History

Zion Church was founded in 1840 by John W. and Matilda R. Love on land transferred from J.M. Hagler and Henry T. Long on May 25, 1874. The parcel from Mr. Long was bought from $13. The cemetery already existed on the land. Slaves were buried at the East end of the cemetery and their graves are unmarked or marked with stones with no inscriptions.

Zion was in Mecklenburg County until Union County was formed in 1842.

This was peak time for Camp Meetings which were started by Methodist Circuit Riders and Zion was a camp meeting site. The grounds consisted of campground facilities, an arbor and a church building which sat in the middle of what is now the west end of the cemetery.

The building was later moved to stand approximately where the east end of the "New Life Center" is now.

Homecoming Sunday held on the fourth Sunday of August followed by revival began in the early years of the church and still continues today.

In the early years, camp meeting and revival was for 2 weeks. Bible and music lessons were held during the day with revival services at night. Now we feel stretched to come to revival for four nights.

The old church building was replaced by the present sanctuary in 1940. A long table stood under the trees just outside on the northwest side of the sanctuary that was used for meals on homecoming Sundays and for family reunions. People approached the table from all sides instead of going in line. You had to get to the food before the flies.

The 1940's and 50's were very active years for the church.

Some of the present members remember participating in "Children's Day" programs held in the 40's on the last Sunday in June. A lot of work and practice went into getting songs, exercises and poems just right. This was a big day for the church and the sanctuary was always full.

Zion was organized as a Methodist Church as part of the S.C. Conference and became Zion Methodist Church in 1939. With the uniting of other branches of the Methodist Church in 1968 it became Zion United Methodist Church.

A bell tower which stands in the middle of the west end of the cemetery was erected in 1924 in memory of W.A. Love, son of the founders of the church.

The bell was rung on Sundays; and to announce funerals and community events.

Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF) was organized in the 1940's by Mr. Vance Clontz. During the 1950's and early 60's, Union County MYF Subdistrict was very active. Meetings were held on Monday nights once each month at different churches in the county.

The Methodist Women was organized in the 1940's with Mrs. Melissa Kindley as first president and for many years UMW has been a strong part of the backbone of Zion. In these early years the meetings were held at the members homes and in the 1950's mission studies and Bible studies were part of the programs and were taught by the members of the Methodist Women.

In 1954 Zion had its first Vacation Bible School. Attendance over the years has been up and down but in recent years, VBS has become a very influential part of the church program, with spiritual growth as well as Christian fellowship.

In the late 1950's Sunday School attendance had grown to just over 100. Sunday School classes were held in the wings of the sanctuary with curtains dividing each class.

Under leadership of D.K. Love, the Baucom Memorial Hall was built in 1958 adding a fellowship hall downstairs and Sunday school rooms upstairs.

In recent years due to spiritual growth of the church and physical growth of this area it became evident that it was time to again stretch our wings.

At homecoming on August 23, 1998 our "New Life Center" was dedicated, adding an up-to-date kitchen, a larger multipurpose room and more bathroom facilities.

With the guidance of our Savior and by the grace of our Lord, we hope to continue to be a place of spiritual enrichment.

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