52 Years of Experience
Mt. Zion Christian Methodist Episcopal Church made its humble beginning as a small Sunday School in 1896 in the home of Mrs. Vermie Smart. The location was at the corner of Clifton Avenue and Hook Road. Rev. Harding was the first minister. Mt. Zion was the name selected by one of its own members. From 1896 to 1910 the following men pastored the Church: Rev. Bowman, Rev. Frazier, Rev. Thompson, Rev. Martin, Rev. Frederick, Rev. Whebe, Rev. John Coleman, Rev. Price, Rev. Scott, Rev. Womack and Rev. James Bell.
Rev. L.C. Coleman became the pastor in 1910 and remained for 27 years. Pastors that followed Rev. Coleman were: Revs. Therekeld, Wood, Brown, Hailey, Fuller, Pilgrim, O.W. Brown, Jaxon, J.A. Hayes, Sells, D. S. Jackson, Williams, Carter, Bennett, Champion, Jones, Hadley, Key, Purham, Stewart, Purham, Bonner, Hobbs (our first female pastor) and our current pastor, Rev. Alfred S. Parker, Jr. who was appointed in 2015.
The church was introduced into the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in 1905. In 1954, the General Conference of the CME Church changed the name to Christian Methodist Episcopal Church allowing one regardless of color or race to become a member.
L.C. Colman, Pastor
The first church building was located on the corner of Clifton Avenue & Hook Road and later moved to the northeast corner of Felton & Orange Avenues. The land was purchased from John H. Scott and his wife Helen L. Scott on May 31, 1906.
The basement of our present church was started in 1920 and on the 2nd Sunday in February 1928, the sanctuary was completed. The congregation marched into the newly built sanctuary equipped with a $5,000.00 pipe organ and grand bell located in the bell tower. The stained glass windows were donated by the many boards and auxiliaries of the church and from friends in the surrounding community. Mt. Zion served as the local school in the early 1930’s housing grades one, two & three for the Darby Township School District. The junior high school held its commencement ceremonies in the church auditorium from 1934 until 1950. The church helped many families purchase clothes and shoes for the students that could not afford the required white dresses and shoes for the graduation ceremony. Vacation bible school was held at Mt. Zion for the entire community during the late 1930’s and early 1940’s.
The church purchased two lots on the northwest corner of Felton & Orange Avenues where a community center was built. Our Sunday School Department was one of the largest in the Seventh Episcopal District. We started holding our Sunday school picnic an annual event on the church lawn. After the depression, the Sunday School was able to rent buses and take the children and the community to amusement parks. These events sometimes cleared the entire community for the day. Sunday school students with good attendance were allowed to go free on the church picnics. Through the years, with the blessings from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, many improvements have been made to the church. Our bulletin board was erected to replace the old one. In 1970, the parsonage was purchased at 1530 Forrester Avenue. In 1982, we marched from the church in a ceremony to burn the mortgage on the property. A public address system was installed, new boiler system, central air conditioner, stair lift, light fixtures, pulpit furniture, and a new parking lot. The Van Ministry, audio-visual ministry and computerization were also introduced to the physical structure of the church. New rooms were added and the men’s and women’s rooms were renovated. New steel doors replaced the wooden doors, a prayer room added, stained glass windows secured and an active Food Ministry has been added and has been a part of our out-reach ministry.
Under the pastorate of Rev. Hobbs, the church continued with restoration projects like replacing the entire floor in the lower auditorium with tile, a new roof installed, capping the outside of the building and renovations at the parsonage. Bible study series are experienced for church growth during the week, new members classes have been introduced to the Sunday School. The Lay Ministry has been revived and is an active ministry of the church. The men also organized the Mighty Men of Valor Men’s Fellowship Choir and a unit of Ministry 2 Men of the C.M.E. Church, Angel Tree Ministry and Seasoned Citizens are active out-reach ministries serving our community and church.
During the annual conference held in August of 2015, Rev. Alfred S. Parker, Jr. was assigned pastor of Mt. Zion. Under his short tenure as pastor the church has seen growth spiritually and in membership. We are so proud to declare that we serve an “awesome God”! We are on the move for the Lord! We thank God for his favor over Mt. Zion “the Rock”and pray that we will continue to serve him in all his glory!