Marsha's Warrick Web & Warrick InGenWeb

Mt. Zion Church

Mount Zion Methodist Church
Lynnville, Circuit
submitted by Rodney Austin

 

The Mount Zion Methodist Church, is located about 3 1/4 miles south east of Lynnville in Hart Township, Warrick County, Indiana Has not held regular preaching services for over 50 years. Myles and Lydia Rice donated for the church and cemetery and ground, August 10, 1847. The original log structure served as a full-time pioneer church and school, then was no the Lynnville Methodist circuit for many years. His second building was erected in 1861 and the present one in 1898. The one room, frame building has no electricity, no water supply, or modern facilities of any kind. The to old-time coal stoves are still in place.

For many years the church and cemetery were supported by the ladies aid. They raise money with the various projects, and an annual home coming held on the second Sunday in September. Support also came home from each cash donations and given by concern people Whose loved ones were buried in the adjoining cemetery. The funerals have been held at the church during the past 50 years. However, most have been the only in graveside services there are approximately 200 graves including 22 military graves.

The funds for the endance of the of church and care of the cemetery are derived from the investment of a legacy from the estate of Fred Austin and other donations. A five-member board of trustees administers them. An annual public meeting is held the church each many.

Weddings are often performed at Mt. Zion Methodist Church because of the love for the rich heritage. Each summer finds the old church of a popular place for family reunions, a peaceful place for quiet reflection, and a beautiful place for generations yet to come.

Warrick County Museum
217 South First Street
Boonville, Indiana 47601

Mt. Zion Rededication Service
Mt. Zion Methodist Church
September 20, 1992

DALE AUSTIN Master of Ceremony

I want to welcome everyone and thank everyone who helped get the church clean and ready for today.

The opening song will be "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL'

Special thanks to Don Walter's Construction. To Steve Madden for the outside painting. Bill Skelton, Jerry Feldmier. Don Pemberton and John Barclay for getting the tree off of the church. Peabody Coal Co. for the Wrecker of Lynnville for hauling the big pieces of the tree out back.

We have given a report to everyone hear today that list the cost of repairs.

Around the first of this year, we had a stolen car from Illinois run into the bell tower and destroyed it. I want thank Roy Pemberton for his tractor and the work he did cleaning it up.

to Bryan and Brett Perry have done a great job of keeping the cemetery mowed.

Thanks to the Trustee's wives for the reception and Lee Boardman for the extra cake.

Around the fall of 1987, the two stoves, the picture on the wall in back of the pulpit and the pulpit were stolen.

Thanks to Gene Madden for the pulpit we now have.

We want everyone to sign the paper in the back of the church before they leave.

Out front is some history and pictures of the church before 1990, while the tree was on it and after the repairs were finished. If anyone has more history on the church and cemetery, I would like for you to write it out and send it to me. About your family or anything that has happened here. Maybe you met your husband or wife here or date here, we would like to know. We would also like to know about where people are buried that are not marked. It would be nice if you would write out any family members buried here and any dates you could come up with. So many of the markers can not be read.

Our Annual meeting will be the first Sunday in May at 4:00 PM Everyone is invited to attended.

SARAH MOORE (YOUNG) is here today she is a living member she joined this church when she was 12 years old she is now 89, and this is the only church she has ever belonged to.

Are there any announcements or comments.

The old bible has been keep in the vault at the Lynnville bank.

The piano stool, little table and song books and fans are in a little display at the Warrick County Museum. They are on loan there.

The piano was badly damaged by the rain during the storm when the tree fell on the church.

The picture on the piano was painted by Chester Julian and brought in by his wife.

Newspaper clipping on the church after being hit by a large tree.

Mount Zion Methodist Church
Church Damaged by Tree
by L. M. James -Courier Staff Writer

LYNNVILLE, Ind. --It will take more than one huge tree to demolish the Mount Zion Church in Lynnville. A tree crashed through the roof in a violent storm causing severe damage in May. But last Wednesday, the board of trustees that controls the church and nearby cemetery voted to have the church repaired instead of torn down.

That was the church that a lot of those people and their families grew up around. Many people used to live in that area until a coal company came in and bought out that property. "It was a busy little community," Harold Pemberton said.

About 25 people met with the board of trustees and gave their support to having the building restored.

"We wanted to give all interested parties a chance to come to the meeting to tell us their views. People have very strong feelings toward the church and the cemetery. Many of the people who showed up had relatives buried out there. They gave us their support and told us to go ahead and do the repairs. It was a unanimous opinion that it should be restored and not torn down to have another church built," Pemberton said.

The church and grounds surrounding it are now used for family reunions and an occasional wedding or funeral, Pemberton said.

But his father, Charles Pemberton, recalls a busier time 60 years ago.

"We had a regular pastor and I attended Sunday school every week there. We didn't go out much back then. That was the big chance every week to go somewhere. People came in wagons and buggies," said the elder Pemberton. 

He said about 18 families lived near the church, and on Sundays, the sanctuary held about 50 or 60 people.

And during the week the church yard doubled as a playground for the children.

"There were probably enough of us to start our own school. Our principal meeting place was in the back yard of the church. We gathered in the grove. Of course the older ones were out doing something else, but we played there all the time," Charles Pemberton said.

Now, two families live in that area.

The restoration work, which is expected to cost about $15,000, will be done by contractor Don Walters. Expenses will be paid through an insurance policy for the church.

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My family, while researching at John Hays Museum in Salem, Washington Co IN, found Elim Church records that made note of some of the members (which included additional family members) of Old Zoar Church and Mt Zion.
 
 Minutes of interest:
 October meeting 1849 The church met and after worship proceeded to business in order 1st members invited from sister churches to a seat in council with us 2nd The refferences exhibited by David Alvis against br Hamilton taken up The churches sent for in council called for From Mt Zion letter and messengers Eld G Brock & Br J Akers From Zoar letter and messengers El J. Wilson & brother J Russell Richard B. Mead Labin Stewart & Wm. Jackson Hebron letter & messengers J Howell J Morgan and P Carris Inquiring for peace peace found
 Phyllis Phillips