Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Nueces County. Now, some stories begin with a single family and a whole lot of faith.

This one begins with two families, one decision, and twelve children. In 1917, Riley and Ella Mays packed up their household, all twelve kids included, and moved to Robstown. Not long after they arrived, they joined with the Ira Collier family and got to work.

What they were building wasn't a building yet. It was a congregation. A purpose.

A community in the making. The first worship service came together in September of 1918, held in a Robstown school building. And the name they gave that new congregation was Mt.

Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Simple, strong, and it stuck. In those early years, the Mt.

Zion Missionary Baptist Association, a regional denominational organization, stepped in to provide pastors for the young congregation while it found its footing. The first minister the congregation called for themselves was the Reverend C. B.

Baycoat, who came and preached two Sundays a month. Not every Sunday, mind you. Two.

And still, people came. And more people came. As new families joined Mt.

Zion, a Sunday school was organized. The congregation was growing roots. And by 1930, they had built something you could point to, a first sanctuary, standing right there in Robstown.

Twenty years on, by 1950, the membership had grown enough that two Sundays a month from any pastor simply wouldn't do. They needed someone full time. The Reverend D.

L. Everett answered that call. And during his tenure, a new building was completed.

Mt. Zion wasn't standing still. The latter half of the twentieth century brought more of the same spirit, ordained leaders and lay members alike inspiring growth and development.

In 1965, a third building was constructed. And somewhere along the way, the congregation purchased the Phyllis Wheatley School and renovated it into an activity center. A school, turned into a place of community gathering.

That's not a small thing. From that first service in a borrowed schoolroom in 1918, through every building raised and every pastor called, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church kept its eye on outreach, education, and community assistance.

The marker says it remains a significant part of Robstown's cultural heritage. And when you look at what two families started with nothing but conviction and twelve children in tow, well, significant feels just about right.

What the marker says

Soon after Riley and Ella Mays moved with their 12 children to Robstown in 1917, they and the Ira Collier family worked to organize this congregation. The first worship service was held in September 1918 in a Robstown school building, and the name given to the church was Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. The Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Association, a regional denominational organization, provided pastors for the new congregation during its formative years. The Rev. C. B. Baycoat was the first minister called by the congregation, and he preached two Sundays a month. As new families joined Mt. Zion, a Sunday school was organized, and the congregation constructed its first sanctuary in 1930. By 1950, membership had grown sufficiently to require the ministry of a full-time pastor, and the Rev. D. L. Everett was called to that position. During his tenure, a new building was completed. In the latter half of the 20th century, leadership on the part of both ordained and lay members continued to inspire growth and development. A third building was constructed in 1965, and the Phyllis Wheatley School was purchased and renovated to create an activity center for the congregation. Throughout its history, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church has focused on its commitment to outreach, education and community assistance. It remains a significant part of Robstown's cultural heritage. (2001)