Flat Rock African American Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, the oldest African American congregation in Fayette County, will celebrate its 152nd anniversary and have a Georgia Historical Marker dedication Sunday, Aug. 13 at 11 a.m. Over the years, the church has provided spiritual inspiration and education as well as cultural and economic development to the community.

Committed to the preservation of Flat Rock’s rich history and legacy in Fayette County, the church recently organized a historical committee. One of its goals was to recognize the church’s contributions to the history of the county. This effort was recently rewarded by Georgia Historical Society with approval for a historic marker. The marker, sponsored by the Fayette Historical Society and the Fayette Heritage Project, will be dedicated this Sunday.

Situated between Fayetteville and Peachtree City, Flat Rock has been in existence since slavery and has played a significant role in the development of African American life and culture in the county.

The church originated in 1854 as a place of worship for slaves on Spears Plantation, which was approximately two miles south of the current church location. The original name of the church was Rocky Mountain. After the Civil War, the church moved farther north to Ebenezer Church Road on land that is currently occupied by Ebenezer United Methodist Church. The name was changed to Schufflefield or old-field. During this time it is believed that African Americans and Caucasians worshipped together.

At the Ebenezer Church Road location, Schufflefield ran into difficulty and could not afford to cut and dress the trees in order to build a structure. Members of Schufflefield and Ebenezer decided to exchange land. Schufflefield moved to its current location at 148 Old Chapel Lane and the name was changed to Flat Rock African Methodist Episcopal Church. The move was significant for the church because the new location had a log structure in which worship services could be conducted. The old site did not.

Flat Rock A.M.E. Church became the cornerstone for the organization of other African American Churches in Fayette County. Church historical accounts and previous newspaper articles note that Flat Rock was the forerunner for the establishment of Little Vine Baptist established in 1866, Edgefield Baptist organized in 1870, and Wilkes Grove organized in 1916.

The church has been rebuilt and remodeled several times over the years. In 1917, the church and many historical documents were destroyed by fire but the structure was rebuilt. In 1953, it was remodeled to add rest rooms and a choir loft. The current building was constructed in 1978.

Churches have a long tradition of serving dual roles as religious sanctuaries and schools. And Flat Rock was no exception. At least two news articles indicate that the church was home to the first Fayette County school for African Americans. A Fayette County history book notes that the old building was a log structure heated with a wood heater. It also had slab benches nailed to the floor. The school educated over 100 African Americans.

Like many other rural southern churches, Flat Rock has an adjoining cemetery. The Fayette County Cemeteries book identified 181 marked graves and noted the existence of many unmarked graves, believed to be early graves of Fayette County African Americans. The oldest marked grave is that of Martha J. Ware, born in 1825 and died in 1898. The family represented by the most grave sites is the Glover family, one of the earlier families at Flat Rock.

The cemetery also is the final resting place for famous folk artist Nellie Mae Rowe. Rowe’s works have been exhibited nationwide and are housed in a traveling exhibit at Atlanta’s High Museum. Rowe was born in Fayette County in 1900,was a member of Flat Rock and attended school there.

Flat Rock continues to have a strong influence in the community. The current pastor, the Rev. Edward Johnson, is president of the Fayette County NAACP. He recently represented the church at the state legislature where he served as Chaplain of the Day.

The church was the site of the recent unveiling of a new civil rights postage stamp series entitled “To Form a More Perfect Union.” The ceremony was led by Flat Rock member and Fayetteville postmaster Doris Roden and was attended by Ga. State Sen. Valencia Seay and U.S. Rep. John L. Lewis.

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