The Shadow
McAllister Memorial Presbyterian Church in Covington will celebrate its centennial Sunday.
The Rev. Michael C. Fleenor, who served as pastor at McAllister from November 2001 until his retirement in May of 2016, will return to lead a day of celebration as the church commemorates its 100th anniversary.
The church is located at 900 N. Alleghany Avenue and has quite a storied history.
In 1899, A.A. McAllister owned the home known as “Rose Dale” and the farm along Dunlap Creek and the Jackson River. He sold a large tract on the east bank of the creek to the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company which built a paper mill on the site.
The influx of workers and families resulted in the establishment of new neighborhoods across the river from the mill on McAllister Hill, Rivermont and in the Dry Run section. Automobiles were still being perfected and transportation was by rail, on horseback or in wagons. Workers needed to live within walking distance of the mill.
In time, First Presbyter-ian Church (organized 1819) responded to this population growth in the northern outskirts of town on April 16, 1917, during a Session meeting of the Covington First Presbyter-ian Church.
At the time the church was located on the corner of Maple Avenue and River-side Street, now owned and occupied by Loving Funeral Home.
“On motion it was ordered that the Pastor (Rev. T.K. Young, D.D.) and Ruling Elder J.H. Carpenter, Sr., be empowered to build and equip a Sunday School Room on McAllister Hill, on a lot donated for that purpose by Mr. W.M. McAllister.” The minutes were signed by J.R. Harmon, Clerk of the Session.
In June of 1918, the McAllister Memorial Chapel was opened; within a year, McAllister Memorial Presbyterian Church was organized by the Pres-bytery of Montgomery (PCUS) with the Rev. W.H. Foard installed as organizing pastor.
Records of the Montgomery Presbytery note, “Pursuant to the call of the Moderator, the Reverend P.C. Clark, the Commission of Montgomery Presbytery met in the McAllister Memorial Chapel on December 10, 1918, at 7:30 p.m. to complete its work, that of organizing McAllister Memorial Church. Thirty members were received by letter of transfer and four members by restatement of faith. Then according to the form prescribed by The Book of Church Order these members were constituted a church… It was decided that the name of the new organization should be McAllister Memorial Presbyterian Church.”
With a beginning of 34 members, the little chapel on the hill overlooking the paper mill soon became the largest Presbyterian church in the area.
Those original 34 members constituted families whose children were not yet communicants.
When the Rev. W.H. Foard was installed as the first pastor on March 23, 1919, there were 39 members with 89 in the Sunday School, according to the first report to Presbytery in April.
The Rev. Leslie Patterson was called in 1936, ushering in a time of phenomenal church growth. Membership increased from 250 in 1936 to 600 in 1939. In 1937, a building program doubled the size of the physical plant and included a new sanctuary. By 1958, it was the sixth largest in the Mont-gomery Presbytery.
The growth of the church required more space. On the Oct. 9, 1957, the trustees were authorized to borrow $40,000 from the Citizens National Bank and $30,000 from the Covington National for the purpose of erecting a new church building and sanctuary.
Another resolution on the Sept. 10, 1958, increased the authorization to allow a sum of $50,000 to be borrowed from the Citizens National Bank and $30,000 from the Covington National Bank.
The Rev. James C. Clark was pastor of the church in 1958 when the sanctuary was dedicated. He noted that the church’s roots could be traced to the early settlement of the region.
“Although we are young in comparison with the long history of Presbyterianism in this area which dates to 1775-1780, being a daughter of the First Presbyterian Church of Covington, Vir-ginia, we have joy in being a part of this long and noble heritage.”
By the mid-1970s, the 1937 structure which was converted for use as a fellowship hall and for Sunday school space was aging and inadequate. In 1978, it was replaced with a two-story addition containing a larger fellowship hall, commercial kitchen, and Sunday school rooms.
While McAllister Mem-orial Presbyterian Church has experienced some enrollment loss in the last years, it continues its mission of discipleship and service. Members are active in the COPE Food Pantry, the Men of Mission, the Presbyterian Mission Week, support of the Christmas Mother program and involvement in interdenominational community services.
The Women of the Church support local and global missions in both monetary and physical contributions of time and talent.
Youth programs and Christian education are open to all who come. Vacation Bible School annually attracts participants from the entire Alleghany Highlands. The church is the host of the Alleghany Highlands Chorale and its own music program remains a highlight of all worship services.
On Sunday, Dec. 16, the church will celebrate the 100th anniversary of service to the community and the Alleghany Highlands. The public is cordially invited to share in its joy.
A light continental breakfast will be served in the fellowship hall at 10:00 a.m. followed by the Rev. Fleenor leading the morning worship service at 11 a.m.
Lunch and fellowship will be enjoyed after the service where members and guests may reunite with past members and greet one another. A special slide show will be showing during the luncheon.
The Centennial Celebration Service will be held in the church sanctuary beginning at 2 p.m. The service will celebrate the history of the church and include special music and reflections of the past with words of hope for the future.
Note: Information compiled from church records and sources by Paul Linkenhoker. While many have provided assistance, the work of the late Hilda Perry, long-time church secretary, was instrumental in preserving the history of the church.
