History of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Fenwick

The congregation of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Fenwick was founded in 1807. Bushtown (formerly Portertown) in Mannington Township was named for a black family, the Porters. Bushtown became known for its poor soil and revival meetings in the early 1800’s. These gatherings, usually held in June, lasted from one to two weeks. Newspaper articles of that period, in the Woodbury Constitution, referred to such Methodist Church revival meetings as Bush Meetings because they were held in the woods. The village of Bushtown and other small communities such as Marshalltown, Woodstown, and Yorketown grew spiritual through these services. Believers in Bushtown organized a church in 1807 under the A.M.E. Church. They began meeting in a little log cabin church. After the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church became a denomination in 1816, the Bushtown A.M.E. Church joined that body. Few blacks lived in Bushtown. However, their support of the Underground Railroad far exceeded their numbers. Residents provided hiding places, food and encouragement to slaves escaping through Delaware. Some of these runaway slaves remained in hiding for a time before continuing on to Canada. The Church of Bushtown with ten members in its society was often visited by circuit riding ministers assigned from the Salem Circuit. Seth Cuff, of Elsinboro, and Samuel Ridley served as local preachers in this region. In 1824, the trustees of the church bought land from Henry Kiger in Mannington Township. The congregation worshiped in a small wooden building located on the corner of Alloway-Woodstown and the Mannington-Yorketown Roads on adjoining property of land owned by the late Edward Gross Sr.

Across from the church on the other side of the road lived Mr. and Mrs. George Phillip Shorter and their granddaughter Olivia Shorter-Garnett. A minister came out of the original small congregation, Rev. M. Dent, who was born in Bushtown in 1840. He was converted in 1858, at age eighteen and ordained in Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in Bushtown in 1858. Matthew M. Dent fought with the U.S. Colored Troops Volunteers in Company D. Reg. 25. Bushtown residents who loved freedom desired the same for their fellow men. The community became very active in the Underground Railroad Station. The members were grateful for their place of worship but they had a burning desire to build a new church. They purchased a plot of land, a quarter mile up the road and moved the church on a flatbed wagon where the church now stands. Since the funds were insufficient to build at that time, they decided to use that building until they could raise enough funds to build the new church. The congregation continued faithfully in prayer, worship and work and in 1892, after many years of trusting in God to provide, He enabled them to build a new building which stands today as a witness to God’s faithfulness and place of divine worship. Under the pastoral charge of the late Rev. George Laws, the church was completed by Johnson and Smith contractors. The structure has undergone many changes during its history. Members of the church can remember singing from the balcony which is still there but has been closed off. Florence Smith Berry came from Salem and joined Mt. Zion in 1911 and singing in the choir from the balcony began. Ada Steward Hickman recalled singing in the Rose Bud Choir from the balcony before it was closed. Holidays were pleasant times filled with food, fun and fellowship for all at Mt. Zion. The men made a barbecue pit in the yard and on holidays there were pig roasts, chicken potpie dinners, hot dog socials, straw rides, games and other activities. There was also delicious homemade ice cream for five cents a dip.

The church had a front door and one small window on each side of the floors. Inside was a narrow vestibule to enter the church and there were two doors on either side. Because of the structure of the building, placing a casket in the sanctuary was a challenge for the mortician. He had to put the casket through the window, tilt it almost on one end and turn it around in the vestibule in order to move it up the aisle. Two pot-bellied stoves sat on each side of the church with a row of short seats on each side of the church touching the wall and leaving space for the stoves. There were long seats across the middle of the church and two aisles, one on each side of the church. Sunday was truly a day set aside for attending church. The day began with Sunday school at 10:00 a.m., followed by the morning worship service at 11:00 a.m. In those days, parents and children attended church together and the children stayed at church until their parents were ready to go home. Morning worship was spirit filled as people testified, prayed and sang until the power of the Lord came down. The sight of Handy Sturges and Rev. Charles Berry, local preachers, starting from the pulpit running all the way around the church, up on the back of the benches and back again praising the Lord remains a pleasant memory. Pastors who have served at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Fenwick, are as follows: Rev. George Laws, Rev. George Ringold, Rev. D.S. Bayrd, Rev. Edward Scarboro, Rev. A. F. McWade, Rev. Shepherd, Rev. B.W. White, Rev. S.E. Horsey, Rev. Culk, Rev. George Dennis, Rev. Victor Vick, Rev. E.P. Smith, Rev. Frank March, Rev. Winfield Scott, Rev. Cooper, Rev. Earnest Johnson, Rev. Thomas N. Shaw, Rev. Heard, Rev. George Beachum, Rev. Walter McDaniels, Rev. Walter Robinson, Rev. James Costin, Rev. James West, Rev. Norwood R. Cuff, Rev. Frank I. Smart, Rev. Dr. Robert L. Shepherd, and Rev. Rhonda R. Hart.

