the first pastor.
 

In the fall of 1866, Nellie Rentz gave one acre of land to the church. This gift allowed the Bush Arbor Church to be relocated to the Charleston Augusta public road, highway No. 61. At the new location. the members became concerned about renaming the church. Since the first church was located in the spring, they added the word town, and using the two as an unhyphenated word -the Bush Arbor Church was re-named Springtown Methodist Church.

After Reverend Rivers passed. Reverend Gant came as pastor. The construction of the first board church was begun under his ministry. There was no money in circulation so the men went out and cut logs made boards, and built a board church.
 

As time moved on, Reverend Joe Ladson became the next pastor and completed the unfinished work on the board church. He also organized the first Trustee Board. The members of the first Trustee Board were Aaron Rivers. Charles Salley, Stephen Daniels, Richard Kelly. Gibbs Salley, Charles Jackson, and Gibbs Hodges.
 

In 1905, Charles Jackson appeared before the Clerk of Court of Colleton County to purchase one-fourth acre of land from Susan Daniels. This land joined the one-acre given by Nellie Rentz. The Trustee Board wanted to purchase this additional land for the use of a parsonage. Charles Jackson was authorized by the Trustee Board to pay the sum of $5.00 to Susan Daniels. and in the presence of Team Stephens and the Clerk of Court of Colleton County, the Deed and Title for the one-fourth acre was secured.

Still, under the leadership of Rev. Joe Ladson, Team Stephens became the next Chairman of the Trustee Board. On July 5. 1906, he had the two lots surveyed by Jon L. Garvin. A plat was drawn which included the one and one-fourth acres of land. This is the present site on which Springtown United Methodist Church sits today.
 

In 1920, Lewis Miller, a local preacher and an outstanding leader in the church became Chairman of the Trustee Board. Realizing that the church did not have the proper papers for the land that had been given by Nellie Rentz, he appeared before the Clerk of Court in Colleton County paid the sum of $1.00, and secured the Deed and Title to the one acre of land. This gave the present members security and proof of where the church property came from. Those papers are a part of the archives of the church’s history.

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The vision for the brick church was continued with the newly assigned Pastor, Reverend S.D. Williams. He was a man With deep insights into the future and saw the need for a church that would last through generations and generations. With the cooperation of the Local Pastor and Chairman of the Trustee Board. Reverend Miller and others; the idea of building the brick church still evolved with misgivings and doubt. Some people were critical of the church in those times. Many church members said, “God would be dead when you build a brick church”.

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Reverend Williams and the Trustees employed Mr. Alonzo Street and his son as the builders of the new church. Times were hard but the members did give their time. Men hauled bricks in two-horse wagons from Georgia Station, which is known as St. George, S.C. The women brought food to feed the men as they traveled to and from Georgia Station hauling bricks. Many critical-minded members still tried to impede the progress. The Pastor and the Trustees were men of strong character and integrity, and they kept the work going and in one year, the church was completed and paid for. Thus. Springtown was the first brick church for blacks in Colleton County. “He who said that it could not be done lived to see that it could be done.”

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After Reverend Williams, Reverend M.O. Steward and the Reverend Furman Marcus became Pastors. Then in 1934-1950, Reverend Tom D. Green served as Pastor.

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In the same year of 1950, Reverend Paul A. Washington became Pastor and his leadership enabled the church to install restroom facilities in the rear of the church. Reverend Washington served Springtown until April of 1962.
In May of 1962, Reverend Joseph Mitchell was assigned as the new Pastor. During his leadership, the first bell tower was installed. Reverend Mitchell served until 1966.

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Reverend Eugene M. Mccants was assigned as pastor in 1966-1968. With his help and leadership, the new renovations took place. Accomplishments and improvements included painting the interior exterior of the church, the raising of the bell tower, and the construction of the vestibule. We were also able to install new pews, a pulpit suit, communion rail; purchase a baptismal font, new chairs for the choir, new carpet runners, a new heating system, new sidewalks, and refinished the floors.

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In the years following Reverend McCants, the church received an Interim Pastor. Reverend Lucius C. Cave was assigned to us and served from June 1968 to August of 1968. In that same month, 1968, the Reverend Benjamin F. Reid was assigned and served until May of 1976. The Reverend McCollum served the last few months before the 1976 Annual Conference.

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In January of 1976, the Reverend Peter E. Singletary was assigned as Pastor, and he served until 1981. Under his leadership, A & J Construction Company began work on the educational wing, and the renovation of the original church was completed. With the leadership of our new Pastor, the following things were accomplished:

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• The new educational wing with restroom facilities, a pastor’s study, the kitchen, and the fellowship hall were added;

• Completing the renovation of the original structure which includes, central heat and air, chandeliers, wall-to-wall carpet, refinished all furniture such as pews, pulpit set, communion rail and font, new draperies for educational wing and rooms, a new roof, new steeple, new landscaping, new stained-glass windows with religious scenes in each, P. A. System and other miscellaneous.