Our History
New Covenant Presbyterian Church was organized May 29, 1983. Two hundred and fifty members of the South Aiken Presbyterian Church, under the leadership of Rev. Daniel E. Deaton, decided to form a new congregation and affiliate with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) whose desire was to fulfill the great commission and remain faithful to the Scriptures.
With Rev. Deaton as the first pastor, the church rented the auditorium and several classrooms of South Aiken High School for worship services and Sunday school. This arrangement continued for three years, while a new church facility was being funded and built.
In December of 1983, the church purchased eleven acres of land adjacent to the Hitchcock Woods on Hitchcock Parkway. In March of 1985, the congregation approved the recommendation of the Session (its governing body) to sell bonds to finance the construction of a new church building on that property. On November 10, 1985, a
praise and thanksgiving service was held at the building site with construction well underway.
On Easter Sunday, March 30, 1986, the first worship service was held in the new facility, with a record attendance of almost 350. The 17,000 square foot building consisted of a sanctuary, multiple classrooms, a kitchen, choir room, conference room, library, and offices.
In 1990, an educational wing with nine classrooms was added and the church office was expanded. In March of 2004, the congregation voted to purchase additional land adjoining the church property. In May of 2006, the church narthex was expanded and renovated, creating additional space for fellowship before and after worship.
New Covenant Presbyterian Church celebrated its 25th anniversary with activities in October of 2008. Founding pastor Rev. Dan Deaton spoke, and former staff members also attended and participated in the activities.
Throughout its history, New Covenant has participated significantly in local, regional, and world-wide ministries of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This has occurred through financial giving as well as through personal involvement. We have welcomed students from USC-Aiken into our fellowship and have consistently supported the ministry of Campus Outreach there, as it seeks to reach and disciple students with the gospel. The church has assisted in the planting of new congregations, most recently the Christ Community PCA Church in Batesburg-Leesville.
In recent years, New Covenant has been blessed with increased participation in music ministries (choir and instrumentalists), Vacation Bible School, and senior adult times of fellowship together. Several church members have taken short-term mission trips over the years, and the congregation regularly sends mission teams to Haiti. In addition, several long-time members of the church are now in positions of vocational pastoral or missions ministry. A number of former assistant pastors who were equipped at New Covenant are now serving in positions as lead pastors in churches around the country.
As a PCA congregation, New Covenant since its inception has been grounded in the Holy Scriptures as God’s authoritative word to us and the only rule for faith and practice. The Scriptures teach us what we are to believe and how we are to live. God’s word reveals His redeeming grace in Jesus, which saves us and equips us to live for Him. We continue to seek to be gospel-centered in teaching, worship, relationships, ministry, and all of life as the body of Christ. The congregation also desires to be characterized by a spirit of love and closeness and welcomes both the convinced and the unconvinced to consider the claims of Christ with us.