Our Church History

In 1907, J. A. Patten, John Jackson, Lincoln Culver, William LeCount, Daniel Hawk and about a dozen other persons began holding weekly prayer meetings in a frame building, which constituted the middle portion of the old Mount Carmel Church.  These persons known as trustees, purchased the land and building from Mrs. Caroline Wells for the price of one dollar and other valuable considerations.  The building was named Mount Carmel Union Church and School.  The Methodist and Baptist faiths coordinated Sundays in holding services under the watchful care of Rev. Redman, Rev. Gammon and Rev. John Hills.  Regular grade school was held in the church and one of the students of Mount Carmel Union School was Mr. Oscar Johnson, who was a member of the Greater Mount Carmel A. M. E. Church family.

 

For over 114 years the Greater Mount Carmel A.M.E. Church has served the community with such members as Dr. A. R. Jackson, and Dr. J. O. Brookins - beloved physicians, who dedicated their careers to the health and well-being of Tampa citizens. Missionary Sarah Lawrence, who founded the Sarah Lawrence Choir Union, which began making a joyful noise unto the Lord on February 12, 1939 and continued for more than fifty years.  Eleanor Dixon served as the Eleventh District YPD Director from 1999 - 2001 under the Episcopal leadership of Bishop Frank C. Cummings and Bishop John Hurst Adams.  For more than twenty years the Sarah Lawrence Women’s Missionary Society has operated the AIDS Care Station, which ministers to the needs of HIV infected clients and their families.  For almost a decade, the Healthy Start Initiative provided support to single parent families.  Greater Mt. Carmel has a long legacy of preaching, reaching and teaching to the glory of God.

 

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