About Our Church
We are committed to sharing the word and God’s love with the community. Keep reading to view our beliefs and history of our church. Here at St.Matthew Church you are family, we hope to see you soon. Pastor's BioMinistries
Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is to help people connect with God and to grow in their personal relationship
with Him.
Our mission is to save souls by glorifying God, spreading His Holy Word, supporting fellow believers, and to be a guiding light for the community. As we enter a new era in the history of St. Matthew, we trust that God will enable us to live out the true meaning of our mission statement.
Our Story
St. Matthew Baptist
Church’s History
St. Matthew Baptist Baptist Church was founded by former slaves in 1873 here in Lugoff, South Carolina. A building was not available, so worship services were held outdoors with the slaves from Bell Plantation under a “ Brush Arbor”. Later in that same year, Mr. Gordon Bell and Mr. Grady Bell granted the worshipers two acres of land for a building and burial ground. A church was built with services being held each Sunday, and prayer services being held during the week. The Old Church is located approximately one mile across from our present location.
The first church building was destroyed by fire. In March 1939 services were continued in the Old Parker School building. In May 1956 members of the church decided to purchase land on Highway 5 to build a new church. In 1958, St Matthew Baptist Church was built, and it presently serves as our Family life center. A new sanctuary was erected and dedicated in April 2007. Throughout our one hundred forty-seven years of history, St Matthew Baptist Church has been under the leadership of several pastors, such as Reverend D. Shannon and Reverend Robert Stover ( who was the Pastor for over forty years) , each providing spiritual guidance to the congregation and improvements to the physical structure of the church during their tenure.
Our current pastor is the Reverend Charles C. Davis, formerly of Fayetteville, North Carolina. Pastor Davis was installed as pastor of St. Matthew on April 6, 2003. Our Associate Ministers are Reverend Patrice Davis, Minister Thomas Montgomery, Reverend Nora Wimberly, and Minister Carolyn Wood.
St. Matthew Baptist Church currently maintains a food pantry that serves Kershaw county, as well as surrounding communities. Every 5th Sunday St. Matthew along with community churches minister to the homeless and hungry of Kershaw County. Participants receive a hot meal, clothing, resources, and a short inspirational service. In our efforts to further support, uplift, and spread the message through our Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ, we have continually made progress over the years to keep our members informed and engaged.
In 2013, St. Matthew Baptist Church published a Newsletter called Crosswords. This newsletter focused on community and upcoming church events. Through our use of media and outreach ministry, we continuously strive to inform, spread the love of Christ, promote fellowship, and drive awareness to the meaningful programs and services that are beneficial to the overall wellbeing of our church family, local community, and surrounding areas of Kershaw County.
St. Matthew Baptist Church has taken an active role in the celebration and awareness of Black History Month, Women History Month, Pastor appreciation, and Living History.
We encourage members to take an active role in these celebrations and special events.
In September 2015, we began honoring seniors 80 years old and older members of the church in our “ Grand Celebration.” In February 2018, the Grand Celebration expanded, allowing us to reach and honor even more senior citizens in Kershaw County and surrounding areas.
St. Matthew Baptist Church has added many more programs to encourage members and youth to have a more active role in the church. A sunbeam choir was established, which is known as the Youthful Praise Choir. Our youth ministry continues to grow and thrive, our Children’s Church is held every 4th Sunday and the praise dance performance every 5th Sunday.
Our goals for the future here at St.Matthew Baptist Church are to save souls by glorifying God, spreading His Holy Word, supporting fellow believers, and to be a guiding light for the community. St. Matthew Baptist Church created valuable service programs that are beneficial to the wellbeing of the members as well as the surrounding community.
St. Matthew Baptist Church has served its members and the surrounding communities of Kershaw County with life-changing educational programs, workshops, health awareness classes, tutorial services, and parenting classes. The programs also include recreational activities for senior citizens and youth.
Over time, we have continued to provide our members and the community with meaningful, beneficial, and life changing programs and services. Through our outreach ministry, we have seen a steady increase of membership, allowing St. Matthew Baptist Church to provide scholarship programs for students continuing their education beyond High School.
St. Matthew Baptist Church was built on faith, God’s guidance, the hard work of our forefathers, and dedicated church members. We are committed to saving souls by glorifying God, spreading His Holy Word, supporting fellow believers, and to be a guiding light to the community.
Our Church Covenant
Having been led, as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and, on the profession of our faith having been baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ. We engage, therefore, by the aid of the Holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to religiously educate our children; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just In our dealings, faithful in our engagement, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid all tattling, backbiting, and excessive anger, to abstain from the sale of, and the use of, intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to be zealous in our efforts to advance the Kingdom of our Savior.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay. We moreover engage that when we remove from this place we will, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
Who We Are
Meet our Pastor
Pastor Charles C. Davis, a native of North Carolina, has been with St. Matthew Baptist Church since November 2002. Since his installation, he has worked tirelessly to bring forth the vision given to him by God to take the church to a higher level.
Pastor Davis’s strengths include preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. He enjoys gospel music and watching sports. He is also vice president of the Concerned Clergy of Kershaw County.
Pastor Davis is married to the love of his life, Rev. Patrice McLeod Davis. They have one daughter, a son-in-law, and four awesome grandchildren.
