Hunter's Church History

 

Hunter Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded, and organized in 1897 under the name “African Methodist Mission Church”. This early congregation emerged as a result of the desire of the African-American community in Suitland, Maryland, to have a church of its own. The original members and founders were Mr. Harper, Mr. Butler, and Mrs. Ann Lynn. Before these individuals decided to form a church, they met regularly in the home of Mr. Harper where they conducted prayer meetings and other spiritual events. His home was located on what is now Dupont Avenue in Suitland, just blocks away from where the church formerly worshipped. Hunter’s first pastor was Rev. Batters. Unfortunately, nothing could be found in the church or community records about his place of birth, education, time served as minister, or death. However, the records indicated that the congregation desperately struggled to obtain property they could use for worship. After much prayer, a judge Cox, who recognized their need for a regular place of worship, donated an old shed on some property in Suitland.

The people came together and renovated the shed as best as they could with a modest membership. They soon began to experience a small increase in growth. In 1910, the church was officially named “Hunter Memorial”, and applied for, and was admitted into the Baltimore Annual Conference that same year. There is no record revealing who Hunter was, and why the church was named after him/her. Several attempts have been made to discover this historic information, but to no avail. However, some speculate that it was the name of Presiding Elder Hunter who officiated during this period.

In 1929, the church leaders began to evangelize the community to increase the membership. As the membership increased, it became apparent the little red shed was inadequate. Therefore, the shed was leveled and abandoned. An acre of land obtained by the members became the new site for Hunter Memorial (which became its permanent location until April of 2001). In 1932, the Rev. H. J. Curtis came to Hunter with a vision to build a new church. The members worked diligently with him to construct a new edifice. Mrs. Ann (Mother Lynn) Lynn was very faithful in coming to the church early before service to make fires in the winter, and ring the church bell before the services would start. Her daughter, Serena Lynn Hawkins, was faithful in giving concerts to help support the church financially.

The ensuing twenty years was a continual struggle to keep the church alive. The 1930’s and 40’s were not good years financially, and while the small group had faith and zeal, the economic climate was a formidable foe. Successive pastors struggled courageously to keep the church going. Sadly, it was in 1952, under the leadership of the Rev. Jesse Simms, (appointed by Bishop Hemingway in 1948) that the church finally had to close its doors. In spite of his efforts, and the support of a dwindling membership, Rev. Simms efforts were overtaken by both demographic and economic barriers. The membership was dwindling, and the surrounding community was predominately Catholic. Mother Lynn’s fighting spirit is especially remembered during those trying days.

Miraculously, the spirit of the people of Hunter did not die, even though it took six years before they could open the doors of the church again. In 1958, a young, eager and determined minister, the Rev. Leon G. Lipscombe, was assigned to reopen and rebuild the church, and membership. Rev. Lipscombe endeared himself to the community and the church, and in five years, he was able to build a new church and increase the membership. The church continued to grow slowly when they saw what he was trying to do. Rev. Lipscombe built the original building in which the church worshipped. Following Rev. Lipscombe was a Rev. Mark Green who stayed for one year.

In 1968, the Rev. George A. Manning was assigned to lead the congregation. Rev. Manning’s assignment to Hunter seemed to be the right combination to bring out the best in the members of the congregation, and the community. With dedication and hard work, Rev. Manning was able to overcome the fact that he only had twelve members. With a few of the men, he worked at night to complete the painting and plastering of the interior walls of the building that Rev. Lipscombe started. He worked on Saturdays and holidays to clear the entangled vines, weeds, and debris that surrounded the church building. Within the first year of his tenure, the membership doubled.

Another challenge for Rev. Manning was the fact that the Sunday School was under the leadership of the Suitland Civic Association. After much prayer, in 1969, Rev. Manning moved the Sunday School from the Civic Association into the church. Unfortunately, this move was not supported by the Civic Association, and many of the Sunday School workers did not align themselves with the church. Undaunted, Rev. Manning reorganized the Sunday School, and it began to flourish.

Over the next ten years, because of the continued growth in membership, Rev. Manning found it necessary to add on to the present church. A multi-purpose hall, five classrooms, a commercial kitchen, and brick veneer facelift was added. During this period the church grew to over five hundred families.

After twenty years of faithful service, in 1988, Rev. Manning was elevated to the position of Presiding Elder by Bishop John Hurst Adams. He was now responsible for leading the Potomac District of the Washington Conference. Bishop Adams then assigned the Rev. Michael O. Thomas, a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, as the new Pastor of Hunter Memorial. His ministry was complemented by the Rev. Debyii Sababu-Thomas, a graduate of the Harvard School of Divinity, and an ordained Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Revs. Thomas’ claim Bethel AME Church in Baltimore, Maryland, then under the Rev. John R. Bryant, as their home church and mentor. This ministerial team brought a level of energy and charisma that propelled the ministry forward to new levels of community involvement and church growth. Under their leadership, the ministry was able to acquire a lease for the new facility for renovation and relocation.

In October of the year 2000 at the Mid-Year Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, Bishop Vinton R. Anderson appointed Rev. Harold B. Hayes, Jr. to the historic Hunter Memorial. Rev. Kellie Hayes joins her husband in this spiritual adventure as they continue the vision of their predecessors. The Revs. Hayes are alumni of Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. Rev. Harold Hayes continued his education at Howard University School of Divinity, receiving a Masters of Divinity degree in May of 1992. Rev. Kellie Hayes received a Master of Theological Studies degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in May of 1997. The Revs. Hayes acknowledged and accepted their calls to preach while at Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Ft. Washingron, Maryland, under the dynamic, and spirit-filled leadership of the Revs. Drs. Grainger and Joann Browning.

Since October of the year 2000, under the leadership of Rev. Hayes, Hunter has completed renovations and acquired the entire shopping plaza that houses the church. Many ministries have been revived, and new ministries and choirs organized. The ministry has acquired a 25-passenger bus, and renovated a dilapidated pawnshop into the beautiful and elegant Koinonia Banquet hall, debt-free! The ministry’s desire and vision is to become a vehicle of spiritual, cultural, and social empowerment through addressing the specific needs of the Suitland and surrounding communities. The leadership is optimistic about the future, and the congregation continues to rejoice in church growth, spiritually, numerically, and financially. However, our focus is moving from membership to discipleship, with each one reaching one to be mindful that we are kingdom people, advancing the kingdom of God through prayer, the ministry of the word, praise, worship, giving, and serving.