ZION HILL HISTORY

In the following years, Pastors Jesse Davis, Cyrus Wilkins, and Crawford Holmes continued to lead and grow the small church in dedicated service. With faithful perseverance, the church grew and prospered and the construction of a wooden edifice was undertaken under the leadership of Zion Hill’s fifth pastor, Rev. W.W. Floyd.

 

As the church grew, so did their need to find another church home. Taking the congregation to higher heights, Rev. Claude H. Robinson led Zion Hill in search of a property that would meet the needs of the growing ministry. As God promised, Zion Hill soon purchased a building on the corner of Georgia Avenue and McDaniel Street.
Later, just as Rev. J.T. Johnson became pastor in 1926, God’s grace became an evident component of Zion Hill’s DNA. While the Depression wilted the nation, a weary, but faithful church paid off its first mortgage, a remarkable feat for any organization at the time.

 

As if God had not done enough, Rev. Dr. Levi Terrell, known as the “musical pastor with the musical church”, began as pastor in 1943. Rev. Terrell’s contributions extended Zion Hill’s exposure, community impact and property ownership for nearly three decades.
It wasn’t until 1972, when Rev. Larry H. Williams became Zion Hill’s 9th pastor that Zion Hill purchased a location at 815 Lynhurst Dr. in 1976. Under Rev. Williams’ 21-year leadership, Zion Hill completed payment of the $400,000 mortgage and later established a regular Sunday morning radio ministry and scholarship program.

 

Recognized as one of the foremost congregations in Atlanta, Zion Hill did not know just how much God had in store, when a young, serious Pastor, Rev. Dr. Aaron L. Parker, the church’s former Youth Minister, was installed in 1994. Within his first year as pastor of the mighty church, God led the Mississippi preacher to hit the ground running, establishing the Care to Love Outreach Ministry, implementing four new music ministries including the Voices of Oluwa and Azizi Children’s Choir, establishing the now nationally-recognized Rites of Passage Program and designating what would be the church’s declarative creed, “Living to Love and Loving to Serve”.

 

The following years resulted in history-making ministry after ministry…Disciples Empowerment Summit, Zion Hill Community Development Corporation, The First Women Deacons, C.A.R.E. Couples Ministry, Mighty Men of Zion, SIS Women’s Ministry, Youth League for Christ Choir, D.P. Squared Ministry for Tweens, The African Initiative, The Zion Hill Instrumentalists, Male Chorus, Community Actions/Business Ministry, Friend to Friend Prison Ministry, Empowered by God Ministry for Young Adults, The Outreach Endowment Fund, Saturday Church School, Stewardship Emphasis Day, Entrepreneurship Ministry, Culinary Ministry… and the list goes on to include more than 35 Outreach ministries designed to impact the world! Not only did ministries abound, but property improvements and acquisitions increased tremendously with the purchase of two rental properties, a lot in downtown Atlanta, two buildings that house the Zion Hill Community Development Corporation, 43.5 acres of land and complete renovations of the current church building and CDC facilities. Within 16 years, the fiery Morehouse professor lead, taught, prayed and preached Zion Hill to exponential increase, emphasizing Jesus' ultimate lesson of love and service.

 

Clearly outgrowing their location at 815 Lynhurst Drive, in 2006, Dr. Parker led Zion Hill on one of its most faithful undertakings yet… embarking as a family on “The Rock Project,” a $20 million building program to relocate Zion Hill to a 40 acre site in South Fulton County at 6175 Campbellton Road!

In 2010, the first phase of the new church was complete, and the church moved in, greeted by their new community with anticipation and excitement. This expansion of facilities will support the continued growth of Zion Hill, but more importantly, will permit the expansion of services that this congregation can provide to God’s people in efforts to continue “Living to Love and Loving to Serve!”.