The History of Mt. Zion UMC

     Mt. Zion Methodist Church has recorded evidence as early as 1877 when the Methodist Episcopals were strong in Guilford County and southern Rockingham  County. The church was established by Mrs. Eliza Pegram Lasley and met in a  blacksmith shop in Lad’s Ford on the Dan River near Pine Hall. A handwritten deed dated April 1, 1883 records a gift of land given to the  Methodist Episcopal Church South by H. L. Gant and wife Mary. The land was granted to W. P Southern, J. S. Laslely, J. W. Moore, J. A. Colley and B. J. Satterfield and  their successors in office. This tract of land lies about sixty yards southwest of our  present church building. The community surrounding the church was then known as Rocky Springs. The church building was a one-room structure sealed out of wide plank with small oil lamps hanging on each sidewall.

The first burial at the church took place in 1886. In 1897 Reverend F. F. Gibson of Summerfield was pastor of Mt. Zion as well as  Mt. Carmel and Mt. Pleasant in Stokesdale. The Rocky Springs community had a population of 40 at that time. In 1901 Mt. Zion was on the Stokesdale Circuit in the Winston-Salem District of  the Western North Carolina Conference.The circuit membership had grown to 425 by 1906 when Dr. V. E. Edwards was the supply minister. By 1914 the Stokesdale  circuit had grown to 737 members. At that time the Stokesdale circuit consisted of Mt.  Zion, Eden, Mt. Tabor, Mt. Carmel, Glencoe and Stokesdale. On April 4, 1925 the land was purchased for the present church building site.  The small white frame church building was completed on July 24, 1925. The building consisted of a sanctuary with two wings on each side at the front of  the church. Gas lamps swinging from the ceiling provided lighting and a big wood  or coal stove sitting out in the floor heated the small church. The church bell  is said to have come from the old town clock of Winston-Salem.

The Stokesdale Circuit was placed in the Greensboro District of the Western North Carolina Conference in 1928. The average Sunday school attendance at that time was 100. In the early 1930 the Women’s Society of Christian Service was formed and the church membership had grown to 142 members. In 1949 a tract of land was purchased on Eden Church Road by the circuit to  build a church parsonage. At that time the circuit consisted of Mt. Tabor, Eden and Mt.  Zion. Reverend Joe Ervin and his wife were the first to live in the parsonage. The  congregation pulled together in 1952 and planted a tobacco crop to raise money.  The proceeds from the crop were used to brick the church building. By 1959 the  Sunday school attendance had grown to an average of 145 and more space was  needed.

Three classrooms and a basement were added to the back of the church  building. With continued growth many improvements were made to the church in 1961 and 1962. Seven stained glass windows replaced the frosted glass windows,  the front sidewalk was paved, folding doors were added to separate the two side  wings from the sanctuary, new pulpit furniture was bought, and maple trees were  planted in the churchyard.

In 1963 Mt. Zion Church was moved to the Huntsville Circuit. Also that year the United Methodist Men’s group was formed. The UMW enjoyed Sunday morning breakfast meetings after a kitchen was added to the building in 1964 along with  a new well and plumbing facilities. The church continued to grow and in 1969 when Reverend Stanley B. James was appointed. The membership had grown to 200 with an average Sunday school  attendance of 99. The year of 1974 was a year of challenge for Mt. Zion. An educational building  was needed to support the growing membership. A building committee was formed and a building fund established. The groundbreaking ceremony was held in early January of 1977. A dedication service for the completed building was held on Homecoming in August of that year. The completed building consisted of a fellowship hall with a fireplace, a kitchen, four classrooms and restrooms. The membership remained around 200 members and more remodeling was done in the early 1980’s. A choir loft behind the pulpit and a new altar railing were added.  The UMW had new carpet installed in the sanctuary to match the new green pew  cushions. With continued fellowship and hard work the parking lot and drive were  paved in 1983.

As the church strengthened new goals were set. After much anticipation Mt. Zion decided it was time to break from the two-church charge with Mt. Carmel and go to a single station in 1989. A new parsonage was built down the road from the church  building. Reverend Don Maxson became the church’s first full-time minister and moved into  the new parsonage. Still with a steady membership of approximately 200, the fellowship continued as  the church strove to reach their goals. Under the leadership of Reverend Dan Ramsey the existing sanctuary was torn down and a new larger sanctuary was dedicated in  1999.

As ministers come and go and attendance for services fluctuates, the mission of Mt. Zion Methodist Church remains the same: To proclaim the gospel of God’s redeeming grace.