The Reverend Dr. Elmer S. Martin and the last decade of Greater Allen AME Church
By Judith Edna Earley
One hundred and twenty-two years after its birth in September 1892, Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dayton, Ohio, welcomed the Reverend Elmer S. Martin in November 2014. While the appointment was the fulfillment of a career-long dream, the new pastor had little time to marvel at the goodness of God; he was focused on the scripture God had given him (Nehemiah 3) and the command to “rebuild the wall.”
Fiscal transparency became a hallmark of the Reverend Martin’s handling of the church’s finances; under his direction, the church’s credit rating improved significantly. From day one, Pastor Martin began updating the property by authorizing repairs to the driveway and cutting down dying trees adjacent to the building. He continued his predecessors’ goals of acquiring abandoned properties in the immediate square block by paying off the property taxes and demolishing empty houses; the former Pollack Building next door, which had housed Greater Allen from 1952 – 1979, was torn down to provide additional parking. In August of 2018, property that was originally 19 individual lots was officially consolidated into one lot under the church’s name and address.
Freezing temperatures in February 2015 caused pipes to burst in the Charles L. Scott Fellowship Hall; hundreds of gallons of water poured into the facility for over five hours before officials could turn it off. Pastor Martin continued to provide godly leadership during the extensive renovations to the fellowship hall and adjacent classrooms. In addition, the Young Peoples Division and Girl Scouts enthusiastically took on the renovation of the Ethel C. Prear Library as a project; the updated and streamlined result was dedicated after service on Sunday, December 11, 2016.
The theme of rebuilding the wall continued to gather steam. The church purchased new carpeting for the entire facility in 2017. The sanctuary was also enhanced with new lighting, refurbishment of the pews, new paint on the interior walls, and wood treatment for the pews and railings; ceilings were also refinished, floors repaired, floors repaired, and new furniture purchased for the vestibule. The kitchen in the fellowship hall was remodeled and updated with custom-built cabinets and granite countertops. Repairs to the church roof have been an ongoing project. The uninvited raccoons were evicted from the attic and have yet to return to date.
While the work on the church property progressed, Greater Allen hosted the graduation ceremony for Payne Theological Seminary in May 2017. The pastor and Associate Minister Lucinda V. Burgess were honor graduates that evening. Later that year, at the Ohio-South Ohio Annual Conference in October, Greater Allen was transferred from the Dayton District to the Columbus-Springfield-Xenia District. Additionally, during that time, Greater Allen adopted a struggling sister church, Upshaw AME Church, and the Rev. Dr. Martin was named its pastor. For over a year, he held regular Sunday service at Upshaw at 9:00 am before serving at Greater Allen at 10:45 am. Eventually, Upshaw’s final few members joined Greater Allen, and the building was closed and sold.
During the next two years, the church’s Food Pantry flourished with a partnership with the local area Food Bank. The church parking lot was repaved, and in the fall of 2019, Greater Allen hosted a highly successful annual conference. A new structure housing the church van and additional storage space was built and dedicated in the names of two of Greater Allen’s most faithful members.
The early months of 2020 brought massive changes as the Coronavirus pandemic surged around the world. Two weeks before Easter, the Bishop instructed all AME churches to close their doors out of an abundance of caution. Greater Allen then began the great adventure of offering its mostly senior congregation Sunday school, worship service, and Bible study online through a combination of Facebook Live, Zoom, and telephone dial-in. While the doors were closed to community worship, Dr. Martin installed a new air purification system and instituted a process for online giving.
Greater Allen remained closed for two years, but the pastor never lost touch with his members. Information was disseminated through frequent robocalls and a beautiful monthly newsletter edited by First Lady Mrs. Patricia Martin. When in-person worship finally returned, strict rules were implemented, including sign-in at the door, no admission without proof of vaccination, and a mask mandate. Pews were roped off to ensure worshippers maintained a minimum six-foot separation, and communion was served using pre-filled juice and wafer cups.
Greater Allen AME Church has thrived spiritually, physically, and fiscally under the leadership of the Reverend Dr. Elmer S. Martin. However, only time will reveal the next step in God’s plan for His faithful servant.
