Our History
How We're Helping
Get Involved
Thank You
We are a community-based organization focused on helping make the world around us a better, happier place. With the help of our tireless staff, we organize fundraisers, exciting community-building events, and in-depth training sessions for our volunteers.
Are you passionate about what we're doing? Let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to help us make our vision a reality. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team!
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.
Historical Sketch
In the fall of 1881, the late Sister Nettie Jones, in the company of several other women, was visiting the home of Brother and Sister Curtis who lived north of Calhoun Street. The late Rev. Gilbert Green came in and asked, “How would you sisters like to have a church home?” Sister Jones said, “I was young and active at the time and was the first to rise on my feet. I told him I thought it was a fine idea. I seemed to have voiced the sentiment of the rest of the group.”
The group then discussed among themselves plans for raising funds for a building. They soon raised ten dollars ($10.00) and Pastor Green also gave ten dollars to the building fund. This twenty dollars ($20.00) was spent for lumber.
Of course this small amount of lumber was not enough for a building, so Rev. Green, assisted by Sister Nettie Jones and four other women, brought brush from McGowen Street to the site. Rev. Green served as pastor for thirty-four (34) years.
Other ministers who served as pastor include: Reverends: C.H. Jones (two years), William “Willie” Williams (four years), J.S. Brown (thirteen years), M.W. West (two years), Moses L. Price (forty-six years), Gerald M. Dew (sixteen years), Oran Williams, Interim pastor (eighteen months) and the current Pastor, L. David Punch.
According to history, the appellation of “Little Zion” was given to the church by the fifth pastor, Rev. M.W. West. When Rev. Price became pastor, he changed the name to “Greater Zion”.
Historical Summary of Greater Zion M.B.C
Pastoral List
1881-1915 Rev. Gilbert Green, founding pastor served thirty-four years
1916-1918 Rev. Charles Jones served two years
1918-1922 Rev. William “Willie” Williams served four years
1922- 1935 Rev. James S. Brown served thirteen years
1936-1937 Rev. W.M West served one and a half years
1938-1984 Rev. Moses L. Price served forty-six years
1984-2000 Rev. Gerald M. Dew served sixteen years
2000-2002 Rev. Oran Williams served as interim pastor for one and a half years
2002- Present Pastor L. David Punch
Historical Highlights
1939 Choir Two was organized (formerly Jubilee Chorus)
1940 Building Renovation and additions: Sunday School classrooms, choir rooms, kitchen and dining room
1943 Mortgage burned for Old church
1944 Women’s Chorus organized
1947 Building fund established for new edifice
1947 Sis. Lucy Clayton appointed Youth Choir Supervisor
1954 The construction of the new $268,000 edifice began with the leadership of
Sisters: Mary Louise Price (late wife of Rev. M.L. Price), Bertha Johnson, Laura K. Williams, and Willa Foster; Brothers W.T. Cook, Herbert Thomas,
Robert Williams, Wilbert J. Allums, and Josiah Miller.
1958 Entrance into the new edifice under the direction of Reverend H.L. Simpson and Dr. A.A. Lucas.
1958 Purchased two buses
1958 Acquired the Chester Property on the corner of Tierwester and Hadley Streets
1965 Reverend M.L. Price was elected President of the Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas.
1972 The Gilbert Brown Scholarship was founded by Brother Herbert Thomas
1974 Easter Sunday – Mortgage burning Ceremony, with Reverend R.L. Rowe, preaching
1974 Purchased property directly in front of the church. A 31 year endeavor
1975 Rev. Price spoke at the World Baptist Alliance in Stockholm, Sweden
1978 Reverend M.L. Price was elected first vice president of the National Baptist Convention of America
1982 Construction began on the Educational Building
1983 Completion and dedication of the Educational Building with Rev. G.W. Kimble preaching
1983 Property on the south side of the church was acquired
1984 After giving Greater Zion his best, Reverend M.L. Price fell asleep in Jesus on Sunday, September 9
1984 Reverend Gerald Maurice Dew was elected as the seventh pastor, September 10
1985 Renamed and Rededicated the Educational Building – “Moses Leonard Price Memorial Educational Building”
1986 Established the Greater Zion Food Pantry
1987 Established the Tape Ministry
1988 Antique widows replaced by stained glass windows
1988 Organized New Member Orientation Course
1990 Established the Deacon’s Family Ministry Plan
1991 Renamed the Gilbert Brown, Sr. Scholarship Fund to Moses Leonard Price Scholarship Fund, chaired by Deacon Herbert Thomas, et.al.
