Allison Creek Presbyterian has found a way to jazz things up

There’s a white, traditional-looking church at the corner of Allison Creek Road and S.C. 274 that has stories to tell.

The stories date back to 1854 when Allison Creek Presbyterian Church was founded by slave owners. One hundred years later, the church voted to be segregated – like most of the South in the early 1950s. In present day, the church makes sure that its history stays alive, all while evolving to fit the diverse population that now worships there.

Allison Creek Pastor Sam McGregor says the church actively strives to be racially and culturally diverse.

“It’s intentional,” he said. “It goes along with our vision to build bridges.”

“We’re constantly trying to be open to new expressions and styles (of worship,)” McGregor said. “There’s a yearning for that. I think ultimately that’s what we’re called to do.”

One of those expressions is the church’s quarterly jazz concert nights. Every few months the church welcomes the David Pankey Trio – the “house band,” as church members call it.

“It seems very appropriate that we would have (jazz) here,” said church member Patrice Gaines.

“Jazz, I feel – at least to me – is sacred.

“I read somewhere that jazz was created by the first generation of freed blacks, so in a way, this is a way to carry on that legacy.”

The jazz trio – made up of Pankey, Bill Stowe and Jeff Holland – donate the proceeds from ticket sales to the church to maintain properties, including the Common Ground walking and meditation trails on the 24-acre property that are open to the public.

“We enjoy it because the church has such a rich history,” Pankey said. “We try to do music that connects with the people who come. We fell in love with trying to help.”

The church holds an annual spring festival, “Let the Land Say…Amen” that honors the history of the Clay Hill cemetery, where 300 slaves are buried. Church member Shon Foster said she attended the festival and started coming to the church after that.

The church’s racial diversity was a major draw for her, Foster said.

“If it’s going to be that way up there (in heaven,) why don’t we do that here?” she said.

“I feel like most of us prefer to be (racially integrated,)” Foster said. “That’s what I search for in a church home.”

Allison Creek recognizes and embraces its past, while looking ahead in anticipation of its future, McGregor said.

“It’s a very pretty white church on the hill. You would have an expectation that we’re doing things the way we’ve always done them,” McGregor said.

“In 1954, this church voted to be segregated and this church was founded by slave owners. That is our history, we don’t deny that. But that doesn’t have to be our present and certainly doesn’t have to be our future.”

This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 3:41 PM.