The Church History [1919-2016]

 

 

Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Ferrell became the first Black family to live in Berea in 1917.  The Harris, Dozier, and Richardson families moved to the area later.  Using their talents and resources, these four families organized the first Black church in Berea.

  In 1919 Mrs. Martha Ferrell recognized the need for a church to serve the growing Black community in Berea and shared her thoughts with Mrs. Nellie Harris.  Mr. and Mrs. James S. Harris—residing on the corner of Sheldon Road and Eastland Road—agreed to open their home for the first prayer services.  Subsequently, Mr. and Mrs. Harris moved to the “Big Four” living quarters for Dunham workers and then to 30 First Avenue where they continued to hold services until the congregation grew too large in 1921.  Sunday services were held at the homes of the founding families on a rotating basis.  The prayer group sought the aid of a businessman named Archie Dunham for a larger space to worship.  Mr. Dunham, who recruited Blacks from Tennessee and other southern states to work in his factory, offered a converted warehouse located near the old Pearl Street playground to fulfill this need.  The old playground and warehouse site is owned by the Cleveland Browns organization and is currently occupied by its Corporate Headquarters building, parking lot, and other facilities.  

  In 1921 charter members asked Rev. T. L. Gray to come to Berea with his congregation from Bethany Baptist Church in Elyria [Ohio] to help them organize a church they called Mount Zion Baptist Church.  Charter members were Mr. and Mrs. James S. Harris, Mr. and Mrs. John Ashbury, Mr. Ben Carter, Mr. James Dozier, Sr., Mr. Goldberg Young, Mrs. Fannie Dozier Parks, Miss Tuberson, Miss Ammenee Dozier, and Miss Sweeter.

Rev. Gray was the first pastor.  The first deacon board members were John Ashbury, James Dozier, Sr., Ben Carter, and Goldberg Young.  In 1922 Rev. Jackson Yerby became pastor.  The membership had continued to grow beyond the warehouse space provided by Mr. Dunham.  The congregation accepted an offer to hold services on the corner of Front Street and Second Avenue in the basement of St. Paul Lutheran Church.  They left St. Paul to worship in a school on High Street and then moved into a building owned by Mr. Cleveland Dozier on Pearl Street before moving to the present site.

  In 1924 Mount Zion Baptist Church embarked upon a building program to have its first permanent home.  Two lots were purchased at $300.00 each on Pearl Street.  While the church basement was under construction, the congregation worshipped at St. Paul Lutheran Church again.  They left St. Paul when the new church basement was finished and held services in the basement until the entire church building was completed.  During the interim, several ministers were chosen as supply pastors while members pondered the future of Mount Zion and the kind of shepherd they wanted to lead them.

  On December 7, 1926 the Mount Zion Baptist Church of Berea, Ohio was incorporated.  The names listed on the corporation papers are James S. Harris, James Dozier, Sr., J. B. Graham, A. Lowe, and Eugene Payne.  In 1928 the name of the church was changed to First Baptist Church of Berea, Ohio.  Services continued to be held with supply pastors.  In 1947 Rev. Comer Bohannan was elected pastor and began serving on August 3.

In the early 1950’s Rev. Bohannan and the Goodwill Club had a vision for a new church building.  Members of the Goodwill Club were Anna Dyer, Nellie Harris, Bertha Thomas, and Bessie Wilson.  Building Fund Committee members were Curtis Clark [treasurer], Booker Collins, Sr., James Dotson, Howard Dozier, Norman Grier, James W. Harris, Edna Lott, Joddie Lott, Bertha Thomas, and Ronald B. Scott.  After many long hours of work and the security of a loan obtained by the financial secretary, the old building was demolished on Wednesday, May 5, 1976.  A groundbreaking

ceremony for the new church took place on Sunday, May 9, 1976.  Rev. Bohannan lifted the first spade of soil followed by James W. Harris, Vernice Harris, Nellie Harris, Rev. Roscoe Hogges, and John Munkacy [the church lawyer].  The last service in the old church was held on April 11, 1976.

  While the new church was being built, First Baptist worshipped a third time at St. Paul Lutheran Church, which had relocated by then to its current location on the corner of East Bagley Road and Eastland Road.  The last service between the two congregations was held on November 7, 1976.  A dedication ceremony in the present edifice was held on Sunday, November 14, 1976.  The mortgage burning ceremony took place twelve years later on Sunday, November 13, 1988.  In February of 1993 land was acquired across the street from the church for parking.  The church parking lot was completed in August of the same year.  Additional property adjacent to the church was purchased in 1996.

  The church was originally named Mount Zion Baptist Church.  It carried that name from the very early years of the church's history until 1928.  In 1928 the name was changed to First Baptist Church.  For the next 84 years or so the church carried that name.  In 2012 the name was changed back to or renamed Mount Zion.  In the more than 97-year history of this church, many pastors have served.  The late Rev. Comer Bohannan served the longest (1947-1986).  The congregation is blessed today to have Pastor Donald T. Warren as the head shepherd.  He began serving January 1, 2017.