Mt. Zion Holy Spiritual Church of God began under the leadership of Mother Julia P. McGowan somewhere around the year of 1955 in the cotton field located on Southern and Palo Verde Road. The first members were Mother Eunice Scott and family, Mother Tiny Jolley and family, Mother Reatha McCrae and family, Mother Morning, Brother and Sister Cotton, and a host of children ranging from all ages one being our own late Bishop Abraham Harris, Jr., and our Lady of the House Evangelist Evarn Harris. The church held its first baptisms in the ditch and some of those that were baptized were Al Green, Jr., Richard Green and Linda Green. While still in the cotton field, Father Frank and Mother Thelma Jackson united with Mt. Zion. The church continued to have services in that field until property was purchased in what was known as Allenville and a new church was built in the year 1957. The small congregation marched from the cotton field on Palo Verde Road to the new church in Allenville.
Mt. Zion gave thanks and praises to the Lord as the membership grew, with members such as Deacon Henry and Mother Vora Smith, Mother Jones, Sis Rosetta, Sis Allen, Brother Roy Williams, Brother Heywood and Thanell Harris, Deacon James Brown and family, Brother Johnny and Maria McCrae, The Green Family, Sis Catherine Watkins and many more.
Somewhere around the year of 1964 Mt. Zion suffered the first of its many trials when our Church building was burned to the ground. But God was with our Leader and us, and even though the building was destroyed, the church stayed intact, and the building was rebuilt. Mt. Zion continued to grow and give all Praises and Glory to God. We continued to have such services as "Singing Programs" where singing groups such as the 5 Blind Boys, The Singing Corinthians, The Small One and many more local groups would come and have a toe tapping good time. Mt. Zion had their own singing groups, The Sons of Zion and The Daughters of Zion.
Two years later in 1966 Mt. Zion was put on trial once again by the burning of our church building. But again only the building burnt not the church. And again Bishop Harris and the men rebuilt the building, the Pastor Mother McGowan would help when Bishop would let her. The women and children helped where they could. But Mt. Zion kept sending praises up and the blessings kept coming down through this and many more trials. The membership kept growing!
In the year of 1975 there was a flood in Allenville but the church survived this one. Then in the year of 1978 the church was put on trial once more. There was a great flood that came through Allenville which not only flooded the church, but all of the surrounding members lost their homes including the Pastor and Bishop. The enemy thought he had a victory here, but God pervailed leaving the building standing allowing church services to continue in Allenville. Eventhough many members had to reloate in the towns of Buckeye, Avondale, and Phoenix, their praises continued up to God knowing their blessings were sure to come down.
In the year of 1981 God smiled on Mt. Zion and said it is time to bring my people back together on one common ground. It was at this time that the church along with the Pastor, the Bishop and many other families were relocated to what is now known as Hopeville, Arizona where the church yet resides.
After relocating in Hopeville many members have been called home, others have started their own churches and many new members have come to work in their stead. Under the Leadership of Pastor McGowan Clark there were as many as nine ministers ordained including Bishop and Evangelist Harris. The ministry between Pastor McGowan and Bishop Harris was so profound that they received an Honorary Doctoral Degree from Easter Bible College. But as we all know time brings about a change. In the year of 1998, Pastor McGowan Clark stepped down and Bishop Abraham Harris, Jr. became Pastor and Bishop of Mt. Zion. Under the leadership of Bishop Harris four ministers, four deacons and seven missionaries were ordained. Bishop took the time to make sure all of these ministers were ready for their ministry. Also during his leadership Bishop Harris received numerous awards including the National Humanitarian Award. Mt. Zion's membership continued to increase. The Lord gave Bishop Harris many visions for the church; one being feed my people not only spiritually but naturally. So while under the leadership of Bishop, Mt. Zion built from the ground up a brand new fellowship hall that will seat 200 people. We are now able to host our own 1st class banquets in our dining hall. Mt. Zion thanks God for its leaders because during this time Mt. Zion accomplished many tasks that were put before them. We as a church know without the foundation of love, and the divine wisdom given by God and followed by our leaders we would not have made it this far.
On February 16, 2004 the Lord called our beloved Pastor, Bishop Abraham Harris, Jr. home. Yes we must say this trial made Mt. Zion stand still and mark time, but only for one moment, because God was yet smiling on Mt. Zion. The Lord gave Mt. Zion yet another powerful leader, who not only grew up in the church but also had been prophesied to at an early age that he would one day lead this church. So in March 2004 we were blessed to have Abraham Harris, III to become the Pastor of Mt. Zion Holy Spiritual Church of God. We are on the move again, still sending those praises up and FAVOR is coming our way. Under Pastor Harris, the visionary that he is, Mt. Zion would like to share just a little of what has already taken place. In less than one year we obtained a 24 passenger mini bus and a 14 passenger shuttle bus to go along with our 12 passenger van. We thank God for the success of our newly developed Children's Church Ministry. Through Gods divine visionary Bishop Abraham Harris III, Mt. Zion is now the headquarters for the City of Refuge International Ministries. God is still doing great things at Mt. Zion and we're looking forward to our ground breaking in the year 2008, and we Know that he has greater things in store for us.
