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About Lomax Temple

Young and old, strength and wisdom...

We Pursue Our Mission Together.

"Our common creed is our belief in the Bible, our deep faith in Jesus Christ, and our acceptance of the unconditional love of God."

Reverend Orea Peterson, Senior Pastor
Lomax Temple A.M.E. Zion Church

Our Story

In April of 1918, Lomax Temple A.M.E. Zion Church was born into existence. The first service was held outdoors under a tree at Meade and Dequindre Streets. After this initial
gathering, weekly services were held at the residence of church members until the Church raised sufficient funds to purchase a building for a church home.

Through their efforts, in September 1919, we bought a building located at 1960 Meade Street. The Church remained there for nine years. In 1928 the Church sold the property to purchase land at 13009 Dequindre and began building a new church home. We completed a portion of the building in 1929. For several years the congregation worshipped in the basement, but in 1942 the congregation finished the church building.

In 1963 the Church received an Eminent domain letter informing us that our building would be demolished to make way for the Chrysler Freeway.

The Church made plans to relocate and rebuild, acquiring land approximately one mile north of our current location. Mr. Nathan Johnson, a Black Architect, was authorized for the drawing of the new building.

On August 25, 1968, with a police escort, the Church marched from its old home to its new location, 17441 Dequindre, as we sang “We Are Marching To Zion.” The Church has been and continues to be a blessing to our community.

Here is a list of ways we positively impacted our community over the years:

Head Start Program, which grew to a serving capacity of 110 students.
The pantry feeds approximately 100 – 120 people each week
We partner with the Angel Tree organization to provide gifts to Children whose parents are currently incarcerated.
Over the years have partnered with Narcotics Anonymous (N.A) to provide a place for their meetings.
We partnered with our local Fire Department for Toys-for-Tots
We work and meet with the Police Department 11 Precinct monthly as we help to resolve neighborhood issues as well as come together to create activities for the community.

Ordained Ministers of Lomax Temple

From left to right: Rev Marcus Marsh, Rev Phyllis Hightower, Rev Veronica Moon, Rev Danelle Marsh, Rev Mark Marsh

"Hospitable loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, and self-controlled." -- Titus 1:8

The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

The A.M.E. Zion Church was formally recognized in 1796 in New York City, after the founders seceded from the John Street Methodist Episcopal (ME) Church in Manhattan to create a meeting group separate from the white church. The licensed preachers of the new church were not ordained ministers and thus were not allowed to provide services. Rather, white ministers were asked to preach to their congregation.

In 1822, three black ministers were ordained by white Methodist elders including James Varick, one of the new church’s most notable leaders, who became the first AME bishop. In 1848, the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church added the word Zion to their church.

Today, more than 3,000 churches across five continents belong to the AME Zion denomination, which has an active membership of 1.5 million. The AME Zion Church also started several colleges including: Livingstone College (affiliate Hood Theological Seminary), Lomax Hannon Junior College in Alabama, Clinton Junior College in South Carolina, Dinwiddie Institute in Virginia and AME Zion Junior College in Monrovia, Liberia.

Lomax Temple A.M.E. Zion Church
17441 Dequindre St, Detroit, MI 48212

+1 (313) 893-1463