About The Pastor

Reverend Dr. James Blassingame is a native of Seneca S.C. He is the Son of Deacon Luther Jr. and

the late Juanita Blassingame ; and the stepson of Bertha Blassingame. He is married to the former

Shirley L. McFadden and they have three children, six grandchildren, one daughter-in-law and one

son-in-law.

Reverend Blassingame attended East End Elementary and Blue Ridge High School. He is a 1970

graduate of Seneca High School. He attended Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, S.C. He

earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Morris College, Sumter, SC and Bachelor of Divinity Degree

from Morris College School of Religion, Sumter, SC. Continuing Education at Princeton Theological

Seminary, Princeton, N.J., and a nine month internship in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) with the

SC Department of Corrections where he provided pastoral care to inmates in a maximum security

prison including those on Death Row. He also completed 30 hours of doctoral studies at Erskine

Theological Seminary, Due West, SC.

Reverend Blassingame is licensed by Richland Baptist Church, Seneca, SC and ordained by

Seneca River Missionary Baptist Association. He is the former Pastor of Thomas Heights Baptist

Church, Seneca SC and New Olive Grove Baptist Church, Central, SC. Reverend Blassingame has

pastored Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter, SC since 1984. Through the grace of God

and the ardent cooperation of the congregation, a new sanctuary costing almost one half million

dollars was dedicated in 1991. A twenty year mortgage was liquidated in nine years. A new 17,000

square foot enrichment center costing over one million dollars was dedicated on September 24,

2011.

Reverend Blassingame is a member of the following boards: Morris College, Sumter, SC;

(Secretary) National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. Inc. (Executive Committee); Conference of National

Black Churches, Inc. ; Festival On The Avenue, Inc. ; YouthLink-S.C. ; and South Carolina School

Improvement Council ; Sumter County Gallery of Art; Bank of Clarendon Sumter Advisory Board;

Sumter Police Chief's Community Liason Council; Covenant Place of Sumter, Inc ; National Baptist

Convention, USA. Inc. (Executive Committee); SC Schools Improvement Council; Bank of

Clarendon Sumter Advisory Board, and Covenant Place of Sumter, Inc. He also serves on the Pee

Dee Citizens Committee on Judicial Qualifications, (appointed by the South Carolina State Senate).

In grateful acknowledgement and appreciation of Reverend Blassingame's many contributions made

to the church, community and to his alma mater, Morris College conferred upon him the Honorary

Degree of Doctor of Divinity on May 13, 2000. He received the Mamie L. Duckett Founder's Day

Award at Benedict College, March 11, 2006. Reverend Blassingame received several other honors

and awards for service to humanity including induction into Morris College National Alumni

Association Hall of Fame in 2018.