OUR HISTORY

Historical Highlights                                                                                                           <Full History pdf>

On June 7, 1957, a group of 63 residents of the Vestavia Hills area met to discuss the founding of a Presbyterian church there. The church received its charter at a special service at the Vestavia Hills Town Hall on Sunday, September 8, 1957. Ruling elders and deacons were elected. Two weeks later on September 22, they were ordained and installed.

In May 1958, Rev. William H. Kryder, of the Graham Presbyterian Church, Graham NC, accepted the call to become the first minister of Southminster Presbyterian Church. He was formally installed as minister on July 20 of that year.

On March 6, 1960, Southminster Presbyterian Church met for the first time in its first church building. Dedication services for the chapel and educational building were led by Dr. Bob S. Hodges, Jr., associate secretary of the General Council of the Presbyterian Church US.

In 1963, the congregation approved the building of a $200,000 two-story Christian Education Building to be added to the south side of the existing structure. Construction began in August, and was completed and dedicated in April 1964.

The Southminster Day School (SDS) was established in May 1967 as a service arm of our church, with Mrs. Carolyn Baumgartner as Director. The School opened its doors on September 5, 1967 with an initial enrollment of 87 students in three kindergarten classes and one first grade class. The purpose of SDS is to give the children of this community the finest preparatory background in their early formative years in a Christian atmosphere. We want our students to increase “in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man”. SDS has grown and evolved since its first days in 1967. In 2022, SDS has 200 students enrolled in grades PreK through 5th. The Director is Mrs. Jeanne Colvin.

            List of Ministers                                                                     

            1958 to 1966                 Rev. William H. Kryder

            1967 to 1975                 Rev. Robert L. Catlin

            1976 to 1987                 Rev. Richard D. Rodda

            1983 to 2017                 Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Slane

            2017 to Present             Rev. Dr. Tom Bryson

            List of Associate Pastors

            1971 to1974                  Rev. Julia P. Simmons

            1996 to 2000                 Rev. Kathy Evans

            2013 to 2019                 Rev. Benjamin Acton

            Some of Our Members Became Ordained Ministers!

            K.C. Ptomey                                Ordained 1967

            Chris Jones                                  Ordained 1994                                                                    

            Frank “Chip” Blankinship                Ordained 1995

            Doris Chandler                             Ordained 1996

            Rachel Winter                              Ordained 2000

            Dan Stephens                               Ordained 2004

            Nick Reed                                    Ordained 2007

            Will Christians                             Ordained 2013