Blythewood Presbyterian Church’s Pastor Rhett Sanders guides the plow and congregants pull ropes to break ground for their new church on Rimer Pond Road.
BLYTHEWOOD – After meeting at Blythewood High School for the last nine years, Blythewood Presbyterian Church Pastor Rhett Sanders and the church’s 240 members broke ground on property on Rimer Pond Road Sunday, where they hope to soon begin construction of a 7,600 square foot church.
“We hope to be in the building by the Fall,” Sanders said.
In 2010, a core group of about 22 families came out to Blythewood from Northeast Presbyterian Church where Sanders had been on staff for 22 years.
Today the congregation supports and partners with five ministries in England, North Africa, Mexico, Nicaragua and Thailand.
Locally, they are engaged with Columbia NE Young Life, Bethany Christian Services, Christian Assistance Bridge and Family Promise. The group partners with Round Top Baptist Church to produce a First Fruits Market Garden, where the produce goes to support Round Top’s feeding program, a CSA program and the Blythewood Farmers Market.
“We just started a Youth Soccer League with four teams,” Sanders said, “and we head the Backpack Program at Round Top Elementary that provides food for the weekend for students in need at three local schools.
“We desire to be a great church for the community of Blythewood and be a blessing to the world for the advancement of the Gospel,” Sanders said.
Participating in the service were Janeen Tucker, Round Top Elementary Principal, Mayor J. Michael Ross and Consuella Cunningham of the Round Top community.
