Our History

With its beginning as a school over 100 years ago, Alabama Fork has stood as a witness of God’s love and faithfulness. During the early 1900s, a devoted Christian family, known as the Barbees, was concerned about the spiritual and educational needs of their community. Like most black communities of this time, black individuals were not openly welcomed into the established white churches and schools, so black community leaders led efforts to establish their own churches and schools. Such was the case with the Alabama Fork Church. Understanding the value and opportunities of an education, the Barbee family donated land to the Huntsville Presbytery Colored (HPC). Still enduring the residual effects of slavery, HPC wanted to better prepare members of the Limestone County community known as Alabama Fork. So with the gift of land donated by the Barbee family, HPC established a church known as Alabama Fork Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The church was established after a storm destroyed the school.

Because the Presbyterian denomination is a connectional body, Alabama Fork Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church was within the boundary lines of the HPC, and HPC had judicial oversight of the newly formed church. Over the years, the denomination has had several name changes. According to the book entitled, Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America Built By the Hands, “From 1864-1874, the name of the denomination was Cumberland Presbyterian Church Colored. This name was assigned to the freely released slaves to distinguish them from the predominantly white Cumberland Presbyterian Church. From 1874-1949, the name was changed to the Colored Cumberland Presbyterian Church.” The denomination actually had three additional name changes before the 1992 name change to the present Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America.

A 1915 deed places Alabama Fork at Township 2, Range 4, Section 20, known today as Cross Key Road and Highway #127. Rich in history, the church’s location is within the vicinity where a battle of the American Civil War was fought and the battle location is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Alabama Fork Church congregants were devoted and committed to their Christian faith and responsibilities. During 1950s-1960s, the church sponsored annual cultural and community events at the Historic Trinity High School. Additionally, the congregation ministered to the sick, needy, and imprisoned. But most importantly, the church never forgot its mission of soul winning. In fact, for years, the church hosted revivals, and people from all over the Limestone County area attended the hot August revivals, as church leaders fervently prayed for the unchurched. With the revivals came church growth. During the revivals, members of the following families came to know and accept the Lord, Jesus Christ, as their savior: Barbee, Winborn, Parrish, Davis, King, Goodloe, McDade, Shoulders, Collier, Malone, Griffin, Jones, and Lane. Many of these families had seven or more children, so Alabama Fork was a growing church. However, during the 1970s due to the state of the economy, there were limited employment opportunities in the area for African Americans, and many of the congregants moved elsewhere for better opportunities. The members who remained in the area continued to support the church. Even as the aged began to die, Alabama Fork Church had remnant members who were steadfast and faithful; they supported the church with their time, talents, and gifts. In the late 1970s, the church family decided to build another church, and in 1979, the present church was built debt free. The men, ladies, and children worked together to accomplish this task, working on the building after laboring 8 hours on their secular jobs, “they had a mind to work.” During the early 1980s, new boundary lines were established by the Alabama Synod, and a new presbytery was established. Consequently, Alabama Fork Church was transferred to the newly formed presbytery—known as the Tennessee Valley Presbytery.

Past leaders of Alabama Fork Church include: Elder Harry Parrish; Elder Herron Davis; Elder Thomas Collier; Elder Edward Griffin; Elder Leroy Goodloe; Elder Mattie Jones; Deacon Herbert Shoulders, Sr.; Deacon Jimmie Lane; Deacon Herbert Shoulders, Jr.; Deacon Robert Shoulders; and Deacon W. McDade. As a forward—thinking and progressive church, they recognized the gifts that the female members could contribute and elected them to teach the adult Sunday school and serve as an elder on the session. Former pastors of Alabama Fork Church include the Rev. John Swoope, the Rev. Walter Crutcher, and the Rev. Holman. There were several associate minsters. From 1958 to 2009, the Rev. Oscar Edmonds faithfully served as pastor. After the death of Rev. Edmonds, the Rev. Anthony Fletcher served as the pastor.

Alabama Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America, Inc. has a rich legacy to this day. She has weathered many storms and remained unified as instructed in the book of Ephesians. She has shown great fortitude and determination. However, her greatest legacy can be found in the Letter to the Church in Philadelphia as recorded in the Book of Revelation. Alabama Fork is a church that preserves and loves unconditionally.