In 1978, there was a group of saints looking for a church home and desiring to start their own. The group included Deacon Sam Boswell, Deacon Willie Boswell, Karen Jackson, Evangelist Mattie Bowman, Mother Forestine Boswell, and others. There were altogether a total of 9 faithful believers. About 75 miles away, there was a preacher by the name of Jewett Jackson who was Pastoring the Mt. Zion Church of Deliverance in Jackson, MI. These 9 individuals had been attending Mt. Zion Church of Deliverance in Jackson, MI and they desired to start a church in Detroit. It just so happen that Pastor Jewett and his wife Nellie shared the same desire of starting a work in Detroit. In that year, the Lord put them all together and Mt. Zion Church of Deliverance was born from that union.
They sought out a location and the Lord led them to a location on Fort Street. In 1983, they bought the building next door which was a former taxidermy office. After operating as separate buildings for ten years, they came up with a vision for a new look of the church that would combine both buildings. After operating mainly as a fellowship hall, in 1994, the men of Mt. Zion started renovations to both the sanctuary and the fellowship hall
With the deacons involved with the plans and construction, phase one was completed and included combining the two buildings with a new brick front and a gable roof. Pastor Jackson long desires a steeple with a cross be place on the roof and that finalized phase one. Phase II and III included adding offices, extending the sanctuary, and redesigning the fellowship hall.
Under the leadership of Jewett Jackson, many ministries were started that helped to grow the ministry including Bible Study on Tuesday and Prayer on Friday. Noon Day prayer every weekday. Two choirs were formed, adult and children choir led by First Lady Nellie Jackson. Mount Zion hosted yearly revivals featuring Dr. Perneatha Sherman as well as tent revivals. Overseer Jackson had a Vision for outreach from which started a yearly back to school outreach campaign, Thanksgiving and Christmas food boxes for those in need and a Halloween Harvest Fun Night in which Overseer was willing to share on his birthday. Other services that were started included Hospitality ministry, Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, Adult and Junior Choir Concert, Friday Night Evangelism Night, and Annual Women’s Day.
In 2010, after much prayer, Pastor Jewett Jackson announced to the ministry team that he was stepping aside and retiring as Pastor of Mt. Zion Church after 32 years of faithful service. On September 18th 2010, Pastor Bernard Jackson was installed as the second Pastor of Mt. Zion Church of Deliverance before family and friends by Bishop Thomas L. Askin.
The church continues to thrive through many new ministries and initiatives under the leadership of our new Pastor. The Lord is still making himself known in miraculous ways. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. We serve an awesome God!