churchhistory

church history

Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church had its beginnings in the home of Mr. E. A. and Marjorie Pitter and family, at 1532 24th Avenue, Seattle, Washington. The Pitters were instrumental in holding services in their home. The Pitters had three daughters Constance, Marjorie, and Maxine. Other churches in the community had their Sunday School in the morning and Zion held hers in the evening. With the help of the three girls going into the apartments and homes in the community, collecting the children and providing them with homemade cookies and root beer, the church began to grow. Over many months, the group outgrew the Pitters' home, so Chandler's Hall was rented for worship service.

Sometime later, Mrs. Trent, a Missionary of the Church acquired property and a Zion Church was established and named Kyles Temple. It was located at Sixth and Main Street. The area from 12th Avenue to Fourth Avenue and from Jackson to Yesler was condemned to make way for the Yesler Terrace Project. The Zion Church building was bought by Rev. Mitchell and the present Goodwill Baptist Church was established.

Down through the years, many transitions were made, one of which was an exchange of properties. In 1926, Rev. H. Leo Johnston was sent to Seattle as Pastor by Bishop John William Martin. With the help of his friends Archie Tudor, a realtor; Peter DuBow, Editor of the Searchlight Newspaper; and George M. Moore, Booker T. Washington's secretary at the time of his death

in 1928, these men were friends of Rev. Johnston and made great contributions to the establishment of Zion Church in Seattle. A lot in the 900 block of 23rd Avenue was donated by Mr. Lawrence Colman another friend of Rev. Johnston's. This lot was traded for the present site at 23rd and Olive Street. Along with Mrs. Marjorie Pitter, Rev. Johnston and Mrs. Sarah Dawson formed a corporation, then registered the corporation and filed a Discipline of the Zion Church in the Archives of Olympia, so a church could be built. The church was named "Ebenezer" - "Upon this rock I will build my church."

Eddie Smith of Tacoma prepared the blueprints upon his graduation from the University of Washington. The cornerstone was dated 1930, the year the church was incorporated. Rev. Johnston, a carriage builder from Jamaica, Harris Ellis and J. Taylor, carpenters, as well as the Pitter family, were among those who laid the foundation and raised the edifice as we see it today. A parsonage was to have been built in the back of the building, with bricks placed on the exterior of the church, but the Depression prevented it.

In the 1930's when the neighborhood theaters were being disbanded, the Home Theater, located at 23rd and East Union, was torn down and replaced by a filling station. The theater's seats and piano were purchased and some of them were in the balcony until 1991. Also in the 1930's, the houses on 22nd and 23rd from Pine to Pike Streets were condemned to build a power plant, though it was not built until some years later. Rev. Johnston bought three of the houses and located them elsewhere. The basement of one, a duplex in the 1400 block on 22nd, was the location of a W.P.A. sewing room, where Mrs. Edith Johnson, the minister's wife, was the Manager and Instructor. Mother Leland came to Seattle from California to nurse her seriously ill daughter, Hattie Simmons. She and Rev. Johnston held services for adults in the basement of the duplex.

Fred Blythwood moved to Seattle in 1941, and through his leadership and with the help of the Federal government, the basement of Ebenezer was completed so that the men in the service could come to town over the weekend, go to the U. S. O. (YM.CA.), and go next door to Ebenezer and take a bath and sleep. Some of the servicemen and their families joined the church and became officers. On the first Sunday in the month, a group would go to the fort and hold services in the afternoon in their chapel and would also hold Easter Sunday sunrise services.

Ebenezer was the first church in the community to have an electric organ. In 1949, Mr. Pitter with the help of his friends donated a Contata organ.

The cornerstone of our church is dated 1930. The church was named EBENEZER "upon this rock, I will build my church", Ebenezer means .oStone of Hope" or the place where Israel was defeated by the Philistines. 1 Samuel 12 probably where the Ark was taken. 1 Samuel 43:1.

The church has always tried to live up to its name, "Stone of Help," and in addition during the Depression serving as a W.P.A. sewing room, provided menus and meals in the kitchen for Head Start Program from 1964 to 1968 under the supervision of the late Mary J. Franklin, and operated food bank outlet in the past.

The Pitters three daughters Constance P. Thomas, Maxine P. Haynes and Marjorie P. King continued to be active forces within the Seattle Community and living witnesses in the founding context of Ebenezer A.M.E. Zion Church.

Rev. Henry Leo Johnston died in July 1947. Rev. Annabelle Leland passed in February 1958. Mrs. Marjorie Pitter passed on December 24, 1967, Edward Pitter, December 1977, and Mrs. Sarah Dawson on February 21, 1991.

On November 30th, 1991, Ebenezer A. M. E. Zion Church was the target of a firebombing which left the sanctuary in total disarray. However, this disarray was rectified, with the leadership of the current pastor Rev. Dr. L. J. Thompson. Within twelve weeks the members moved back into the remodeled sanctuary. It was purely by the grace of God, financial support, labor and time from the community, totaling $18,000, that the facility was rededicated on Sunday, February 23, 1992. At the time of this writing Ebenezer A. M. E. Zion Church had withstood much over the past 73 years, and we look forward with renewed vigor and vitality to many more years to come.

We thank God for His divine guidance, and for the many souls who have toiled hard, and left this legacy behind for us and our children, and our children's children to come.

The majority of this history was as recalled by Mrs. Sarah Dawson.

Pastors of Ebenezer A. M. E. Zion Church

Rev. H. Leo Johnston

Rev. Potts

Rev. Peterson

Rev. Davis

Rev. Porter

Rev. J. H. Jones

Rev. Swidel

Rev. A. J. Jones

Rev. D. Blake

Rev. B. Carson