Mount Vernon Methodist Church

Mount Vernon Methodist Church is one of the oldest churches in the North Birmingham neighborhood. The church was organized in 1878 or 1884, depending on where you look. The church’s early pioneers had a difficult time finding an adequate place to meet. After first meeting at the home of William M. Owens, they moved to a humble frame building located at 33rd Avenue and 22nd Street North. This church was then on the Birmingham circuit. The church was served by the following men as pastors: A. J. Copeland, G. L. Jenkins, J. W. Carey, George Stoves, C. M. Hensley, W. P. Blevins, and J. L. Ferguson. This church became a station in 1902 and the Rev. J. W. Johnson was appointed as the first pastor of Mount Vernon Methodist Church. Under his ministry, a new brick building was constructed, and the church moved to 34th Avenue and 24th Street North. The following preachers served this church as pastors: Hoyt M. Dobbs, Frank W. Brandon, J. S. Glasgow, J. L. Brittain, L. F. Stansell, E. M. Glenn, George Boyd, and W. M. Harris.

When Dr. William Monroe Harris first came to the Mount Vernon Methodist Church in 1923, he expected to stay about one year. Dr. Harris served the church from 1923 to 1930, and under his ministry a new church and parsonage was constructed at a total cost of $160,000, with a debt of $60,000. In the Fall of 1930, Dr. Harris was made presiding elder of the Gadsden District, and after serving there for four years was returned to Mount Vernon. When he returned, he found the debt still on the church, with an accumulated interest. Under his leadership, the church was able to liquidate the debt.

In 1948, Dr. Harris celebrated his 21st year as pastor of Mount Vernon Methodist. At that time, it was the longest tenure in the history of any Methodist church in Alabama and one of the longest in the South. In November 1947, Dr. Harris was slated to be transferred to Gadsden as district superintendent. The Mount Vernon church board of stewards went to see the presiding bishop and told him of the great love the 1,600 members of the Mount Vernon Methodist Church had for Dr. Harris. They reminded the bishop how Dr. Harris had built up the church membership from about 700 to 1,600 and how he helped them build a fine new church and pay for it, also a new parsonage. The bishop was deeply touched, and Dr. Harris remained at Mount Vernon.

Dr. Harris helped to organize the first Lions Club in North Birmingham. He was the first club president. He also helped organize the North Birmingham Merchants Association. While at Mount Vernon, he developed a progressive youth character-building program. New chimes were installed in the late 1940s, a gift from three businessmen, J. H. Berry, Jr., A. J. McCurry, and M. B. Huffstutler. Dr. Harris had four children: two sons and two daughters. The two sons, who served in the Army, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania medical college. The girls were graduates of Birmingham-Southern. One of his daughters was even married at Mount Vernon Methodist in 1948.

In 1956, the Mount Vernon Methodist Church announced plans for a $210,000 youth center and educational building to make it possible for the church to provide a seven-day-a-week program. In his second year as pastor, the Rev. Mr. Grant Parris said the finance committee, headed by J. H. Berry, conceived the idea for the youth center and educational building and the expansion will make it possible for the church to grow its youth activities. Mr. Parris came to Mount Vernon after seven years as pastor of the First Methodist Church in Piedmont.

By the 1970s, many of the church members had moved to Gardendale due to what they described as a changing neighborhood. In 1975, Mount Vernon Methodist Church merged with Gardendale Methodist becoming Gardendale Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, and announced plans to build a new church. Gardendale Church was faced with the eventual loss of its building due to Interstate 65, so negotiations started which culminated in a merger. The Rev. Vandon Windsor became the new pastor and served the Gardendale Church, and the Rev. Daniel S. Kilgore is an associate pastor and served Mount Vernon. The congregation continued to meet in two locations until the new church was completed. Some parts of Mount Vernon Methodist Church were salvaged and used in the new church like the pipe organ and stained-glass windows. The sale of the former Mount Vernon Church was left up to the congregation with some saying it could be an office building or funeral home, or even sold to a Black congregation. Today, the former church sits in a severe state of disrepair. The property is currently owned by Equivest Financial LLC, a Michigan-based financial investment firm.

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