South Carolina H 4453: Cornerstone Baptist Church, 120th anniversary

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 4453 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 30, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 4453

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A house RESOLUTION

TO RECOGNIZE AND CONGRATULATE 
CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH OF SPARTANBURG ON THE OCCASION OF ITS HISTORIC ONE 
HUNDRED TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY AND TO COMMEND THE CHURCH FOR NEARLY A CENTURY 
AND A QUARTER OF SERVICE TO GOD AND THE COMMUNITY.

Whereas, having been founded in 1905, Cornerstone Baptist Church of 
Spartanburg is celebrating its historic one hundred twentieth anniversary in 
2025; and

Whereas, located at its beginning on the corner of Wofford and 
Thompson streets, the Thompson Chapel Church, as it was then called, was 
organized as a Congregational church by the Reverend Mack. In 1909, the 
Reverend Layman Morgan moved his fledgling flock, which had only a few members 
at that time, to a location on North Thompson Street; and

Whereas, in 1949, the Reverend B.T. Sears began his service as 
pastor, and within a year under his ministry, the church had tripled in 
membership. In God's time, after having served the northwest side of 
Spartanburg for sixty-seven years, the church secured the Morningside Baptist 
Church building on the corner of South Converse Street and Collins Avenue as a 
good location for Thompson Chapel Church and changed its name to Cornerstone 
Baptist Church. The first worship service at the new location was held in 1976, 
and the newly renamed Cornerstone Baptist continued to grow tremendously under 
Dr. Sears' leadership, which lasted almost fifty years until his passing; and

Whereas, under God's leading, in 2000 the church called as its new 
pastor the Reverend Charles Jerome Junious Jackson III, who has continued to 
build the church on the foundation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Under 
Pastor Jackson's leadership, the church has grown still more in spirit and 
number. Pastor Jackson has led Cornerstone in developing twenty new ministries, 
including a television outreach, The Joy of the Lord, which airs on two 
television networks each week; and

Whereas, all of Cornerstone's labor for the Lord has been done toward 
the accomplishment of its high mission: "To know Christ and to make him known 
through worship and service"; and

Whereas, standing on the faith and strength of its early pastors and 
members, Cornerstone Baptist Church's present congregation "press[s] toward the 
mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 
3:14), continuing to preach and teach the Word of God; and

Whereas, Cornerstone Baptist Church has been a beacon of light and a 
community worship center in the Spartanburg area for one hundred twenty years, 
and, God willing, will continue its godly heritage for many more years of 
worship and service. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South 
Carolina House of Representatives, by this 
resolution, recognize and congratulate Cornerstone Baptist Church of 
Spartanburg on the occasion of its historic one hundred twentieth anniversary 
and commend the church for nearly a century and a quarter of service to God and 
the community.

Be it further resolved that a copy 
of this resolution be presented to Cornerstone Baptist Church.

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This web page was last updated on April 30, 2025 at 02:28 PM