Holsey Monumental Christian Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1911.  The first service was held in a store front building located at 317-18th Street. Membership for the new church was former members of Holsey Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church located at 718-8th Street, Columbus, Georgia.  By agreement, members of Holsey Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church who lived “up town” above Fifteenth Street and within the city limits of Columbus would constitute the nuclear membership for the new church.

 

On Easter Sunday of 1911, the first service for Holsey Monumental was held.  Bishop Lucius H. Holsey, for whom the church was named, preached the dedication sermon. Bishop Lucius Holsey was born a slave near Columbus, Georgia in 1842 and was elected the third Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in 1874.

 

The church building on 18th Street was sold to Columbus Water Works in March, 1994.  Land was acquired in October 1994 on Buena Vista Road for the new church location. The ground breaking service was held at the construction site on May 21, 1995.  Consecration services for the new facility was held on Sunday, February 8, 1997 with Bishop Othal Hawthorne Lakey and Bishop Richard O. Bass, Sr., officiating. On July17, 2014 during the Joint Annual Conferences of the Sixth Episcopal District Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop Kenneth W. Carter appointed the first female pastor, Rev. Dr. Carolyn C. Carlisle, to Holsey Monumental Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Under Dr. Carlisle's leadership the ministries continued to thrive and excel. There was a weekly Tuesday feeding of the homeless at the park on 2nd Avenue, Tent City and On the River.  Hot lunches were prepared from scratch and served weekly.

 

The following is a list of pastors who have served at Holsey Monumental Christian Methodist Episcopal Church since it was founded in 1911.

 

Rev. H. D. Denson 

Rev. H. S. Belcher

Rev. J. J. Thomas

Rev. S. A. Thomas

Rev. R. M. Matthews

Rev. J. A. Ragan

Rev. J. C. Caulton

Rev. E S. Pendleton

Rev. H. L. Stallworth

Rev. J. T. Cochran

Rev. J. E. Bugg

Rev. Earl Dryer

Rev. J. S. Myrick

Rev. S. A. Dunbar

Rev. H. H. Davis (1942-1952)

Rev. J. M. McMath (1952-1960)

Rev. T. A. Clayton (Aug 1960 – Oct 1961)

Rev. A. T. Clark (Dec 1961-Apr 1963)

Rev. J. H. Johnson (1963-1974)

Rev. A. T. McNair (1974-1978)

Rev. A. C. Crumbley (1978-1982)

Rev. E. H. Hicks (1982-1987)

Rev. E. L. Mahone (1987-1993)

Rev. C. A. Bass (1993-1997)

Rev. M. J. Byrd (1997-1998)

Rev. Kerry Francis (1998-2001)

Rev. Dr. J. W. Honeysucker (2001-2006)

Rev. Marquise L. Hardrick (2006-2011)

Rev. Javon D. Jackson (2011-2014)

Rev. Dr. Carolyn C. Carlisle (2014-2016)

Rev. Tommie L. Benjamin (2016-2019)

Rev. Carlton Mahone, Sr. (2019-present)