ABOUT US

HISTORY

Sandy Grove AME Zion Church was founded in 1861 by Mr. William Covington, Mr. John Gay McLeod, and Mr. J. White. They started Sunday School in a little house and from this service grew the church. It has always been called the Sandy Grove A.M.E. Zion Church. The founders of the first church were Mr. Aleck Cromartie, Mr. Marsh McLeod, Mr. Ed Maynor, and Mr. Isaac Bain. The former church was built with logs given by Mr. John Wilkerson, the Bains, and the Scrivens families. The church building was erected in 1920. The founders were Mr. Moody Cromartie, Mr. George Scrivens, Mr. Mitchell Thomas, Mr. George Generette, Mr. Henry Wactor, Mr. Andrew Lilly, Mr. Eddie Covington, Mr. Paul Hair, Mr. Walter Robinson, Mr. Napoleon Robinson, Mr. John Artis, and Mr. Willie Love. The church was founded under the leadership of Rev. Walls. In 1951, two classrooms and a fellowship hall were added. Mr. Moody D. Cromartie was chairman of the Trustee Board and Mr. B.M. Glenn was the church secretary. Rev. L. T. Taylor was the pastor and Rev. Watkins served as the presiding Elder. In November 1971, Rev. L. R. Turner came to us as a pastor with a vision to build a new church. A church meeting was held and the decision to build a new church was agreed upon by the majority of the members. The church agreed to make the vision a reality. With God as our leader, we began to work toward our goal. In February of 1972, the church had a ground breaking ceremony for the present building. Initial construction of the new structure began in June of 1973. The church was under the leadership of Rev. Lawrence Turner and Rev. S. J. Farrar as the Presiding Elder. In 1988, an educational building was built adjacent to the sanctuary. This building included a fellowship hall, a lounge, two bathrooms and five classrooms. Rev. Chauncey McDonald followed as the leader of the flock. He was able to galvanize the church in a mighty effort to pay off the primary mortgage for the new fellowship hall and “burn” the mortgage in a ceremony as the church moved forward. Under the leadership of Rev. James Whitted, the church began a complete renovation project in September of 1988. The church was remodeled, the roof was renovated and new furniture was purchased for the sanctuary, foyer, pastor’s study, church business offices and lounge. The remodeling project was completed in May of 1999. In 2000 a computer lab was added in the educational building. The church purchased 4.1 acres of land and a house across from the sanctuary. A 110 space parking lot was created on the land initially.