25-02-2025
Hagerstown's Ebenezer AME Church to celebrate 200 years
HAGERSTOWN, Md. () — The Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Hagerstown is set to celebrate 200 years, and the congregation has much to build on for the future.
The celebration takes on special significance as it takes place during Black History Month.
The Rev. Donald L. Marbury has been senior pastor at the church for the past eight years but soon faces his mandatory retirement at age 75.
'This church is full of the most loving people,' said Marbury. 'Now we have our issues as every congregation does, as every human being does, but they care for one another and they care for this community, more so than I've seen anywhere else.'
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Patricia Strawther has been a member of the church since she was a young child.
'I grew up in my church,' Strawther said. 'It's family. My family came to this church, it's meant everything, you know? It's our family.'
Gary Graves has been a member for 25 years.
'I think the main thing is the people who are in the church, they care for each other and support each other,' said Graves.
Assistant Pastor Robert Lee Burnett was Hagerstown's first Black police officer, hired in 1969. He is attuned to the challenges of Ebenezer A.M.E. being situated in Hagerstown's historic Jonathan Street neighborhood.
'We still stand,' said Burnett. 'We're still here. Like the Rock of Ebenezer, we're still here.'
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