St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in a small building on Raleigh Road, (Nash County) less than a block from Church Street in 1892. It was on the Nashville Circuit.
During the year 1894, the members began building a wooden structure across the road from the first site. The church was completed in 1896 under the leadership of the Reverend Moreland and it was renovated in 1919 under the leadership of the Reverend F. W. Sewell.
St. Mark hosted the North Carolina Annual Conference in 1920. The Reverend A. P. Pierce was pastor of the church.
St. Mark was renovated again in 1942 under the leadership of the Reverend D. S. Suber. A plan for a new site for the church was presented during the pastorate of the Reverend S. M. Reddick. The site at 801 West End Street was purchased and the Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on July 13, 1952. Mr. E. F. Duke, Mayor Rocky Mount, was the guest speaker for the occasion. The foundation for the building was dug by the following group of members: Mrs. Adaline Griffin, Mrs. Dorothy Whetston, Mrs. Leola Bunn, Mrs. Larlee Johnson, Mrs. Lillar Richardson, Mrs. Katherine McCollum, Mrs. Eula Worsley and Mrs. Marion Chasen.
The Reverend F. M. Morgan followed Reverend Riddick as pastor and continued the building program.
The Reverend J. M. Vinson was appointed pastor in 1953. He led the membership from the old church to the church on the third Sunday in April, 1954. The church was completed on September 1, 1954
Dr. A. L. Murray followed Reverend Vinson as pastor of the church. Under his leadership many important new church policies and business procedures were implemented.
The final payments of the church were made on July 1, 1963 and the Mortgage Burning Service was held on July 28, 1963. The Reverend E. B. Bowling was pastor. Pulpit furniture was purchased during his pastorate.
The Reverend B. F. Humphrey was appointed pastor in November of 1963. During his pastorate the large ditch on the church property was covered and the church began the purchase of the property on Renfrow Street. The church also purchased its first organ. The church purchased a bus to transport members to services and to serve the community.
The Reverend Earl Wilson, Jr. was appointed pastor in November of 1969. Under his leadership the church received a government contract to build the low-rent housing complex - St. Mark’s Apartments.
In November of 1972 the Reverend H. H. Parker became pastor of St. Mark. Under his leadership St. Mark hosted the Sunday School Convention in 1974. The St. Mark’s Apartment Complex, composed of 130 units of low-rent housing, was completed in 1975.
The Reverend A. E. Martin was appointed pastor of St. Mark in May of 1976. The Church property on Renfrow Street was sold, new pews were purchased and the church began the purchase of a new organ.
The Reverend Donald Wess was appointed pastor of St. Mark in May 1980. During his pastorate the church steeple was added, new carpet was installed and pastor’s study was redecorated. Also, Mr. James E. Odom was elected as a Lay Delegate to the General Conference in 1980 and served on the General Board for a number of years.
Reverend R. L. McCormick was appointed pastor of St. Mark in May of 1982. Under his leadership the church completed payment on the parsonage furniture.
Because of the rising cost of maintenance, the St. Mark’s Apartment complex was sold in 1984. Although the complex was sold, the Streets (Courts) remain as named by the Board of Directors of St. Mark’s Apartments. Boyd Court was named for Mr. Boyd Ancrum who served St. Mark as Sunday School Superintendent, Pastor’s Steward and usher. Kinlaw Court was named in honor of Mrs. Earl Wilson, the pastor’s wife whose maiden name was Kinlaw. Sled Court was named for Mr. Ahijah Anderson whose nickname was Sled. And he served St. Mark as a dedicated Sunday School teacher and great supporter of the Building Fund. Baber Court was named in honor of Bishop George W. Baber, the 63rd Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
The Reverend De’Other Melvin was appointed pastor of St. Mark in May of 1984. During his pastorate a new parsonage was purchased. The Youth Church, the Gospel choir, and the Men’s Choir were reorganized and Stewardess Board #3 was organized. He appointed Mrs. Mae Ellerbe, financial secretary, Mrs. Mary P. Walker, assistant church clerk, and Ms. Lillie Jefferies, minister of music.
The Reverend Raymond C. Pittman served as pastor of St. Mark from May 1986 through June 1988. The Reverend C. K. Brown was appointed pastor in July 1988. He was succeeded by the Reverend Frank Warren Saunders, who was appointed to St. Mark in February 1990.
In addition to those members mentioned earlier, others who made outstanding contributions to St. Mark in the past include Mr. C. C. Stokes, Mr. Robert Ivey, Mr. Raymond Holmes, Mrs. Charlotte Savage, Mrs. Dovie Anderson, Mr. B. L. Ancrum, Mr. William (Chappie) Hines and Mr. Coley Washington. Mrs. Inez Shine, Mrs. Catherine Tayborn and Mrs. Ruth A. Smith served as church clerk consecutively for approximately fifty years.
The Reverend Thomas O. Nixon was appointed pastor of St. Mark in May 1992 under Reverend Nixon’s leadership; numerous renovations were made in the church and to the parsonage. The church purchased three rental properties. The program of the church was enhanced by the organization of a community youth choir and an education scholarship fund.
The Reverend Gregory Keith Jones was appointed pastor of St. Mark in May 1996. During Reverend Jones’ administration, two of the rental properties were sold; Mr. and Mrs. James Odom donated a new piano to the church; the church bought a new organ and drum set; and the “Voices of Praise Choir” was organized.
