Mt. Zion History
A chronology of our history
1870’s Cottage meetings were held in Southampton West (Pendon Dale) and George’s Bay Road, Sandys
1880’s A lot of land was purchased from Mr. Prechado Bascome, who was a brother of the ardent supporters.
1888 Construction of the Church began.
1896 Members begin using the new building for worship
1897 Mt. Zion was officially named and dedicated by Bishop Abraham Grant on August 4th.
1902 The Women’s Missionary Society was formed.
1918 Young People’s “Busy Bee” organization was formed.
1956 Flooring of the church was replaced because of termite damage
1966 A paved road replaced the footpath and steps leading from Whale Bay Road to the church.
1967 Rev Charles E. Martin, the first full-time pastor from overseas, was assigned to Mt. Zion. The Church was obligated to rent and furnish a parsonage for a family of five. During his pastorate Mt. Zion was returned to a circuit with another church. (A circuit in the the AME tradition is two small congregations that share one pastor)
1974 Rev. Samuel S. Hayward was appointed as full-time pastor of Mt. Zion. The church ceased to be circuited with another church.
1975 An adjacent property comprising 1.14 acres with a two-bedroom cottage there was purchased by the church.
1980 Plans for a new Mt. Zion, drawn by architect Walter S. Brangman, were approved by theDepartment of Planning. Due to the unavailability of funds for construction of the new church, a decision was made to pursue the smaller building project of renovating and expanding the cottage.
1982 A four-bedroom, three-bathroom house was completed and fully furnished. Bishop R. A. Hilderbrand dedicated it.
1987 Hurricane Emily destroyed Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church on the morning of September 25. The three walls left standing were severely cracked and had to be torn down for safety reasons. Services fromOctober 1987 to February 1990 were held in Emmanuel Methodist Church at the Junction of Middle Road and Whale Bay Road.
1988 A ground-breaking ceremony was held on the site of the new church on March 12. Bishop C. Cummings presided. Excavation commenced on the site on April 5. Construction of the new edifice began on September 26th.
1990 On Sunday February 11th, the members of Mt. Zion marched from Emmanuel Methodist Church to the new edifice where the inaugural worship service was held in the new sanctuary. Presiding Elder, Rev Conway Simmons, conducted a “Blessing Ceremony”. Bishop Frank C. Cummings officially dedicated the new Mt. Zion on March 17th.
1992 A prayer Breakfast was organized by the Women’s Day Committee in October. It was the first function held in the fellowship of the new Mt. Zion.
1993 For the first time in its history, Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church hosted an Annual Conference (107th). Presiding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Phillip R. Cousin conducted his first Annual Conference in the First Episcopal District at that the time.
1994 Rev Trevor E. Woolridge, M.P. was appointed pastor of Mt. Zion
1995 Air conditioning was installed on both upper and lower floors.
1997 Mt. Zion hosted the 111th session of the Bermuda Annual Conference. The Presiding Prelate was Bishop Philip R. Cousin. A vestibule was added to the front entrance of the church. Exterior steps to the lower level were constructed and additional exterior lighting was installed.
1997 The Rev P.L. Christopher Haynes was appointed the pastor of Mt. Zion (DEC)
1999 A Mortgage burning ceremony was held to mark the debt free status of the new Mt. Zion. The Fellowship Hall was officially named the Samuel and Edith Hayward Hall.
2000 Under the leadership of Bro. Leroy Simmons, Minster of Music, Mt. Zion hosted its first Gospel Music Workshop with approximately two hundred and fifty participants from churches throughout the island. The workshop leader was two-time Grammy Award winner Steven Ford.
2001 Mt. Zion Hosted its third Annual Conference with Bermuda born Bishop Donald K. G. Ming. This was Bishop Ming’s first time presiding over an Annual conference in the First Episcopal District.
2002 Mt. Zion hosted a second Gospel Music Workshop led by Kurt Carr and the Kurt Carr Singers. It culminated in a successful concert at the First Church of God’s Sanctuary in Pembroke.
2002 The Rev. Wilbur M. Lowe, Jr. J.P., M. P. was appointed pastor of Mt. Zion. He was the second pastor of our Church who was a sitting member in the House of Assembly.
2003 A new parsonage “Rockywold” was acquired in Sandy’s South. It was dedicated in June.
2004 An exciting addition to the church’s calendar was the Annual Christian Faith Quiz.
2005 Once again Mt. Zion was the venue for the welcome to Bermuda Annual Conference of a new Prelate, in the person of the Rt. Rev. Richard F. Norris.
2006 Ruth Thomas and Company presented “Mosaic 57”. The well-attended presentation was a special tribute to Mt. Zion and the Southampton parishioners during Heritage month.
2007 During the month of July, Mt Zion’s Male Voice Choir presented their inaugural series of free open-air concerts throughout the island
2009 Mt. Zion and Bermuda in general were stunned with the sudden death of our beloved pastor, The Rev. Dr. Wilbur Lowe, Jr. in May.
2009 On the 13th of June Rev. Jahkimmo Smith was appointed the new pastor of Mt. Zion.