OUR history

In  May of 1968, a group of concerned Christians met for prayer and Bible  Study for several weeks in the homes of the group.  Mrs. Elizabeth  Frazier introduced Rev. James E. Lightfoot to Sis. Lena Allen, who was a  part of the group who invited him to share the Word of God with them.   After much prayer and discussion, the group was led to form a church.   This momentous decision was finalized in the home of Bro. & Sis.  Taylor Gray with Bro. & Sis. C. Earthly, Sis. Lena Ruth Allen, Sis.  Gladys Alexander and Bro. Thomas King were in attendance.  The meeting  was held in the home of Bro. & Sis. Taylor Gray and led by Bro. Gray  who was an ordained deacon having served at Pleasant Grove and at  Fontaine First Baptist Church.  Rev. Lightfoot was supposed to have met  with them but the thought of forming and leading a new church was  frightening and he decided to go to teachers meeting at Jordan Grove and  to visit with Pastor Banks.  He was finally reached at Rev. Banks house  about 10 o’clock.  The group was still present when he finally  arrived.  Bro. Gray informed Rev. Lightfoot that they were ready to form  the church and wanted him as pastor.  The first question asked by Rev.  Lightfoot was, “Were they sure they wanted him as pastor?”  They assured  him that they did, and his response was that I will have to be  “pastor!”  We then set in motion plans for the forming of the  church. This meeting was scheduled for Friday night, July 12, 1968.

             On July 12th, the group met in the home of Tommie and Elizabeth Frazier  at 10411 Rebel Road for the purpose of organizing a church.  Rev. W. H.  Banks was invited to counsel with those present regarding the  organization.  He called the meeting to order with the reading of Romans  12:1-10 and prayer.  Rev. Banks discussed the quality of the church,  its economic responsibility and basic Biblical tenets.  He also  recommended that the Church Covenant be adopted and the Church abided by  the covenant.
 

            The church was named Mt. Zion  Missionary Baptist Church by Sister Mary Earthly.  Rev. James E.  Lightfoot was called as pastor and a temporary organization was  established.  The charter members were Bro. Christopher Earthly, Sis.  Mary Earthly, Carlos Earthly, Barbara Earthly, Bro. Thomas King, Bro.  Taylor Gray, Sis. Jennie Gray-Caldwell, Carol Gray, Bro. Bob Allen, Sis.  Lena Allen, Bro. Cleo Palmer, Sis. Christina Palmer and Sis. Gladys  Alexander.  The doors of the church were opened with singing of “Near  The Cross” and Sis. Elizabeth Frazier and Sis. Jeanette Williams joined  by Christian experience; Sis. Velma Lightfoot, Edward V. Lightfoot,  Aleicia Lightfoot and Keith Lightfoot joined by letter.  It was decided  by Rev. Banks that other ministers were needed for the formal  organization.
 

            Mt. Zion held its first worship  service on July 14, 1968 at the residence of Bro. Tommie and Sis.  Elizabeth Frazier, following the organizational meeting.

             Prior to the formal meeting scheduled for July 21st, property was  purchased at 10747 Seneca Drive.  Our scheduled meeting was held at this  location on July 21, 1968.  A council of four ministers presided over  the formal organizational meeting:  Rev. W. H. Banks, Rev. J. Royster  Powell, Rev. Sol Alexander and Rev. J. S. McKnight.  The first officers  of the church were Deacons:  Christopher Earthly, Taylor Gray, and  Thomas King; Sunday School Superintendent: Bro. Taylor Gray; Women’s  Missionary Union: Sis. Mary Earthly; Choir President: Bro. Thomas King;  Usher Board President: Sis. J. Williams; /Treasurer: Bro. Taylor Gray;  Financial Secretary: Bro. C. Earthly; Musician: Sis. J. Gray-Caldwell;  Adult Sunday School Teacher and Church Clerk/Secretary: Sis. Elizabeth  Frazier; Children’s Teacher: Sis. Lena Allen.

            On  December 16, 1973, with a membership of 152, we moved from 10747 Seneca  to our present location; 9318 Homestead Road.  In August 1974, we opened  the Mt. Zion Day Care Center with Mrs. Siveria Douglas as Director.   The school was a vital ministry of our Church and proved to be a fertile  field for evangelism and nurturing.  Many parents brought their  children and became members of our church.
 

            We look  forward to the future with great anticipation.  We are going to complete  the work on our church, establish housing for the elderly, expand our  school, establish a ministry to the illiterate, offer training and help  with job skills, expand our evangelistic efforts and our scholarship  program.  We believe with all our hearts that “something really happens when the church prays.”   We are praying and we know that it is really going to happen in this  place and we are going to be a part of that which God is doing and will  do.  “To God Be The Glory” for the Great Things He has done!

             Our twenty-fifth year had been an exciting one.  We were able to  reestablish our employment ministry and expand our evangelistic work by  forming a ministry headed by Rev. Quincy Rodgers, Rev. Sidney Newman and  Rev. Edward Lightfoot. The Evangelistic Teams were involved in  community visitation and street ministry.

To God Be The Glory for all He has done!   We entered our new building On July 11, 2004, the Mt. Zion family  assisted by many community persons, friends and Brookhollow Baptist  Church with its esteemed pastor Dr. Ralph West entered at 6:15 p.m.  The  entrance service in every way was an awesome experience.

             We entered under the theme “Realizing The Vision” because neither our  facilities nor our work is complete.  We are reminded by Habakkuk that  the vision awaits completion, but we are to remain faithful because the  God of Heaven will give us success.  On Founders Day we named our new  multipurpose building the “Mary-Elizabeth Family Life Center” after two  of our founding members, Sis Mary Earthly & Sis. Elizabeth Frazier.   The ribbon was cut by Deacon Christopher Earthly, Deacon John Bland and  Master Jerome Pannia (Sis Callie Bell’s grandson), which represented  our past, our present and our future.   On July 18, 2010 we will  celebrate our 42nd Church Anniversary. 

                       “To God Be The Glory”