The Scotland African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Potomac will hold a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, marking the start of restoration on the historic original church building, as well as the construction of a new building which will be placed right next door. 

The church was constructed in 1915 and its nearly century-old walls have long supported members of the Scotland community.  The groundbreaking ceremony marks the culmination of a  multi-year process pushing to restore the original church building after it was severely damaged by a flood three years ago. 

A press release from Scotland AME says that the significant damage was caused by nearby housing developments directing their stormwater toward the church, leaving it prone to flood. In addition, the historic building was already situated on a flood plain right below Seven Locks Road. Water drains off the road into a ditch that holds water instead of it flowing away from the building, according to reports from the Potomac Almanac. 

Nearby housing development runoff and the position of the site were a recipe for disaster resulting in nearly $600,000 in damage. The aftermath included a flooded basement, water damage in the sanctuary, and a shifted foundation. Kenneth Cummins, a current member of the congregation, says that despite preliminary work to address the damage, the county ultimately deemed the building unsafe to use.

The congregation and its leaders considered moving locations, specifically to an area that is not located on a flood plain. However, strong sentiment for the building on Seven Locks Road won out. Black children weren’t just taught their faith at Scotland AME, but they also received education there during segregation. The site was also one of the first places African Americans could own land after slavery.

Church leadership ultimately wanted to preserve the historic significance of the building. So now, with community support and grants, they are able to start the rehabilitation project.

The church congregation has been meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church on River Road while waiting for the construction of their new sanctuary. When its renovation is completed, the original building will be used for community events, tours, and social gatherings. The new building is planned to be the sanctuary space for the congregation.

Cummins says the new church space is “a miracle.”

“When this happened a lot of the congregation thought this was the end. It takes a lot of money to do this, and we just didn’t see how we were going to survive this one. And then we got a new pastor and she was determined to lead us out of the desert. And we got an outpouring of support from the community. And without that support, none of this would be happening.”