Macedonia Church of God

What echoes through the hallowed halls of Macedonia Church of God? Here, at this sacred spot, faith has resonated for generations. Macedonia Church of God stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of a community. The church’s story begins in Flushing, Queens, though not with the current building. The land for the original Macedonia Church was purchased in 1811. It was purchased by the Trustees and members of the African Methodist Society of Flushing. This society predates the current church. It’s believed the society itself was formed years earlier by a diverse group. This group included free blacks, Native Americans, and whites, some possibly former slaves. The early members of Macedonia Church of God poured their lives into their faith and the upkeep of their church. Despite limited resources, they managed to expand and grow. In 1818, Richard Allen, a key figure in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, sent missions to New York. By 1821, Macedonia Church of God received its first appointed A.M.E. minister, Reverend Henry Heardon. After years of meeting in homes, the first church building was finally erected near the present site in 1837. At the turn of the 20th century, Reverend Charles J. Lawton envisioned a stronger presence for Macedonia Church of God in Flushing. He and the men of the church worked tirelessly to construct a new building on a brick foundation, with each brick painstakingly cleaned by hand by the women of the church. This building served the community for over thirty years. Under Reverend Lawton, the Missionary Society and Stewardess Board No. 1 were formed. Macedonia Church of God continued to thrive under strong leadership between 1905 and 1928. Then, in 1928, Reverend William McKinley Dawkins arrived. He found the church building in disrepair and lacking a parsonage. Within two years, he had established many amenities, including a parsonage that housed Macedonia Church of God’s pastors until the 1980s. His attempts to rebuild the church met with resistance from banks and contractors. Reverend Dawkins led the congregation in prayer. The membership grew to over five hundred. Their prayers were answered, and a newly renovated building was dedicated on February 14, 1932. While the Great Depression gripped the nation, Reverend Dawkins inspired the members to form many of the clubs and auxiliaries still active today. In the mid-to-late 1940s, while African Americans were being displaced from downtown Flushing, Macedonia Church of God remained. The church, under Reverend G. Grant Crumpley, acquired adjacent land from the city and built the Youth Building with a chapel. Macedonia Church of God stands to this day, a symbol of resilience and faith. It stands near the original land purchased in 1811. It reminds us of the power of community and the enduring strength of belief.