A Brief History
of
Historic Sweet Canaan Church Of God In Christ
(“The second oldest Church of God in Christ in the World”)
“The first church added to the number professing sanctification was located in Carroll (Holmes) County sixteen or seventeen miles north of Lexington, Mississippi.”
The above statement is from the book: Fifty Years Achievement from 1906 -1956 A PERIOD IN HISTORY Of The CH
URCH OF GOD IN CHRIST ; By Charles H. (Editorial note: The Historic Sweet Canaan church is located near the Carroll County line but it is actually in northern Holmes County just south of Carroll County.) Allen Taylor’s property was located on Bell Bottom Road which is located about ten to fifteen miles north of Lexington. During those days Elder Morgan Williams was in charge of the small congregation. In the year 1909, the prayer mission decided to organize itself and the name Sweet Canaan was chosen. Prior to selecting the name Sweet Canaan, the church was known as the “ Colored Sanctified Church.” It was through continuous fervent prayer that other community people soon joined the early saints. The present site of Sweet Canaan was once the spot where cattle of Professor Taylor grazed. Professor Taylor donated the land to the church for the sum of twenty dollars ($20.00) a legal formality. Although the small congregation did not have seats, the community was blessed. Isaac Randle was given a few dollars to bring some sweet gum logs to be used as seats in the prayer mission. Recognizing the small congregation’s perseverance, Bishop Charles Harrison Mason (Founder of the Church Of God In Christ) appointed Elder Jeffery. He was also appointed the first Overseer of the State of Mississippi. At that time, the whole state was under one jurisdiction. Sweet Canaan is blessed to have had its first three pastors to served as state overseers; they were Elder Jeffery Lewis, Elder Stephen Rice, and Elder James Henderson. Sweet Canaan is also blessed to have had the jurisdictional supervisor of women for northern Mississippi, Mother Sarah Ann Braggs Gaston, as a member during her youth. Bishop Timothy Titus, Prelate of Norhtern Mississippi Jurisdiction, preached at Historic Sweet Canaan during his early years as a young preacher. The late Bishop Louis Henry Ford, former Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, often talked about his experience when he preached at Sweet Canaan when he was a child and a student at Saint Academy and College in Lexington. The first State Holy Convocation of the Church Of God In Christ was held at Historic Sweet Canaan. Former Pastors of Sweet Canaan were: Elder J.A. Lewis, Elder Stephen Rice, Elder Fred Winans, Elder W.B. Hudges, Elder D.R. Curry, Elder James Lee, Elder James Henderson, Elder D. Pitchford, Elder J.L. Pleas, Superintendent Fred Wade, and currently Elder Dr. Percy Washington, Sr. The first deacons of Sweet Canaan were Brother Phillip Blake, Brother Louis Brooks and Brother Charlie Randle, and Mother Abbie Banks was the church mother. Some of the early saints of Sweet Canaan were; Professor Allen Taylor, Brother Louis Brooks, Brother Willis Randle, Brother Frank Blake, Brother Jessie Banks, Brother Frank Hoover, Brother Ben Simmons, Mother Sara Booker, Mother Ina Jenkins, Mother Ida Wilson, Mother Abbie Banks, Mother Ella Taylor, Mother Emma Brooks, and Deacon Payton Smith. The present pastor, Elder Dr. Percy Louis Washington, was appointed to serve on May 18, 2003 by Bishop T.T. Pastor Washington and his lovely wife, Glenda, have five sons and nine grand children. He and the Sweet Canaan congregation have worked hard together to preserved the history of Sweet Canaan by enclosing the whole building inside the Dr. Tyree and Mary Carr Muitipurpose Building. The beautiful Carr Multipurpose building houses not only the entire historic church, but it houses the fellowship hall, residential quarters, office and classroom space. On July 18, 2013, Bishop Charles Edward Blake, the Pastor of West Angeles Cathedral in Los Angeles, California and the Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., visited Historic Sweet Canaan. He was joined at Sweet Canaan by General Board Members Bishop Brandon Porter of Memphis, Tennessee and Bishop Wooten, St. Louis, Missouri. Also joining Bishop Blake were several other bishops and more than half of the Trustee Board of the Church of God in Christ. Pastor Washington has said many times; “When I went to Sweet Canaan, on my way to the church I saw many cows. When I got to the church, I saw a honey bee hive in the back of the church. I knew I was in the right place. For I was in the Land of Milk and Honey- in the land of Canaan - Sweet Canaan.”
Come worship with us every Sunday. “We come to praise and worship-we leave to serve.”
This is only a partial history of Sweet Canaan. If anyone has any pictures and/or other information that deals with the history of our church, Please share this with us so that we may compile this into a complete history of Sweet Canaan Church Of God In Christ.
