Holly Grove

African Methodist Episcopal Church is about to celebrate

its place in history.

A special

program is planned for Sunday, June 4 at 3 p.m. for the

church's 103rd anniversary.

Guest

preacher for the occasion is the Rev. Alexander D.

Hamilton VI, who is a fifth great-grandson of Alexander

Hamilton, first United States secretary of the Treasury,

a third great grandson of Alexander D. Hamilton Sr., the

first African-American elected to the Alabama

legislature, a grand nephew of Henry Cooke Hamilton, the

first African American to receive a doctorate in

education and also a grand nephew of Grace Towns

Hamilton, the first African American woman to be elected

to the Georgia House of Representatives.

The event

is open to all who wish to come.

This is

just one of a number of activities taking place in the

south Peachtree City church. A fellowship hall is near

completion and members are expecting to have the first

dinner in the new facility toward the end of June. It

contains a kitchen as well as an office for the pastor

and several Sunday School rooms.

The church

has long recognized its historical role in Fayette County

and last fall erected a historical marker in front of its

sanctuary. As was mentioned at its unveiling, "When

future generations read this historical marker they will

ask the meaning of it, why is history important and just

what is a brush arbor."

"People

must be reminded of the past," said historical

committee Chairman Gail Good. "For instance, the

roles of black churches in the communities led to those

churches holding schools. Many received their only

education from these schools. Holly Grove is no exception

and we are trying to put together a complete history of

not only the school here, at the turn of the century, but

of those throughout the county."

Remembering

the schools is only one phase of capturing the past;

another one is maintaining the church's cemeteries.

Holly Grove

has two cemetery locations, one directly behind the

church and the first and older one on Wellborn Chase

Drive, off Redwine Road.

In an

effort to honor all of those buried in the cemeteries,

not just those with gravestones marking their places in

history, every effort has been made to mark those without

gravestones.

Between now

and the 103rd anniversary celebration, 46 gravestones

will be placed on those sites of deceased members.

"We have checked and double-checked these sites and

are positive of the identification of the deceased. In

checking with Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta on the best

place to order gravestones, they suggested Robert-Shields

Memorial Company in Atlanta and this company was very

generous in giving us a rock-bottom price," said

Good.

"I'm

hoping," she said, "to begin putting a

historical museum together that will contain items

pertinent to our church in the fall."

Honoring

its past as well as honoring its future, the Holly Grove

AME Church also honors Peachtree City and Fayette County.

The church

is at 400 Holly Grove Church Road, which extends from

Redwine Road over to Robinson Road. It can be reached at

770-631-7650.