An Important Part Of Jacksonville's Heritage...

South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church was an important part of Jacksonville's expansion south of the St. Johns River in the early 1900's. The church is named for South Jacksonville, which was a separate town in 1913 when SJPC was established.

The church first began as a small Sunday School and as an outreach of First Presbyterian Church downtown. It held its meetings in a rented building not far from the river ferry that joined South Jacksonville with Jacksonville. Eventually, a small church was erected on the corner of LaSalle and Hendricks Avenue.

The first vehicular bridge over the St. Johns was completed in 1921, and South Jacksonville became a part of Jacksonville within a few years. Much of the original San Marco area was constructed during the 1920's and 1930's, resulting in the attractive residential areas and town square next to our sanctuary.

In 1937, Dr. Stephen T. Harvin moved from North Carolina to become SJPC’s pastor. He wanted a new church and led the congregation in a mood of “building fever.” In 1939, the same year as the New York World's Fair and the release of "Gone with the Wind" and "The Wizard of Oz,” the church moved to the three story brick building first erected at its present location. During the 1940s, church membership grew dramatically, so much that the church had to rent a city bus to accommodate the men’s Sunday School class that had to meet under the big oak tree in the yard.

In 1949, the congregation of around 1,000 members broke ground for a beautiful new church building and sanctuary. The first services were held in the new sanctuary in 1950. The church was a neighborhood center of worship and fellowship during those times, with bustling Sunday services, youth and choir programs, church circles, and fellowship and mission activities. By 1956, there were over 1,600 members with 1,000 enrolled in Sunday School. Soon the church began to broadcast its services on television. Over the years, a prayer chapel was built and additional property purchased, part of which became SJPC’s Family Life Center.

Following Dr. Harvin’s retirement in 1970, SJPC has been blessed with the leadership several wonderful pastors and associate pastors (currently Dr. Vincent Kolb and Rev. Susan Takis). In the years approaching the twenty-first century, SJPC membership dropped from its 1950s and 1960’s high to under 1,000. This smaller more comfortable size has been a benefit in allowing members to know one another better and work together more closely.

Like most Americans, the congregation senses that life has changed forever over the last few years. In a world like this, SJPC provides answers and an anchor. The church proclaims that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior even in the darkest and most confusing times. It keeps its eye on its purpose of telling the good news of salvation and acting as Christ’s faithful evangelist in worship, education, fellowship, prayer, care and mission. The church looks forward to being a place of importance in the community, the nation and the world for a long time to come.