Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church

Members of Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church have served residents of Houston’s Greater Third Ward since the late 1800s. Tradition holds that the Rev. Gilbert Green and several area residents organized the church, which first met under a brush arbor at this location. The Rev. Green was the first pastor of what was then known as Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Early pastors encouraged growth in the African American congregation, whose members often had to work in very low-paying jobs. Soon, the congregation turned toward serving the Greater Third Ward. Community programs flourished, particularly under the Rev. Moses Leonard Price, the longest serving pastor for the church (1938-1984). The Rev. Price was involved in numerous community, social and religious organizations. He focused the members’ time and resources especially toward educational programs. Under his pastorate, the church opened a kindergarten, started a scholarship fund and implemented the summer enrichment program to offer tutoring for area students. After building the current sanctuary on the adjacent block in 1958, the church opened an educational building on its former site. Members have also run a food pantry, offered donations to the needy and developed a program to build affordable homes in the neighborhood. Besides the church’s pastors, a number of members have been vital community leaders. Several former members have also become pastors of other churches. Today, Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church continues to serve as a spiritual, social, cultural and economic leader in Houston.

Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church is a historical marker in Houston, Harris County, dedicated in 2008. It is one of 422 historical markers documented in Harris County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 849 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.7365, -95.3526 near Houston. The nearest cataloged historic site is Blue Triangle Branch, Y. W. C. A. Building (historical marker), about 0.3 miles away. Others within a short drive include Fourth Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, and Covington, Dr. Benjamin Jesse.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507015130. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.