By Cindy Adams
We’re all familiar with "The Little Engine That Could," but this is a story about the little church that could. Mt. Zion AME Church has stood in the heart of Roanoke City for 149 years. It currently has 144 members on its roster. It runs a food bank, a clothes closet and a wellness center. And every hour, on the hour, it chimes ring out over the neighborhood; not just to mark the time but, by design, to give the people around it a small, steady sense of peace.
This congregation loves its community.
Rev. Dr. Amy Hodge, who has pastored Mt. Zion for 19 years, is the first woman and the longest-tenured pastor in the church’s history. It's a small church with a big story.
"This congregation has 144 on its roster, but 25 people really make it all happen," Rev. Hodge said. "They have a huge heart for serving. If someone sends us a request, you bet we’re going to answer it."
The engine behind Mt. Zion’s community outreach is a 12-member missionary society, led by missionary president Marilyn Hairston and a steward board under the direction of Sister Mary Hackley. They spend their energy looking for ways to help others. In addition to its food, clothing and health ministries, these groups currently support two preschools and 10 other city schools. And, for four years now, one of those partnerships has been with enCircle's Roanoke Minnick School.
The first year Mt. Zion members reached out to see how they could help, they donated school supplies. The next year, they multiplied that by ten. The year after that, they added coats to the mix. This year, they gave backpacks, Gatorade and a stockpile of items for the school's "Dot Store," a behavior recognition program where students earn rewards for making good choices.
"I couldn't fit it all in my car," said Tanisha Nash, Supervisor of Student Support Services at enCircle's Minnick Schools. "I am super impressed with this small church that has done so much. They have the desire and they find the time to abundantly give to our students. They are serving a lot of people with what they have."
The way they go about giving is intentional. Rev. Hodge said the church decided early on that community service wouldn’t be a one-time gesture. Instead, it would be something they built on, year after year.
For a school like Roanoke Minnick, that consistency matters as much as the supplies themselves. Students and families know Mt. Zion will show up. And it appears they show up bigger each year.
Rev. Hodge points to a simple belief that drives it all: "What you do for the least of these, you've done it for God." For Mt. Zion, that is not an abstract thought.
"We believe we should be serving God in a tangible way," she said.
She describes what it’s like when the donations come together at the church. The boxes of supplies, coats and backpacks are all gathered in one room, and seeing it is one of the best parts of the whole effort.
"It’s a feeling of great satisfaction," Rev. Hodge said. "Everybody wins."
It's a partnership that works because both sides bring something real to it. A school that knows exactly what its students and families need, and a congregation that keeps looking for ways to meet those needs.
"We want to show our love for others and for God," Rev. Hodge said.
Mt. Zion may be small, but it is as powerful as a locomotive. Maybe because it runs on love.
If your church or community group is interested in supporting an enCircle program, you can learn more about our community partnerships here.
