Whiteville native, the Rev. Julian C. Pridgen, returns to the church of his childhood to preach on Sunday as St. Mark commemorates its 143rd anniversary.

By WALLYCE TODD
Staff Writer

Oral history states that St. Mark A.M.E. Zion Church was the first brick church built in Whiteville. According to the best available written records (found in Oscar High’s record books), this history is confirmed.

Construction began in 1913. A borrowed team of mules driven by H.K. Pridgen and Pink George brought the bricks to the church’s building site. They were brought from High’s brickyard, located where the present Brickyard community is now.

The building, which still stands at 114 W. Virgil St. today, was dedicated on June 20, 1914.
Yet, the dedication of its members began well before the foundation for the current building was laid. Beginning as far back the early 1850s, a group of Christians – both black and white, Baptist and Methodist – gathered to worship in a building near where the courthouse is now.

History seems to say that fellowship and praise can happen inside or out and at any of a variety of locations.

In 1854, a rectangular building was built on Madison Street. The balcony was used as the place where blacks sat and worshipped. Soon thereafter, a frame building and a parsonage were built for the black congregations, which were known at this time as St. Paul (Baptist) and St. Mark (Methodist). The two congregations worshipped together for many years.

In the mid 1850s, recorded history reveals that the Rev. Thomas Shirden, who was a circuit rider for Columbus and other nearby counties, oversaw St. Mark. Shirden’s church family consisted of 300-400 members. Then, during the 1864-65 conference year, St. Mark was formally admitted into the A.M.E Zion connection/denomination.
In 1881, St. Mark and St. Paul agreed to dissolve their co-partnership. In 1885, St. Paul moved to a location on North Lee Street. St. Mark continued to worship on Madison Street until the early 1900s. When members of First Baptist of Whiteville asked to buy (for $2,600) the Madison Street property, St. Mark’s congregation prayed and then accepted the offer. The property at its current West Virgil Street location was subsequently purchased for $850.

The large bell, which now adorns the front lawn of the church, was transferred from the Madison Street location to Virgil Street. Originally, it was in the belfry. It’s fondly referred to as “Chellie,” as it was named as a memorial to long-term member Chellie Martin.

No major repairs were made to the 1914 A.M.E. Zion church until more than 40 years later. Then, the original slate roof was replaced with a lighter one and the brick exterior was painted white, as it is today.

A.M.E. stands for African Methodist Episcopal. An informal description of the title as it pertains to church fellowship would be that African relates to the historical culture of the church. Methodist describes the method of worship services, and Episcopal connects to the hierarchy of the administration and leadership of the church, which includes bishops.

Louise Turner is St. Mark’s anniversary committee chairperson this year. Her family has attended the local St. Mark church for generations. Her father was H.K. Pridgen, who transported the original bricks and for whom the church’s annex was named. The former WHS guidance counselor said that the current congregation desires to be a “church without walls.” She said the congregation reaches out into the community with the love of the Lord and invites all to enter in.

One of the notable features of the church is the verse from the Bible that adorns the arch at the front of the sanctuary: “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (I Samuel 7:12, KJV). Turner stated: “God has been with us all these years. We believe He always is and always will be. That verse is our church motto.”

This weekend will commemorate the 143rd anniversary of St. Mark’s connection to the A.M.E Zion fellowship. Friday night will see the first annual “Colors for Christ” service at 6 p.m. On Sunday, the official anniversary worship service will begin at 4 p.m.

Sunday’s message will be delivered by the Rev. Julian C. Pridgen, who grew up in St. Mark and is married to a Hallsboro native, the former Deborah Register. The couple has two children and lives in Kinston, where Julian is pastor of St. Augustus A.M.E. Zion Church. He is also a rising third-year student at Duke Divinity School.

Turner noted that the Rev. Pridgen will be accompanied by “his highly acclaimed melodious choir.” At the conclusion of Sunday’s service, a meal will be served in the H.K. Pridgen Sr. annex.

St. Mark’s current pastor, the Rev. Henry A. Gregory III, said that this weekend’s celebratory services are for everyone. “It’s an open invitation,” he said. “Come one. Come all.”