In late 1997, Dr. Doug Cushing was given a bold calling: start a new church to reach out to the growing population of Spartanburg’s west side. The church started with no members and no facilities— just a vision of founding Tyger River Presbyterian Church, a church committed to bringing positive and relevant worship to all ages. 

Tyger River has come far since the early days of services held at the YMCA in Duncan. The first worship service was held October 16, 1997, and Tyger River was chartered with 100 members on August 18, 1998. The sanctuary was dedicated on the church’s first anniversary in August 1999. The building was about 8,500 square feet.

The church moved into its Phase II addition on February 24, 2004. This addition is also approximately 8,500 square feet. The dedication for the addition was held on the church’s sixth anniversary, August 2004. In November 2016, Tyger River called its second installed pastor, the Rev. Hudson Neely, and is preparing to celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.

Among its many ministry opportunities, Tyger River Presbyterian “houses” the Carpenter’s Table. The Carpenter’s Table food pantry was established to provide assistance to people suffering from food scarcity on the west side of Spartanburg County. The Carpenter’s Table currently serves hundreds of households each month and continues to benefit from the participation of many area churches and organizations. Carpenter’s Table opened its own building in September 2009 on Tyger River Presbyterian’s campus, and will soon dedicate a new addition to its facility.