For the past five years, members of Scotland AME Zion Church have worshipped in a dance studio, two other churches and their own parking lot.
Not even flooding powerful enough to knock the church on Seven Locks Road in Potomac off its foundation was enough to keep this community apart.
On Monday, MCM got a private tour of the newly refurbished church – a historic landmark in Montgomery County – that is about to open its doors again.
The church was constructed by hand by recently freed slaves and still counts many ancestors of those original members as active congregants.
On Sunday, and for many years to come, services will be held inside a church that was rebuilt thanks to the Montgomery County community, including the Marriot Foundation, the founders of Glenstone Museum, Adventist Hospital, other faith communities and nearby neighbors as well as the county and state governments.
Still, after raising close to $9 million, another $2 million is still needed, according to Rev. Dr. Evalina Huggins.
The original building was completed on Sept. 14, 1924, and still stands as does an addition that was built in 1963. Now, it’s been refurbished, and the ground around it stabilized.
“There’s about $8 million you can’t see under the ground that’s not supposed to allow flooding,” Huggins said.
Many opening celebrations are planned, including one on March 9 at 2 p.m. when the church holds its second Sunday service in the new building.
Members of the River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, which provided space for Scotland church members to worship for the past three years, and the Jewish Studio, which has been an active participant in funding and support, will join for a service entitled, “Working Together Works!”
As overjoyed as she is to watch the finishing touches be made, Huggins said she is most proud of “the people, not so much the building. The people, they didn’t give up on this.”
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