Mt. Zion
Baptist Church
History
1879-1926
Mt. Zion Baptist Church
Presently located at 305 S. Madison Park Terrace, was organized April 27, 1879, in a house on Green Street. The home of Mrs. Emma Butler, a devout Christian who opened her doors for a few faithful believers in Christ to hold prayer meetings. There were ten present at this first meeting. This successful accomplishment gave desire to seek a larger place for worship.
In 1880, the church moved into the basement of the city post office, located at the Northeast corner of Main and Monroe Streets, then known as the Puterbaugh Building. Two preachers by the names of Harris and Tyler, at their convenience, would assist with the services. In this new church home, on April 4, 1887, the corporate name “The Zion Baptist Church” was adopted.
The church then moved from the basement of the Post Office to a new site at the corner of Seventh and State Streets, where it gathered strength and was recognized as a permanent institution in the Peoria Community. Previous to this, Rev. Archie Ward was called to the pulpit as Pastor. Rev. DeBaptist, a friend, and the Pastor of Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago, organized the charter and preached the Dedication sermon.
With window panes partly finished, several of the members gathered tree branches to cover those windows undone. For this memorable service, there was no musical instrument for the organist, Miss Nancy Washington, a charter member. Rev. Ward and his wife, who then resided on Swinnerton Street, consented to the use of their Reed treadle organ it was carefully carried to the church and returned after services.
Rev. S.W. Anderson realized, as did the membership, the need for a better and larger church. The frame church was sold to a Mr. Charles Speck and was moved a block north to State and Globe Streets and remodeled to an apartment dwelling house. On the old site, a brick church was built. The cornerstone was laid 1895.
Rev. F.W. Penick was an alert leader and the debt was cleared and the mortgage burnt. The church became a powerhouse of activities.
The Rev. B.N. Murrell, an aggressive young minister who had not long graduated from the University of Illinois, got the deed for the property and put the church on a business basis. Rev. F. Curtright, realizing the needs for training and Christian environments, organized a Social Center for youth on Main and Washington Streets. The church sponsored this Youth Center. In the course of time, the church grew numerically as well as in vision. Some effort was made to build or buy another church house. During this growth, the Rev. L.A. Weaver led some of the members to the new Mt. Zion Baptist Church, housed in the former Plymouth Congregation House of Worship.
1926-1930
Reverend J.D. Haley
Rev. J.D. Haley came to the pastorate of the church at a most crucial time, offering an exceptionally fine workable plan for the meetings of the $800 semi-annual payments. A payment was never missed. His work in the church will long be remembered from 1926-1930.
1930-1957
Reverend Mathis D. Dickson
The church called Rev. M.D. Dickson to Pastor in 1930. Rev. Dickson cast a giant shadow among preachers of that time and Mt. Zion M.B. Church was the hub of State and National activities in Illinois. He served faithfully to his death in 1957.
1958-1974
Dr. R. Wendell Phillips
In January, 1958, one of the greatest and most gifted scholarly preachers in Black America, the Rev. Dr. R. Wendell Phillips assumed the pastorate of the church. Under his leadership the church remodeled, reorganized and set in motion the membership growth once again. Unfortunately, during the early morning hours of January 15, 1973, the building on Fourth and Spencer burned to the ground. A temporary site was quickly offered for worship by the Bradley-Epworth Methodist church.
1974-2021
Pastor Alphonso Lyons
November, 1974, Rev. Alphonso Lyons Jr. was called to be the Pastor. He remained pastor until his death September 21, 2021. In June, 1975 another temporary site located at Sixth and Goodwin Streets was offered by Rev. Jack Deadwyler, a Pentecostal minister. The members of Mt. Zion launched a fund drive from July-November 1975, raising close to $30,000 which helped purchase the current location. The cornerstone was laid with items of memorabilia behind it for education and interest of future generations.
Under the pastorate of Rev. Lyons, educational development of the church has fostered attendance at local, state and national conventions. Rev. Lyons has been elected to many positions in local and state districts. Over the past two decades, Mt. Zion has been a supportive and stable part of the community.
Many things and events have been added and accomplished that have met both the physical and spiritual needs of its members and the surrounding community. In the Spring of 2020, Pastor Lyons, after deep soul searching and the safety of his congregation on his mind he decided to close the doors of the church due to Covid 19. During the next year Pastor Lyons continued to serve the church by first posting weekly sermons from his home before going into the church sanctuary with his wife as videographer and the church organist to give the congregation a sense of being in church. He and a couple of deacons and their wives began doing drive by and drop off communion distribution from the back door of the church. During this time of having virtual worship services, many past members and new viewers joined in.
Sadly, the Lord came for his faithful servant on September 21, 2021. The congregation was thrown into deep, unexpected grief.
2024 - Present
Pastor Dr. Matthew J. Mitchell
Though grieving, the church had to go on. There was never anyone mentored for the Sr Pastor position so the church had to begin the tedious task of finding a Sr Pastor to lead the congregation.
A search committee was formed and selected three candidates for the congregation to choose from. The church selected Dr. Matthew J. Mitchell. Dr. Mitchell officially takes the helm in July of 2024.