Bethesda Church, Camden, SC
by Kyle Goodman ’04
When I graduated from Columbia Seminary, I accepted a call to be the associate pastor to the Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Camden, South Carolina. When I first interviewed for the position, I was told that Bethesda was an historic church in an historic town. What an understatement! Living in Camden and working at Bethesda these past three years has been like living in the midst of American history.
Camden is the oldest inland town in South Carolina. The sign along the highway says so. Driving into town, you come across Revolutionary War battlefields and historic monuments. The old neighborhood is packed with antebellum homes. But the two crown jewels of historic Camden are the old courthouse and the Bethesda Presbyterian Church. Both buildings were designed by Federal architect Robert Mills, who is best known for the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. In the front yard, a much smaller obelisk marks the final resting place of Baron de Kalb. Lafayette himself stood on the steps of Bethesda 175 years ago and delivered another eulogy for his friend as he was reburied in the church’s front yard.
Those steps still stand today. The sanctuary was built in 1822. It looks much the same as it did when it was first built. The top of the pulpit stands ten feet from the ground. The doors on the box pews still latch and swing out. The stark white walls, columns, brick and the iron work… all come together to create a magnificent space for worship. And they are constant reminders of Bethesda church’s 200-year history.
When I first came to Bethesda, I thought these were just interesting facts to share. I thought they were incidental to the task of ministry here. I have since come to understand that in order to do ministry at Bethesda, you have to know a little history.
History as Resource. Bethesda’s history is a blessing for the church. People come to visit Camden just to see the church building. We have a number of Sunday morning visitors who come to experience worship in our space. Our members value the historicity of Bethesda, and part of their dedication to the church is their commitment to preserving its history. We have a number of historians in the church, and they delight in telling the stories of Old Bethesda. In that way, the memory of church stretches back for generations.
History as Challenge. I never would have thought it, but history is hard and complicated work. Maintenance tasks for a 185-year-old building are overwhelming. So are the expenses. On Sundays, we have two full services. Any other church of our means would consider expanding its sanctuary, but ours must remain untouched. Any new construction must be matched to our old buildings in painstaking detail. Even to install handrails for aging members requires approval from the Historic Registers. And as beautiful as the sanctuary fixtures are, a ten-foot pulpit and box pews certainly limit innovation in worship. History can also be stifling to a church’s growth.
History as Witness. Talking about faith, the author of the book of Hebrews says “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for; it is the conviction of things not seen.” But then the author turns to history, from Cain and Abel to the Judges and everyone in between, and then finally to Jesus. He gives example after example of faithful action and the constant provision and grace of God along the way.
The senior minister here, Chip Summers, has a similar saying. He says,
“God has not brought us this far only to abandon us now.”
The members of Bethesda believe this. When the going gets tough, someone will inevitably speak up and say, “The church stood through Sherman’s march and the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886. The church stood through two world wars and through the Depression. It stood when Hurricane Hugo tore down every tree in town. It will stand the test of time.” As the next chapter begins for Bethesda Presbyterian Church, it is primed and ready for God’s future. It is ready because it remembers its history.
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