Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church has been blessed to
serve the people of Altoona since 1839 when the African Americans were given a school
house as a place of worship. There were
no further records of their progress until 1873.
In 1873, Rev. William Codville was the pastor of the (white)
First Baptist Church. Under his pastorate, the Mount Zion Second Baptist
church was founded.
Mount Zion was a store front building located on 17th street
between 10th and 11th Ave. Then moved to 5th Ave.
and 22nd St. which was purchased in 1889 at the cost of
$1,200.00.
Mt. Zion was one of the stations of the Underground Railroad
that enabled slaves to escape to freedom. The room adjacent to our choir
loft was used as a shelter. This door was hidden behind a large
dresser.
The initial Head Start of Blair County was started at Mount
Zion by Rev. Charles Hickerson and his wife Delores.
On November 1947, using an 11 month plan, formulated by Rev.
William Fambro. $4,274.64 was raised to
clear the congregation of a 20 year debt. Rev. Delta Alpha Terry, a
former pastor returned as a guest speaker. He chose the subject “The
people had a mind to work” Nehemiah 4: 1-10.
Bible study
classes, retreats, seasonal revivals, pastoral visits, pre-marital counseling,
ordination studies for clergy and the diaconate ministry were started by our
former pastor Rev. Dr. Calvin Edmonds who retired in 2011.
Mt. Zion is an active member of a group of multi-faith
churches known as the Sixth-Ward Ministry. We participated in many spiritual,
social and community events.
Globally, we extended our missionary work to Haiti and
Kenya. We sponsored the orphanage – “Life is Wealth” and gave financial
aid to pupils.
In the community Mount Zion sponsors our Thrift shop; free
clothes are available 3-4 times a year to the community. We support Meals on Wheels, Community Action,
The Food Bank and the Salvation Army. Our
members support them financially in addition to volunteering their time.
In addition, we are fully immersed in the NAACP, prison, addiction and youth ministries.
Since his installation in 2014, based on our mission statement
to go into the community to share the word of God, our Pastor, Reverend Keith
R. Moore has introduced Christmas day and Sunrise services, community health
fairs, feeding the homeless, Taking Control Scholarship Program for all youth
age 11-18, fundraisers to support the upkeep of the church, In addition to our
re-introduction to the Central Baptist Association and American Baptist
Churches of Pennsylvania & Delaware and continuous hospital and home visit ministry.
Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church of Altoona PA. is the
oldest African-American Baptist church in continuous operation in Blair County
and is one of the oldest in Pennsylvania. To God be the Glory
and all the Honor!