The Reverend Tracy Tann was appointed pastor of St. Mark in May 1998. During Reverend Tann’s pastorate a special Fellowship Hall Drive was conducted to clear the church of debts. Plans were made to purchase the property next door to the church on West End Street to be renovated and used for a fellowship hall.
The Reverend Melvin I. Graham, the current pastor, was appointed to serve at St. Mark in May 1999. Under Reverend Graham’s leadership, the church continued negotiations to purchase the property next door to the church.
On September 15, 1999, St. Mark was just a few days away from finalizing the purchase of the property when Hurricane Floyd caused severe damage to the church and the property next door. Because of the flood damage, the congregation was relocated and plans for the annexation were dropped.
On Sunday, September 19, 1999 the congregation met for its morning worship service at the Boys and Girls Club on Raleigh Road. From the following Sunday on for the next twelve months, the St. Mark congregation held its Sunday Morning Worship Services and its Wednesday Evening Bible Study classes in the chapel of Hunter-Odom Funeral Service.
On Friday, September 15, 2000, the congregation acquired a new location, when it purchased the former Edgemont Baptist Church facility at 1150 Tarboro Street.
The opening service at the new location was held on Sunday, September 17, 2000. Reverend Melvin I. Graham, pastor officiated.
During 2000 - 2001, St. Mark AME Church was selected to participate in a Faith In Action project funded for seven months by the N. C. Department of Health and Human Services/Division of Social Services Center which resulted in the creation of a Family Resource Center. Reverend Melvin I. Graham appointed Mrs. Sharon Graham as Project Director and Ms. Alethea Powell was appointed Project Assistant. Through the project several community outreach programs were initiated and implemented.
On Sunday, July 22, 2001, the Right Reverend Vinton Randolph Anderson, Prelate of the Second Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church led the Dedication Service of St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church at it’s present location.
At the end of the funded period, St. Mark continued several of the community outreach services initiated during the Faith In Action project. Among those services were the Computer Learning Lab; the Feeding Ministry; the Adult Education (GED) program; and the Clothes Closet.
In 2002, St. Mark became a part of the “Beyond School Doors” project in partnership with Nash County and Edgecombe County JCPC. More than twenty challenged teenagers from the two counties benefited from this tutorial program.
On March 1-2, 2002, St. Mark hosted the Northern District Conference of the North Carolina Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. L. O. Saunders was host Presiding Elder.
St. Mark hosted the 133rd Session of the North Carolina Annual Conference on May 20-26, 2002. The slate of the conference leadership was as follows: The Right Reverend Vinton Randolph Anderson, Presiding Prelate; Mrs. Vivienne Louise Anderson, Episcopal Supervisor; Dr. L. O. Saunders, Host Presiding Elder; Reverend Evelyn Gail Dunn, Co-Host Presiding Elder; and Reverend Melvin I. Graham, Host Pastor.
Several notable ministers from throughout the African Methodist Episcopal Church connection delivered soul-stirring sermons during the various sessions of the conference. They included Reverend John D. Burton, Reverend Arthur Samuel Jones, Reverend , Reverend Anne Henning Byfield, Reverend Michael Redd, Reverend Louis-Charles Harvey, Reverend Joy Johnson and Bishop C. Garnett Henning, Sr.
Through the will of God, in 2003 St. Mark continued to experience growth in attendance in Sunday Worship Services; Sunday School Services and Bible study Services. A contemporary choir “Total Praise,” a young adult Sunday School Class and “Young Girls of Faith,” a club for girls, ages 6 - 12, were organized.
The outreach programs of the church were continued and expanded. New partnerships were established with the Department of Juvenile Justice, Nash-Rocky Mount Schools, the Internal Revenue Service and N. C. Prison Ministries.
St. Mark hosted the North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus Forum on April 24, 2003, Fourteen members of the member Black Caucus assembled before an audience of more than 400 people to help concerned constituents with a myriad of problems.
Two very significant events occurred in St. Mark’s leadership history in 2004.
Dr. L. O. Saunders, Presiding Elder of the Northern District of the North Carolina Conference retired at the North Carolina Annual Conference held at Fayetteville, NC in May 2004. Dr. Saunders, who had served as a pastor for 52 years and as Presiding Elder for 20 years, is succeeded by Rev. Larry Stanwyck Hinton.
The Right Reverend Vinton Randolph Anderson, Prelate of the Second Episcopal District retired at the 47th Quadrennial General Conference held at Indianapolis, Indiana, June/July 2004. Bishop Anderson is succeeded by the Right Reverend Adam Jefferson Richardson.
Rev. Melvin I. Graham served as an alternate delegate to the General Conference.
St. Mark continued to grow in membership, attendance in services, activities and in outreach programs. A youth dance group, Vessels of Praise, was organized. The Genesis Family Resource Center and the “In Good Faith” project received funding.
The membership of St. Mark has changed through the years. Each generation made its contributions and acknowledged its indebtedness to those who have gone on before.
St. Mark has diligently carried on the mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church through the years.
As St. Mark goes forward by the grace of God, it will continue to be known as the friendly church on the corner with open doors and a hearty welcome to all who come in and praise the Lord.
