More than140 years as a member of the Charlotte community.
Amity Presbyterian Church was organized June 17, 1882, following a commission granted by a group from Mecklenburg Presbytery, consisting of Reverend G. D. Parks, D. P. Robinson and G. W. McDonnel. Two Charter members were placed on the church roll at this time. The first session meeting in the new church, June 25, 1882, was composed of S. W. Alexander, J. L. Campbell and C. H. Wolfe, Clerk. A first-hand account states that the "house" consisted of "homemade benches and one middle aisle leading to the pulpit or Bible-stand". The building, which was later used as a Session and Community House, stood among small cedar trees. The land for the new church was donated by R. Boston Wallace to the Session on August 23, 1882 to be in trust to them "only for use and enjoyment for such society or congregation of the Presbyterian Church as shall be hereafter organized for the purpose of worshipping and said ceremonies".
"Amity" was chosen as the name, since the meaning of "amity" is love and friendship and Reverend G. D. Parks was called as the first pastor.
The original church was a log structure sixteen by twenty-four feet, erected in 1882. The second church, erected in 1883, was a frame building forty by fifty-five feet. In 1914, the old brick sanctuary was built, followed by a frame Sunday school building 1932, and a second brick Sunday school building in 1953. The present sanctuary was built in 1956, and dedicated November 17, 1956. Additional Sunday school space and a fellowship hall were added to the 1953 building in 1956 and this building was named Johnston Hall, honoring the Reverend W. H. Johnston, who served as pastor of Amity on two occasions for a total of nineteen years. In September, 1968, construction was completed on an addition to the Sanctuary to provide more space and a central heating system; an administration building which houses offices, classrooms, and choir space, additional educational space to house a growing Kindergarten.
In 1926, the old Progress school house and land was purchased from the Mecklenburg County school board and changed into a manse. It was used until 1947, when it was sold and a new manse built on Hickory Grove Road, on property given to the church by Mrs. E. M. Cole, Miss Bertha Morris, Mrs. Tom Gibson, and Mrs. Will Newell. In 1965, they traded the manse on Hickory Grove Road for one on Eastbourne Road in the Lake Forest area.
The membership of the church and Sunday school grew steadily through the years, but especially from 1956. The report to the Presbytery showed 296 church members in December 1956, and in December 1959, 550 members with a Sunday school enrollment of 642. Along with this rapid growth came the need for a full time Director of Christian Education, Miss Margaret Hood, who came in October 1959. The church and the church school continued to grow and in June, 1965, Miss Phyllis J. Thomas became the second full time Director of Education. In 1968, the membership of the church stood at 761.
On June 24, 2007, the 125th Anniversary was celebrated with over 400 people who had all been a part of Amity's history. It truly was a special day to share the love and friendship for which Amity was named.
Today, Amity is a small but mighty congregation that God is growing in some beautiful ways. We are growing in faith, growing in diversity, growing in number, growing in community ministry partners, and even growing fruits and veggies in our new community garden. God continues to amaze us and calls us forward, outward, and deeper.
In servant leadership, Amity has 9 Ruling Elders and a Clerk of Session serving on the rotation system. The church has seven Ministry Teams: Safe Space, Food Justice, Community Connections, Administrative, Congregational Life, Finance, and Property. Amity members and friends are welcome to join these teams and participate in the full ministry of the congregation.
We are determined to answer Christ’s call to transform the world for the better and be the church Jesus needs us to be right now, right where we are. Trusting in God’s faithfulness, we believe we can carry out powerful, Gospel ministry with courage and joy! We hope you will be a part of living out the next chapter of the Amity story that God is writing. There’s a place for you here, and we need you.