Southside Praise and Worship Center purchases South East Street property

Southside Praise and Worship Center has announced the purchase of property at 617 South East Street in Hillsboro for planned expansions to the existing church.

The Hillsboro church purchased the site, which formerly housed a grocery store, on Thursday, April 20.

Pastor Mike Brown told The Highland County Press that the church is still in the planning stages of their expansion, but that they hope to build a new sanctuary and gymnasium on the newly acquired property, located just past their current church building at 621 South East Street.

“As finances come in, we hope within the next year or two that we will be able to put a new sanctuary and gymnasium there on that property,” Brown said. “The original church will become our teen center.”

Additionally, the original church building would be used for meetings and other special occasions, Brown said, while the church hopes the new building can be an “asset within the city.”

“Our plans and our hope is to put a gymnasium in the new building, which will benefit our community as well as our church,” Brown said. “We are working closely with the city to make sure we do everything possible to help be an asset within the city.”

Brown said the church felt a need to expand, as Southside Praise and Worship Center has “outgrown” its current building and is in need of a larger facility and increased parking.

“The Lord has really been kind to the church,” Brown said. “We have outgrown the building we are in.”

Brown also thanked the Southside church family, who helped raise funds through a recent silent auction, and former property owner Letcher Langston and his family.

“We do want to thank the Langston family, Letcher and his wife, for helping make it possible for us to purchase the property,” Brown said.

For more information, visit www.southsidepraiseandworshipcenter.com.