During the pastorate of Rev. James West in the 1970’s, new flooring was placed in the Annex, compliments of Mannington Mills through the kindness of the late Brother Joseph Hickman who was employed there. In the 1990’s, under Rev. Norwood R. Cuff, the sanctuary was completely renovated, including new lighting, air conditioning, the sanctuary was completely painted, all pictures were restored, the replacement of the fellowship hall flooring, lighting and ceiling were acquired. New robes were purchased for the Senior Choir. The Voices of Zion Choir was organized and through fundraisers had robes made by Geraldine Brown. God’s Praise Dancers was organized by Ginger Sackes and the Male Choir was formed. On the exterior, the dirt parking lot was black topped, a new church sign was purchased, and approx. 5 acres of land was acquired in the back of the church. In 2009, the Rev. Frank I. Smart became pastor of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Fenwick. The young pastor taking control of his first church brought a new sense of community and energy to the church. Continuing the work of the previous Pastor, Rev. Smart modernized the electronics WIFI of the church for the new century. He also purchased a Hammond Organ used in the sanctuary. In 2011, the children of the late Ella N. Robinson purchased new pulpit furniture in her memory that was blessed by Rev. Smart and placed in the pulpit. In 2012, Rev. Dr. Robert L. Shepherd became pastor of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Fenwick. Rev. Shepherd’s ministerial experiences in the pastoral role allowed the church to push new ground with the repair of the historical church’s foundation. This badly needed fix came as part of a three part restoration program of the Mt. Zion Fenwick Church building. Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Shepherd, the following also has been completed: bathrooms were repainted, AC unit was been replaced, and new pulpit padding placed in sanctuary in addition to the foundation.

In April 2021, Rev. Rhonda R. Hart was appointed to serve as Pastor of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Fenwick. She is the current and first female Pastor at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Fenwick. Under her leadership, Mt. Zion has formed new ministries that serve the needs of the congregation and community; Hospitality Ministry, Prayer, Blessings and Praise Ministry and the Son-shine Fellowship ministry. Several church upgrades have been implemented. The fellowship hall floor has been repaired and new flooring was installed, gutters and drains were replaced, the heater was replaced, a water purification system and an air filtration system were installed, kneeling pillows on the altar were restored, flags were replaced on the pulpit and in the sanctuary. Asphalt was repaired on the parking lot, a new shed was purchased, stained glass windows were repaired and the cemetery was beautified. While the Covid pandemic closed many businesses, schools and organizations, the doors of the church remained open using improved technology and a social media platform to provide virtual worship services for congregants in their homes to worship the Lord! Only God has all the records for what has been accomplished these 217 years. He knows the heart of every true Christian who has been involved in this work since 1807. We give all the glory to God for the great things he has done.

Mt. Zion has a proud history. When you know your history, you know your greatness! Mt. Zion looks toward the future with continued hope and faith in a mighty God who has brought us thus far by faith. We trust God whose word says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)

Compiled by Ada M. Hickman, Church Historian 

Updated 2017, Rev. Melvin L. Johnson 

Updated 2024, Ginger R. Sackes