History

On Sunday, June 14, 1959, a handful of people gathered in the old Picadome Elementary School (currently Southside Technical Center) on Harrodsburg Road in Lexington, Kentucky. This small gathering grew to form a vibrant community of faith, which would eventually require its own facility. These beginnings were under the guidance of a young Rev. Donald R. Herren, an energetic pastor who inspired his congregation to build up both the physical plant and the spiritual well-being of its members. Southern Hills grew from 118 members to become one of the largest congregations in Lexington.

During the 40 years that Dr. Herren and his wife, Pat, served, our present facility grew.  An initial expansion saw the construction of Herren Hall, with the first floor of the Education Building, in 1961. This was followed with the additions of the present Sanctuary in 1966 and the Activities Building in 1977.

In April 1999, Rev. A. Wayne Bishop was appointed to lead Southern Hills as its new Senior Pastor. His leadership saw continued growth in the community of Southern Hills UMC. Notably, during his time at Southern Hills, this community embraced the task of beginning the renovation of the Main Sanctuary.

Following Rev. Bishop’s years of faithful service, Dr. Bill Moore came to Southern Hills in 2006 as our Senior Pastor with a vision to spread the word of God throughout the world and locally within our community.  During his time of leadership, Southern Hills continued to grow and adapt to new challenges and new expressions of faith.  In 2008, The Source began as a worship service designed to serve young adults.  The Source continued to grow until, in 2017, it was launched as a second congregation of Southern Hills UMC.

In 2019, Rev. Jim Nichols was appointed as the senior pastor of Southern Hills United Methodist Church.  He continues to lead us in building true reflections of God’s amazing love!

From the rental of an old school to a small lot, partially submerged in water, to an expansive complex which facilitates our numerous ministries, the people have never lost their vision. With a sense of where we have been, the future of our church will continue to grow upon the foundation that our founding members entrusted to us.