Darlington church sells building, is moving to a new site
From Staff Reports
A 107-year-old Darlington church has sold its West Broad Street building and is moving to a new site on Harry Byrd Highway.
Darlington First Pentecostal Holiness Church’s site has been sold to Grace Temple Apostolic Church, according to First Pentecostal pastor Charles Grooms.
The church ownership changed hands on Oct. 25.
Grooms said he and the church’s Administrative Council Board of Elders met often to discuss purchasing new property. The board voted to seriously consider purchasing the Music Hall property at 1945 Harry Byrd Highway.
The board met with the owners and were given a price, Grooms said.
The board met the next day and voted to make a counteroffer, which would include a survey and inspection. The owners of the Music Hall property accepted the counteroffer, made corrections found by the inspection and the purchase was finalized.
Grooms did not disclose the price.
The first church service at the new site is scheduled for Dec. 8. Sunday School is at 10 a.m., Sunday morning worship service at 11 and the Wednesday night prayer meeting is at 6. Directions: Travel Highway 151 toward Hartsville, pass the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, continue about one mile, then the church is on your left.
Grooms said the church had been in the same place on West Broad Street for 107 years.
There have been 31 pastors serving the church over the years. Grooms is in his 11th year. Grooms and his wife, Betty, have been pastors of the church for 10 years.
The church coordinated with St. David’s Masonic Lodge # 72 to allow the church to temporarily conduct services at the lodge for several weeks after the sale but before the move.
Grooms previously served as a Highway Patrol trooper, chief of police, warden, director of the Horry Prison System and taught at the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy, Florence-Darlington Technical College and Marlboro Chesterfield Technical College. He is also a Marine Corps veteran who did active duty during the Korean War. His wife, Betty, worked for 21 years at Florence-Darlington Technical College. She serves her church as pianist.
