Our History

After the Civil War, the black people of this community were told they could worship at the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. They worshiped there until 1873 when Mr. and Mrs. Milton McLaurine gave them one acre of land on which to build a church. In 1874, the deacons and founders constructed a brush harbor as the first place of worship. These deacons and founders were: Payton Randall, John Hobson, Ruben Braxton, York Walker, Silas Carter, Simon Baker, Robert Archer and Jim Saunders.

Rev. Robert Ford became the first pastor of Mt. Pero Baptist Church.  The first service was held under the brush harbor on the first Sunday in September 1874, thus the tradition of worshiping on the first Sunday of each month.  During the next two years, a building was erected to replace the brush harbor.  The church was called Mt. Pero Baptist Church.  Rev. Ford served as pastor for five years during which time many people joined the church.

In 1879, Rev. Ned Goodwin was called as the second pastor of Mt Pero Baptist Church.  He served for eleven (11) years  and the church continued to grow with many believers in Christ being baptized.

Rev. Shelton Anderson became the third pastor of Mt. Pero Baptist Church in 1889.  He was a great shepherd who led his people for fifty-six (56) years.  A number of developments occurred under Rev. Anderson.  In 1903, Brother Webster Hundley was appointed church clerk. In 1909, some church members built the first pews.  They were handmade from pine wood and they remained in the church until 1980.   In  1910, Brother Tom Robinson was appointed the church’s first sexton.  The first musical instrument, an organ, was donated to the church by Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in 1910.    The cemetery was opened in 1937.  In 1938, Mrs. Maggie Harris, Mrs. Ada  Ligon, Mrs. Annie Howell and Mrs. Josephine Hobson organized the Willing Workers.  Mrs. Martha Bland organized the Choir.  Brother Robert Hobson, Brother Allen Ligon and Brother Frazier Hopkins started the doorkeepers (a form of ushers), but in later years Brother Charlie R. Brown and Sister Bessie Brown organized the formal usher board.  In 1945 Rev. B. C. Booker was called to assist Rev. S. A. Anderson whose health was failing.

On February 2, 1963, Rev. McCoy Lewis was installed as the fifth pastor of Mt. Pero Church.  After Rev. Lewis, the following pastors served Mt. Pero Church:  Rev. Melvin Woodson, Rev. Linwood Russell, Rev. Kelvin Jackson, and Rev. Patrick Bland.