Our Story

The Long Creek Church was organized in 1984. About 23 members of the Old Shandon Church of Christ met on September 18, 1984 at the Town House Motel. A more suitable meeting place was found at the S. C. Federation of the Blind Building on South Kilbourne Road. At an organization meeting, the name Central Church of Christ was adopted. Five men were selected to serve as a Leadership Committee. They were Baxton Deadmon, Bill Jennings, Claude Brown, Jim Smoak and J.C. Farley. Baxter Deadmon preached on Sundays until a full-time minister was selected.

A sign was placed outside the building on Sundays advertising the meeting times. At first, there were no children in the group. The charter member were all mature older adults. However, space was available for classes and teaching materials were on hands for use when children were present.

Lewis Karkosky was selected as the first minister. He and his wife, Mary, and daughter, Lori, began their work with the congregation May 3, 1985.

In early 1987, after trying unsuccessfully to obtain the property within the eastern part of the Central City area, a decision was made to locate in the fastest projected growth area as determined by the Central Midlands Regional Planning Council. AT this time, the attendance averaged about 100 and there were about 75 members.

On April 3, 1988, the congregation began meeting at Lonnie B. Melson School on Brickyard Road. After the purchase of 6.5 acres on Longtown Road, the name was changed to Long Creek Church of Christ at this time. White meeting at the school, Wednesday evening services were held in the Gamecock Room of the Lee building at 1314 Lincoln Street.

A ground breaking ceremony was held on August 7, 1988. The first services were conducted in the new building in December and a dedication service was held on January 8, 1989. With a vision of construction residential facilities for the elderly and additional educational facilities, nine acres adjoining the site were purchased in 1990. The education and Family Life Building was constructed in 1993 and occupied in September of that year.

Lewis Karkosky continued as Minister until October 1980. When he was succeeded by Ron Adam. He was followed as our pulpit minister by Jon Mitchell, Brad Fry, David Hamilton, and our current minister Kelvin L. Briggs who has served as our minister since 2018.