The Clinton Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church of Greenport will kick off a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of the congregation Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. with a concert by gospel group Jus B’Cuz at Jamesport Meeting House.
Russell Smith, a lifelong congregant, said the church has been through a number of challenges, including a fire that destroyed the historical archive and conducting services over Zoom during COVID. “The village has changed,” Mr. Smith said. “Most of the people who had homes here don’t live here anymore. So most of the people who attend the church are from out of town … No one’s able to afford to live out here. So a lot of those people attend via our Zoom service. That’s something that has affected us big time. People are just starting to really come back out since COVID.”
The AME Zion Church counts 1.4 million members in churches across the United States and runs missions all over the world.
According to amez.org, the AME Zion Church grew from a congregation formed by a group of free Black Americans who left the John Street Methodist Church in New York City because of discrimination. The AME Zion Church was part of the abolitionist movement and became known as the “Freedom Church” because it was associated with the period after the Emancipation.
Blackpast.org, a nonprofit organization, details the denomination’s ongoing involvement in promoting equality and justice: “[The founders] challenged the standard protocols of both white and Black denominations at the time. They also promoted women, putting them in positions of authority. They were one of the first denominations to ordain women as ministers.”
The church also contributed significantly to the Civil Rights movement. Many congregants joined non-violent protests and marches, while church leaders opened their doors to allow the planning of meetings and rallies. As of 2012, the AME Zion church has entered a pact with other Methodist churches to transcend racial boundaries and encourage unity.
Clinton Memorial continues this work, holding vesper services in the wake of mass shootings and partnering with other faith communities during COVID. “We did a tribute to Trayvon Martin on the steps of the congregation,” said Rev. Natalie Wimberly, pastor of Clinton Memorial for the past eight years. “And a few years later, we found ourselves doing the same thing, calling together the community, this time with the death of George Floyd. At the moment, we host what we call ‘Coming To The Table.’ This is a group of conscious-minded people [discussing] racial healing and social justice issues.”
The Greenport church can count the North Fork Juneteenth parade among its recent achievements. Established two years ago, the celebration draws participants from all over the community to celebrate June 19, 1865, the day Union Soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to share the news that centuries of slavery in the U.S. had come to an end. “I was surprised with the response and the number of people who wanted to participate and share, particularly since we’re in this very divided, toxic culture,” said Rev. Wimberly. “It was good to see all kinds of people gather together for the common cause of freedom and liberation.”
“We’re just grateful. We’re really excited that people started coming out, and they get excited about the 100-year celebration. This is an exciting time for us,” Mr. Smith said. “We’re just grateful to still be here, because a lot of churches have closed. So we’re just happy because we still have people who are willing to come and willing to work and to be a blessing in the community.”
For tickets to the concert at the Jamesport Meeting House, call Russell Smith at 631-745-7322 or Jackie at 631-875-2230. Suggested ticket donation is $20.