Friendship Presbyterian Church of Concord traces its beginnings to 1835, when it was organized by Rev. J.Y. Alexander and Rev. A.M. Mooney. The Minutes of the 1836 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America record its establishment, noting it as one of forty churches in the Hopewell Presbytery of the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia. At the time, the Presbytery reported 821 communicants.

The first site of Friendship Church was located about four miles from its present location, near the intersection of Bottoms and West Roads, where several old Indian trails once converged. The earliest cemetery remains there today. Sadly, many of the church’s earliest records were destroyed in 1918 when a fire consumed the home of Elder D.P. Blake. What is known is that Rev. W.J. Keith supplied the church for a number of years after its founding, and in 1849, Rev. Andrew J. Peden became pastor, serving for more than two decades. By 1862, during the Civil War, records note that Rev. Henry Safford ministered as a “Domestic Missionary” to about forty communicants.

The settlement that grew around Friendship came to be known as Pedenville, reflecting the many Peden families who lived there. It included a store, a post office (called Maggie), and a school. In 1869, a decision was made to relocate Friendship Church to a more central spot in the community. The new church was erected beside the Pedenville schoolhouse under the supervision of W.A. Hollon, for whom nearby Hollonville is named. Land for the new sanctuary was donated by Andrew Wier Blake and Eli Hood. Construction was completed in 1870, and in 1871 the new church was dedicated by Rev. Peden, assisted by Rev. L.H. Wilson.

The hand-hewn pews, original pulpit stand, and massive pine doors from that 1871 dedication remain in use today. One unusual feature is the wooden partition that once separated men and women during worship, a custom of the time. The pine doors were later moved to the narthex when it was added in 1983.

Friendship’s history also reflects cycles of decline and revival. After Rev. Peden’s death in 1896, the church fell into inactivity for twelve years, standing vacant from 1904–1916. Rev. J. Edwin Hemphill, who had served previously, returned in 1916 to reactivate the congregation, and for many years services were held only monthly. In the 1930s and 40s, Rev. W.G. Harry served Friendship while also ministering to Greenville and Manchester churches. During this time, when electricity reached the community, beehives kept above the church doors funded the installation of new lights—an ingenious and memorable solution.

Today, Friendship Presbyterian continues as a small but dedicated congregation. Thanks to their stewardship, the church retains its 19th-century character and stands as a vital link to Pike County’s early Presbyterian history.