To Break Away from the United Methodist Church

Friends we are asking you to help us as we have separated from the United Methodist Church which has followed and is following an unChristian path. As Christians we are called by JESUS CHRIST to stay faithful to His word and His truth. We feel that the United Methodist Church has lost its moral compass and is not enforcing its own theological book of discipline. In order to separate and stay faithful to our LORD and Savior, the United Methodists required us to purchase our property and buildings from them - even though these were orginally paid for by the Mt. Zion Church family thoughout the history of the chuch. We are asking for your help, as we have borrowed these funds to facilitate our separation. Our history will show that we are a people who follow JESUS and JESUS alone. May the LORD bless you for your kindness.

HISTORY OF MT ZION METHODIST CHURCH

In 1736 the Rev John Wesley came to Georgia with General James Oglethorpe. He was to serve as Parish Priest in Savannah and all the territory extending south to Saint Augustine, a fort held by the Spanish.

The Methodist Episcopal Church in America began with the Christmas Conference in Baltimore Maryland in 1784. The Second Annual Conference was held in Savannah Georgia in 1785. Until 1805 all of Georgia was one district with four circuits belonging to the South Carolina Conference. In 1806 Georgia was split into two districts with four circuits each. In 1830, Georgia became its own conference with six districts, each having four circuits each.

The earliest records of meeting at Mt Zion was in 1842. The name then was Rehoboth Church (meaning Isaac's well) and was held at Seckinger Spring. However they were meeting together before written records were kept. The first written record date back to the year 1821. This record lists the pastor as Anthony C. Brown and the presiding elder as Thomas C. Benning.

The first record of membership in 1842 listed Benjamin Seckinger. He was the owner of the continously flowing spring in the area. The site is in front of the present day church. There were fourteen members on the roll. The church was dedicated as Mt Zion in 1844.

The first church building was a one room log cabin which was located between the cemetery and the spring. The building was replaced later by a larger wood frame building or tabernacle northeast of the cemetery. It was surrounded by eight or ten frame tents located on six acres of land deeded in 1862 by Benjamin Seckinger at the head of the Piney Woods Creek. It was written as the Mt Zion Campground.

The frame tents were built by the church members and during the month of August a two week revival was held. Six to eight pastors from South Georgia churches would hold what were called Grove Prayer Meetings and were held at 11a.m., 3pm, and 8pm. In 1928 the Presiding elder (District Superintendent now) felt like the camp meetings should be stopped and they were never started back up.

In 1924 John N Bray gave one acre of land to the Methodist Episcopal Church. He had the present day church built in honor of his parents Mr. and Mrs J. N. Bray Sr.

Until 1953 Mt Zion was part of the Lowndes and Echols County Charge. This charge consisted of Statenville, Lake Park, Clyattville and Mt Zion. Services were held at each church one Sunday a month. On July 1, 1952 members of the Mt Zion and Clyattville churches met together and formed the Mt Zion-Clyattville Charge.

The Rev John McGowan was the first pastor. Under his supervision a three bedroom home was built in Clyattville. In 1953 services began on the first and third Sundays.

On November 10, 1957, Mt Zion hosted the first “Lowndes County Singing Convention”. The public was invited and it became an annual event which was held on the 2nd Sunday of November. It was discontinued in November of 1980.

In 1958 The Rev. Floyd S. Berger Jr began holding morning services at Mt Zion and Clyattville. He also held evening services at Mt Zion and Bible Study on Wednesday nights.

In 1958 four Sunday school rooms were added. Mr. Willis Lineberger gave the lumber for the frame and other members gave the rest of the materials. Bathrooms were added a few years later. A social hall was started with a kitchen and dining area. It was finished in 1968. In 1981 a larger room was added to the back of the building with two bathrooms.

Mt Zion broke away from the Clyattville charge and Rev. Gene Sheffield was our first pastor. On Feb 4, 1989, ground was broken for the new parsonage and it was built in memory of the parents of Joe and Almarine Allbritton and was donated to Mt Zion Church.

Our pastors were:

1989-1990 Rev. Gene Sheffield

1990-1994 Rev. James Hancock

1994-1995 Rev. Jim Bohannon

1995-1996 Rev. Jeff Beasley

1996-1997 Rev. Tim Paulk

1997-2002 Rev. Sam Vernon

2002-2004 Rev. George Mascarelli

2004-2007 Rev. Aaron Kight

2007-2010 Rev. Nate Lehman

2010-2012 Rev. Fred Foster

2012-2016 Rev. Roger Mays

2016-2018 John Carney (Lay Speaker)

2018-2021 Rev Edwin Willis

2021-Present Rev. Gordon Van Namee

Many changes have been made to Mt Zion for improvement. Many memories of members who have passed on are in this beautiful country church and we praise God for the faithfulness of the Saints.

These notes were taken from a paper George Rudd had distributed at a prior Homecoming.

In June 2023 Mt Zion disaffiliated from the United Methodist Conference and changed the church name to Mt Zion Church of Lowndes. With few in membership and the cost of disaffiliation, we are needing the money to pay off the debt we incurred to leave the UMC. We stepped out in faith and know God will provide.

God is Good, All the time, All the time God is Good.