OUR HISTORY

In 1916, members of Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church, South, along with members of Hopewell Methodist Episcopal Church, South, decided to establish a Methodist Church close to downtown Simpsonville. Simpsonville Methodist Episcopal Church, South was formed and met in the community room of Simpsonville Woodside Mill. Reverend Joseph Lawrence Singleton of the Greenville Circuit was the founding minister. By the end of 1917, the church was built on land donated by H. H. Griffen at the corner of Crisp Street and Main Street.

By 1925, the Sunday School program was established and in 1926, the first remodeling of the sanctuary occurred. By then membership stood at almost 150.

In 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Methodist Protestant Church, South, united to become The Methodist Church. Simpsonville Methodist Episcopal Church, South, became simply Simpsonville Methodist Church. At the time the ministers served several churches so Sunday morning services were held once a month and Sunday evening services were held four times a month.

In the early 1940s, a second remodeling took place and a Sunday School/Recreation Building was added. In 1952, a final renovation took place allowing Sunday School rooms to be added upstairs. By 1953, Reverend Ben Hudnall was the first full-time minister and in 1959 a new parsonage was constructed at the corner of Main and Crisp Streets.

With a membership of 237, the congregation voted to begin building the first phase of a new church complex. This included a fellowship hall/sanctuary, twelve classrooms, a temporary office and pastor's study, and a nursery. The church purchased additional property along Main Street, agreeing to relocate and renovate the seven houses occupying the property. In January of 1967, the first services were held in the new building. In 1972, the original structure built in 1917 was demolished in order to move forward with the next building phase. Since the parsonage sat where the new sanctuary would be built, it was relocated to the corner of Fernwood Road and Hedge Street. By the late 1970s, membership was at 711 and additional land was purchased to accommodate future growth.

On Easter Sunday in 1980, the first 9am service was held and it was determined that there was enough interest to regularly hold two services. In 1982, groundbreaking was held for the new office and education wing, and in 1985, the congregation voted to build a new sanctuary, the last phase of the original master plan.

As plans were developed, the committee selected Willet Stained Glass Studios, Inc. of Philadelphia to create the beautiful stained glass windows. The windows on the north side feature the important facets of Christian life and those on the south side feature the events of Jesus's last days. For more information about these beautiful windows, see the Stained Glass of SUMC article.

On December 7, 1986 the new sanctuary was dedicated and consecrated.

In 1992, membership was rapidly growing and the congregation voted to build the Christian Life Center. This 18,000 square foot facility was completed in 1994 and contains thirteen classrooms, a commercial kitchen and a full-size gymnasium with stage. In the early 1990s, the church purchased a home in the Poinsettia Subdivision to serve as the parsonage. In 1999, two adjacent lots were purchased in anticipation of future needs.

In 2003, the SUMC Memorial Garden was dedicated. It is a lovely setting for wedding photos, Easter sunrise services, special receptions or for quiet meditation.

In April of 2014, a permanent outdoor facility was dedicated, complete with picnic tables and a large fireplace.