Columbia Presbyterian Church moving to Huger Street

We’re on the move! Columbia Presbyterian Church, a growing congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, is moving from Sumter Street in Cottontown to Laurel and Huger streets to continue God’s commission to see friends grow and mature in Jesus.

The church purchased the former Cogdill Carpets building at 1700 Huger St. at the end of 2022. Interior demolition of the building is complete and work has begun on the 700-seat sanctuary, a large children’s ministry area, office space for a growing staff and room for partner outreach ministries. The church hopes to move this summer.

To facilitate this significant transition, Columbia Presbyterian Church can partner up with Lifetime Moving Co, ensuring a smooth and efficient relocation process. With their expertise in handling large and complex moves, they can assist in the meticulous planning and execution required for transporting the church’s valuable assets to their new location.

For a successful move, especially one as significant as relocating a church, affordable packing and moving services are crucial. These services provide comprehensive solutions that include not just the transportation of items but also the packing and unpacking of belongings. By enlisting professional movers, Columbia Presbyterian Church can benefit from expert packing techniques that ensure the church’s valuable assets, including musical instruments, furnishings, and historical documents, are securely packed and transported.

A Moving Company Crossville, TN is an excellent example of a provider that offers these essential services, handling everything from carefully packing delicate items to ensuring they arrive in pristine condition at the new location. Their experienced team can also provide temporary storage solutions, which is particularly useful if there are delays or if items need to be stored securely before the new space is fully ready for use. Additionally, their services also include options for both short-term and long-term storage, which can be invaluable during a major move.

For instance, the church might need to store some items while waiting for the completion of certain areas in the new building. This moving company ensures that all items are kept in a secure, climate-controlled environment, preserving their condition until they are needed. This level of service not only alleviates logistical concerns but also provides peace of mind, allowing the church to focus on its mission and community outreach without being bogged down by the details of the move.

“We could not be more thankful to God for this space. It’s perfect. After years of hard searching and a lot of disappointment, the Lord provided the right space to serve our church family and our great city,” said Pastor David Gentino. “The space is very visible downtown, right on Huger Street and between the soon to be renovated Finlay Park and the new police headquarters. The church is excited about sharing the love of Christ with those who will visit and those who we will meet serving the city,” Gentino said.

Hill Construction Company of Columbia is the general contractor for the project and Catalyst Architects is the architect. The church plans initially to use 28,000 square feet of the 45,000-square-foot building.  The building’s warehouse space is being leased to help defray cost of the $6.4 million project.

Columbia Presbyterian is a fellowship of nearly 500 members and has outgrown its location at 2244 Sumter St, where the church has leased space since 2017. The new sanctuary will allow the church to hold a single worship service on Sunday. It will also allow the church to double the size of its children’s ministry area and have a separate youth area. Additionally parking has become a problem on Sumter Street and the new property will have 225 parking spaces.

The new building also opens up a lot of possibilities for outreach and service to the city. The space that housed the former Cromer’s Peanuts gift shop and café will become a coffee shop and meeting space.

Columbia Presbyterian was formed in 2013 with a desire to evangelize and disciple new friends in their growth in Christ. The church first began meeting in the Tapp’s Building on Main Street in downtown Columbia before moving to Sumter Street. Services are currently 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday at the Sumter Street location, and all visitors desiring to grow in their walk with the Lord are welcome.

Miriam and Jeff Payne have been members of Columbia Presbyterian since attending the inaugural service held at the Tapp’s building on Main Street. “We were impressed by the new congregation – young demographically, but also in spirit and enthusiasm, focused on traditional Christian teaching that honored Presbyterian traditions within a contemporary and more informal worship style,” said Jeff. They called the move from Cottontown to the Cogdill Building “both an amazing answer to prayer and a great opportunity for more.”

While Columbia Presbyterian’s venue has changed with the church’s growth, the church’s mission of discipleship and outreach has not changed, said long-time church members Jeanette and Bryan Wingate. “Now we are delighted to be moving into a more permanent church home with space that will comfortably accommodate our membership and allow us to stay on mission as a church seeking to serve the City of Columbia as disciples of Christ Jesus.”

About Columbia Presbyterian Church

A Bible believing and preaching church, Columbia Presbyterian Church is  joyful about its message of good news for all people. With a  diverse church family — welcoming all backgrounds and walks of life – Columbia Presbyterian is serious about its mission to speak and show the love of Christ to every man, woman and child in our city