Team O'Berry

O'Berry A. M. E. Zion Church Committee
In front, from left: Otis Brown (deceased), Brenda Thomas, Candice Woodruff, Reginald Woodruff Sr. (deceased), Teressa Baxter; back, Willie and Ann Ellison, Earva Sumblin and Ruth Whitehead. Not pictured are Jean Buck-Denny, Phyllis Britt, Gladys Brown, Yvette Brown, Janice Stevens and John Whitehead

O’Berry AME got its start in 1856 as a bush harbor, also known as a brush arbor or even hush harbor. That is, people conducted services outdoors, often secretly if they were slaves. Irvin Story is credited as the founder, and four years later in 1860, a brick-and-mortar structure was built for Christians to worship more comfortably and freely. Initially, the site was referred to as the O’Berry Colored Church. But after later aligning itself with a church in Harlem, New York, it became a member of the AME Zion family of churches

Today, the congregation of approximately 67 people is led by the Rev. Dale Seaborne; the Rev. Carrie Seaborne is the first lady of the church, and the couple has been at O’Berry for 10 years.