The history of Northside ... 

Through vision and prayers the pastor, deacons and members of Grace Baptist Church saw the need for a mission on the north side of Sumter.  God soon provided a way for this need to become a reality. In 1949, Mr. A. J. Hatfield contributed the property for the mission and work began on a building. Upon completion in the Summer of 1949 Sunday School was held with only a few people attending those first services. 

The mission continued until interested people wishing to become a church met and made their desires known to Grace Baptist.  In December of 1949, a group met to name the church, elect deacons and other officers necessary to form an organized Baptist church. On January 1, 1950 Northside Memorial Baptist Church was officially declared a church.

In May 1950, a basement was added to the original structure allowing for two more Sunday School Classes to meet.  Membership continued to grow, so much that in1953 there was a need for a new educational building. The new structure was started on December 10, 1953 and completed in February of 1954.  The church’s numbers steadily increased and in 1956 a second Sunday School Building was constructed.  The new Sunday school building was dedicated on April 19, 1956.

In 1958, an additional lot was purchased adjacent to the church.  Through much prayer and planning a new sanctuary was drawn up. In 1962, a beautiful new sanctuary was built. Later that year two more lots were purchased at the rear of the property.  A few years later, property adjoining our new sanctuary was purchased for additional parking. 

In March 1993, after much prayer and need for more Sunday School Rooms and a Social/Fellowship area, we built a wonderful new Fellowship Hall that fulfilled many needs.

In 1999, the church began the process of purchasing the old motel and land adjacent to the church property.  Once the land was purchased, it was cleared and cleaned and a beautiful and spacious parking facility was constructed.

In 2003 we updated our playground.  New safer play equipment and a mulched ground area were added. At this same time we also added shrubbery, picnic tables and benches. A few years later, we joined our buildings making them more accessible in inclement weather by adding a covered walkway and some desperately needed lighting. 

As the church continued to experience a time of grown, we found that we were in need for additional educational space as well as a social area capable of filling the needs of our entire church for fellowships and other functions.

In the Summer of 2010 a ground breaking was held for the construction of a new Family Life Center. 

Our church ministers to all age groups: children, youth, young adults and senior citizens.  We are also very proud of our music ministry at Northside. We have beautiful Cantatas at Christmas and Easter. Also during the year our children’s department presents several musicals.  Northside’s youth are very involved in our community and in other areas through mission work, having worked in the Outer Banks of NC, multi-housing areas in Charleston, SC as well as the gulf shore of Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina and even the most northern part of West Virginia.

God has truly blessed us at Northside.  Through the many activities here at our church, we strive to serve the needs of our community and to contribute to the revitalization of Christ’s kingdom.