The Rev. Ben C. Long founded the First Cumberland Church back in the year of 1928 on the West Side of Chicago. Rev. Long had a very large family who were very talented musically. That church grew to a nice sized congregation. We happened to move next door to him and his family and my grandmother, Mother Laura White, was so very happy to find her church. She had been Cumberland Presbyterian from childhood in Alabama. In fact, her mother, Kathrine Abernathy, went to the Cumberland Presbyterian Church when she had to sit in the balcony or rear when she was twelve years old; her mother was a slave. Rev. Johnnie Abernathy founded that church, Hopewell Cumberland Presbyterian Church, in Leighton, Alabama. So, you can understand why Laura was so glad to find a Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Chicago. Her heart and love was the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, although she always said you must be born again, regardless of the denomination.

After serving with Rev. Long, the church had several other ministers as pastors; Rev. Henry Connor, Rev. A. W. Mack, and Rev. A. B. Thompson. In 1938, when the church went down on the West Side because Rev. Thompson did not have much support there, it was decided to move to the South Side, at 48th and Cottage Grove. The church did not do well at that location and could not pay the rest, so services were held with another congregation at 66th and South Park (now Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive).

All of that time, Mother White was calling people she knew from Alabama and she started meetings in her home. She called Mrs. Margie Lowery (now Elder Margie Lyda), who was one of Rev. Long's daughters, to come and help her, because she lived on the South Side. She called many others, and asked each one to call a family member, sot he club became very large.

Rev. Thompson moved back to Detroit, Michigan, but they kept meeting until they decided to find a place to have services. We began to meet on 43rd and St. Lawrence, in the afternoon, following the Baptist congregation's services. The Rev. James Lyda and his sister, Mrs. Lena Jones, heard we were meeting there and came to join in with us.

After we raised enough money to secure a place to worship, a letter was written by Elder Dongeon, Elder Ben When, Sister Laura White, signed by Mrs. Margie Lyda, asking that Rev. James Lyda become our pastor. They decided to keep the name used by Rev. Long, The First Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Rev. James Lyda became the pastor in September, 1945.

In October, 1945, Rev. Rodgers was sent by the Cleveland, Ohio Presbytery to find a location for the church. He found the house at 4433 Dearborn Street and reported his findings to the Trustees. Elder Margie Lowery was ordained, along with Elder Dongeon, as elders.

Although we were small in number, we struggled and prayed together that one day we would see a Cumberland Presbyterian Church. We did grow to a church with many auxiliaries. Elder Richard Baugh joined when he returned from the service in 1946. The Chair was organized by Sister Bo McGraw in 1952. She was also Rev. Long's daughter. A building fund was started in 1952, with all auxiliaries giving their full support.

In 1957, the Lord called Elder Andrew West into the ministry and he was ordained in September, 1958, becoming one of the Associate Ministers along with Rev. Henry H. Washington. Also in 1957, the Chicago Housing Authority gave us notice that we would have to vacate the building, so the present location at 7941 South Parkway (King Drive) and the adjoining lots were purchased. We went into the new location in the Fall of 1958.

We lost some of our most faithful members: Elder Robert Dongeon in 1965; Mother Laura White in 1969; Mother Jones in 1973; our Pastor Emeritus, Rev. James Lyda, in 1974, as well as Sister Alberta Wylie. Some of the members of Mother Laura White club before 1945 were:

Reverend James Lyda
Elder Robert Dongeon
Elder Ben White
Elder Margie Lyda
Sister Laura White
Sister Winnie Bunton
Brother James Bunton
Sister Alberta Wylie
Sister Carrie Usher
Sister Lucy Kane
Sister Mary E. Tate
Sister Sallie Branch
Sister Willis Patton
Sister Ruby Best
Sister LaVerne Moore
Sister Cora Hester
Sister Magonia Hester
Sister Louise Pope
Sister Bernice Pope
Sister Lena Jones
Elder Stafford Pope

Our Pastors:

Rev. James Lyda, 1945-1964
Rev. Virgil Rice, 1964-1967 (April)
Rev. Nelson Moore (supply), 1967-1968
Rev. Andrew West, 1968-1985
supply, 1985-1986
Rev. Phillips Farrow, Jr., 1986-1988
Rev. Virgil Rice, 1988-Present
Rev. Henry H. Washington, Associate Minister, 1957-1968
Rev. Andrew West, Pastor Emeritus, 1986