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Amity
Presbyterian Church was organized June 17, 1882, following a commission granted by a group from Mecklenburg Presbytery, consisting
of Reverend G. D. Parks, D. P. Robinson and G. W. McDonnel. Thirty-two Charter members were placed on the church roll
at this time. The first session meeting in the new church, June 25, 1882, was composed of S. W. Alexander, J. L. Campbell
and C. H. Wolfe, Clerk. A first-hand account states that the "house" consisted of "homemade benches
and one middle aisle leading to the pulpit or Bible-stand". The building, which was later used as a Session and
Community House, stood among small cedar trees. The land for the new church was donated by R. Boston Wallace to the
Session on August 23, 1882 to be in trust to them "only for use and enjoyment for such society or congregation of the
Presbyterian Church as shall be hereafter organized for the purpose of worshipping and said ceremonies". "Amity"
was chosen as the name, since the meaning of "amity" is love and friendship and Reverend G. D. Parks was called
as the first pastor. The original church was a log structure sixteen by twenty-four feet, erected
in 1882. The second church, erected in 1883, was a frame building forty by fifty-five feet. In 1914, the
old brick sanctuary was built, followed by a frame Sunday school building 1932, and a second brick Sunday school building
in 1953. The present sanctuary was built in 1956, and dedicated November 17, 1956. Additional Sunday school space
and a fellowship hall were added to the 1953 building in 1956 and this building was named Johnston Hall, honoring the
Reverend W. H. Johnston, who served as pastor of Amity on two occasions for a total of nineteen years. In September,
1968, construction was completed on an addition to the Sanctuary to provide more space and a central heating system; an administration
building which houses offices, classrooms, and choir space, additional educational space to house a growing Kindergarten. In 1926, the old Progress school house and land was purchased from
the Mecklenburg County school board and changed into a manse. It was used until 1947, when it was sold and a new manse
built on Hickory Grove Road, on property given to the church by Mrs. E. M. Cole, Miss Bertha Morris, Mrs. Tom Gibson, and
Mrs. Will Newell. In 1965, they traded the manse on Hickory Grove Road for one on Eastbourne Road in the Lake Forest
area. The membership of the church
and Sunday school grew steadily through the years, but especially from 1956. The report to the Presbytery showed 296
church members in December 1956, and in December 1959, 550 members with a Sunday school enrollment of 642. Along with
this rapid growth came the need for a full time Director of Christian Education, Miss Margaret Hood, who came in October 1959.
The church and the church school continued to grow and in June, 1965, Miss Phyllis J. Thomas became the second full time Director
of Education. In 1968, the membership of the church stood at 761.
Amity has 15 Ruling Elders and a Clerk of Session serving on the rotation system. The Session has nine committees:
Worship, Administration, Finance/Stewardship, Property, Missions,Fellowship/Outreach, Congregational Care, Preschool, and
Christian Education. On June 24, 2007, the 125th Anniversary was celebrated with over 400 people who had all been a part
of Amity's history. It truly was a special day to share the love and friendship for which Amity was named.
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