Cooper River was planted in 1955 by Charleston Heights Baptist church. Cooper River’s attendance and membership considerably grew from the 70s into the late 80s to around four hundred people. Like many churches in this area, this growth did not continue, and the church began to decline to about 50 people. Today we are growing vibrant church with a membership around 85 people.
We are in the heart of the Park Circle community in North Charleston. Our rapidly changing neighborhood is diverse in both ethnicity and socioeconomic status. This area has been revitalized and is now a very sought-after charming community in which to live. It has a classic small-town feel in the middle of a large city. Hallmark has used our parking lot as a staging ground to film a recent movie(as have other movie companies) on our street. From the church’s front doors, you can see, hear, and smell the up-and-coming trendy restaurants with outdoor seating and live music less than one block away. Yet behind the church are several large neighborhoods with many young professionals and families.
Our community is considered post-Christian, with 78% of the population without church affiliation. At the same time, this community has friendliness and openness to meet new people and hold conversations. There is a great amount of lostness and resistance to the gospel. For this reason, we believe that God has allowed Cooper River to be planted and to continue to exist for the last 68 years. God has placed us in this place for such a time as this. We believe there are exciting days ahead!
