Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church was founded on August 2, 1917, in the home of Reverend and Mrs. Robert Smith in East Moline, IL; under the pastorate of Rev. C.W. James.  Rev. James pastored from 1917 until 1922.  Then came Rev. J.H. Fulton, Rev. Fitts, Rev. T.S. McCree, and Rev. Green these ministers served between 1922 – 1927. In 1927 Rev. A.A. Adams was called to Pastor Mt. Zion and stayed until 1929.  Then Rev. Powell and Rev. Craven served between the years of 1929 -1933.  Rev. G.W. Jones was called in 1933 and served until 1938.  The church membership expanded over the years and services were held in a storefront as well as the YWCA prior to purchasing land on 12th Street East Moline, IL as the first Mt. Zion building.

 

In 1938 Rev. A. James Johnson was called to Mt. Zion and many improvements were made at the old Mt. Zion Church building. In 1944 with a membership of between four and five hundred members, we had to have a larger church. Land was purchased at the corner of 6th Avenue and 15th St. in East Moline, Illinois in 1948.  We broke ground in July 1949 and started our present new building in 1950, under the leadership of Rev. Johnson who was also our supervisor of construction, we struggled hard, and worked hard, when God’s on your side you can’t lose.  Mt. Zion has had 16 pastors in its 107-year history, our current Pastor P. Wonder Harris being the longest serving with 38 years; second by Pastor A. James Johnson having served 25 years.