Dearest Christ Church Family,

In the summer of 2013 we gathered for our first worship service in downtown Charleston. It was a night to remember! The evening service was held in the historic chapel of the First Scots Presbyterian Church on Meeting Street.

When the “Call to Worship” was announced the room was joyfully expectant and filled to overflowing. People were standing in the center aisle, crowded in the back, and packed into adjacent rooms. Due to space limitations, some were turned away. The congregational singing was amazing. I remember not being able to even hear the piano due to the thunderous praise. Many friends travelled from out of town to take part, and several attended from supporting churches. They were all grateful to witness the launch of Christ Church Presbyterian, a new Reformed and confessional church plant for the Charleston low country.

We worshipped in First Scots’ chapel that entire first summer. The session of First Scots was kind enough to let us use the chapel for evening services at this seminal stage in our plant. Afterward we moved our evening service over to St. Johannes Lutheran Church on Hasell Street, also on the peninsula. We worshipped at St. Johannes for two months, and then recognized the need to begin having Lord’s Day morning and evening worship services. 

Pastor Ross Hodges (our beloved former assistant pastor) and I searched diligently for a downtown location, but it wasn’t to be. After expanding our search to Mt. Pleasant we were delighted to discover that Moultrie Middle School on Coleman Blvd. was willing to rent us space. It was a visible and suitable location, providing all that we needed for the next six years of Lord’s Day ministry. During those years we also rented space from St. Paul’s Lutheran church in the Old Village of Mt. Pleasant for evening services (2018-2021), and periodically were offered the sanctuaries of St. Andrews Anglican Church in the Old Village, Church of the Holy Cross on Sullivan’s Island, and Redeemer PCA downtown. Throughout the years, we have been shown extraordinary kindness by many pastors and churches. They’ve recognized our pilgrim status as a congregation, and have extended the love of Christ to us in very practical ways. We thank and praise God for them!

It has now been 7.5 years since that inaugural worship service at First Scots. Over the years we’ve seen opportunities for obtaining our own space come and go. The Lord has taught us patience, perseverance, and contentment along the way. We’ve been reminded time and again that “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand” Pr. 19:21. At the end of 2019, however, it was the Lord’s purpose to lead us to 486 Wando Park Blvd. in Mt. Pleasant. We signed a 5-8 year lease on January 1st, 2020. The extensive renovation project on the 8,000 sq ft. space took much longer than we anticipated. But thanks to Jake Earle, Ralph Charles, Cathy Paterson, and numerous other dear church members utilizing their gifts for the glory of Christ, the project is now complete and our certificate of occupancy is in hand! 

Yes, you read that correctly! The town inspector has approved us to move on in! Our dear congregation is finally free to begin Lord’s Day services — and weekly ministry — at our beautiful new location. We will begin our regular morning and evening services this Lord’s Day, January 31st. 

Please stay tuned for follow-up emails and website updates from Pastor Michael and me which will hopefully serve to answer your questions about parking, pandemic protocols and accommodations, the launch of Sunday school, the start of men’s and women’s Bible Studies, etc. There’s lots of information coming your way! 

For now, let us stop and give praise and thanks to our blessed and merciful triune God for His steadfast love and faithfulness. He is worthy. 

“For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Psalm 84:10

Your Pastor, Servant, and Friend,

 Pastor Jon