Congregation and City Collaborate to Save Historic Church

Congregation and City Collaborate to Save Historic Church

Redeemer Presbyterian Senior Pastor Craig Bailey (right) with Charleston Mayor Joe Riley (photo: Charleston Preservation Society)

A collaboration between church and city that led to some frantic fundraising has saved an historic church in Charleston, S.C. Redeemer Presbyterian Church, pastored by Columbia International University alumnus The Rev. Craig Bailey, narrowly made the deadline to raise $1.6 million to purchase the 172-year-old church building that formerly house a Lutheran congregation. The city of Charleston got behind the fundraising in July when it learned the church building would be sold to an individual and converted into a private residence. 

An anonymous donor sent a check for $50,000 to put the fundraising over the top. Attached was a note that read, “The Lord will provide.”

Bailey, said he would give a message of thanks, but added jokingly, "I'm going to say, 'Shame on us' for not having enough faith."

Bailey graduated from CIU in 1993 with a Master of Divinity Degree. His wife is Kathryn (Cottle) Bailey earned her bachelor’s degree from CIU in Bible Teaching in 1983.

For more on the story see the article in the Charleston Post & Courier: http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_theme=cpcb&p_topdoc=1&p_docnum=1&p_sort=YMD_date:D&p_docid=142486FF4AADD360&p_text_direct-0=document_id=(%20142486FF4AADD360%20)&p_product=CPCB 

And from ABC News 4 in Charleston: https://abcnews4.com/archive/downtown-church-holds-first-service-after-buying-building .