The South Mississippi Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church: The History, the Heritage

This book is a compilation of the histories of the establishment and growth of the churches that comprise the South Mississippi Annual Conference (SMC) of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church from 1891 to 2013. Due to the vigorous evangelistic activity of missionary preachers Grandison (Granderson) Sims, I. J. Murphy, and others, you will discover several of the churches were founded before the SMC was organized in 1891. Even though each church history is unique, we find that the struggles are the same. God has been good. He brought us through. Churches were organized under old oak trees, some in brush harbors, and others in members homes. All churches lost their identity during the civil war; and later, some burned, some were blown away by hurricanes, and others collapsed. But God has been good. He brought us through the storm, the wind, and the rain and allowed us to rebuild bigger and better each time. Now we can worship in comfort. The SMC is a loving and caring family of churches that have struggled and survived together for over two hundred. We have grown, but there is still much room to grow. Still more territory to conquer for the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ.

Barbara Devine Russell-Reed is a born again Christian, evangelist and minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is a native Cantonian and a 1964 graduate of Rogers High School of which she graduated Historian of her class. She studied at several colleges and universities including Tougaloo Southern Christian College, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi and Mott Community College in Flint Michigan. She is a 2013 graduate of New Foundation Theological Seminary where she received a degree in Christian Counseling. She was formerly employed with the Genesee County Department of Veterans Affairs, Flint, Michigan; Mississippi Department of Public Welfare and the Mississippi Department of Corrections. She is well known for her volunteer community services with at-risk children and youth, and voter registration and education outreach. Evangelist Reed is the daughter of the late nationally acclaimed Civil Rights Activist, Annie Devine. She is an Elder in the South Mississippi Annual Conference, and serves as assistant minister in her local church, St. Paul AME Zion Church, Canton, under the spiritual leadership of Rev. John C. Morris, Jr. She is married to songwriter/musician Jerry Reed and they are the producers of a series of Gospel Meditations of which she is the featured vocalist. Evangelist Barbara is also a songwriter, gospel soloist and oratorical speaker.