1991 Organized the Third Ward Fellowship of Churches
1991 Burned the Mortgage for the Educational Building
1993 Completed the $215,000 Sanctuary Remodeling Project
1993 Instituted the Annual Leader’s Retreat
1994 Conducted the first church ministry long range planning process: “Envision Greater Zion 2000”
1995 Acquired additional property, 7 ½ lots on Gray
1995 Organized Reward Third Ward, Inc., a non-profit community development corporation
1996 Acquired a 15-passenger mini-van
1996 Rev. Dew made first missionary journey to Zimbabwe and Kenya, Africa followed by additional journeys in 1997, 1998 and 1999
1997 Organized the Mission Ministry Staff
1998 Conducted Houston’s first Church Ministry Institute
1998 Began the first phase of the M.L. Price Educational Building expansion project
1999 Rev. Dew appointed Chairman of Strategic Planning Team of the National Baptist Convention of America
2000 Pastor Gerald M. Dew received Master’s Degree in Theology
2000 Initiated 7:30 Morning Worship Service
2000 Pastor Dew announced his call to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, IL in January
2000 Reverend Oran Williams was appointed as Interim Pastor in February
2002 Reverend L. David Punch was elected as the eighth pastor of Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church on September 8
2004 Pastor Punch becomes CEO/President of Re-Ward Third Ward, Inc.
2007 Pastor Punch developed Zion Village Senior Housing
2007 Pastor Punch appointed associate Dean, Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas
2007 Pastor Punch appointed permanent Organization committee, Missionary Baptist Convention of Texas
2008 New Church Marquee Placed in Memory of Deacon Rick Herndon
2008 Presented Historical Marker from the Texas Historical Commission
2008 Created seven full time summer jobs for youth from ages 16-18 in partnership with Texas WorkSource
2009 Second Sunday in August – First Annual Family Fellowship in the Park (Christia V. Adair Park)
2009 Pastor Punch is the Bible Conference Speaker for the 103rd National Baptist Congress
2009 Grand Opening of Zion Village Senior Contemporary Housing
2009 Pastor Punch appointed President of the South Texas Regional of the MBGCT
2009 Organized the Houston Metropolitan Top Teens 4-H Club
2010 Pastor Punch appointed to the NMBCA cabinet as Dean of Minister's Conference
2010 Zion Gardens Apartments development underway
2010 Creation of the Urban Garden in partnership with Houston Metropolitan Top Teens 4-H
2011 Annual Family Fellowship in the Park Moved to Second Sunday in October
2012 HomeWood at Zion completed in December (Formerly known as Zion Gardens)
2012 Organized the 8:30am Sunday Pastor's Class Bible Training Union
2012 Instituted 8:30am Sunday Substance Abuse Recovery Ministry
2012 Organized the Barnabas Ministry
2013 HomeWood at Zion Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening Ceremony
2013 Organized the Annual Leadership Empowerment Conference
2014 Celebrated First Annual Fall Festival
2015 Sanctuary Remolding Underway
2016 Re-Organized the Women's Ministry
2017 Began Annual Women's Ministry Conference
2018 Pastor Punch appointed Director of Communications and Public Relations and Presidential Executive Committee Member for National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
2019 Pastor L. David Punch received Doctorate of Humane Letters from United Theological Seminary and Bible College, Co-Hosted 139th Annual Session of the National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
Summation
The influence of Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church is felt throughout the city, state, and nation. Each minister has contributed service to God’s people spiritually, socially, and economically. Through the dedicated leadership of the current pastor, more souls will be saved as we move on into the new millennium with Pastor L. David Punch