Young Memorial Holy Church (formerly NEW BETHEL HOLY CHURCH was founded in early 1908, when prayer meetings were commenced in the home of then Brother Lewis and Sister Mary Purdy Young, who where members of BROOKSTON BAPTISH CHURCH,  located in the Greystone community, Vance County, North Carolina.

 

During the year 1907, Mrs. Roberta Bunn, an evangelist and missionary from Selma, North Carolina came to BROOKSTON BAPTISH CHURCH teaching and preaching the full Gospel of the Bible emphasizing the Holy Ghost.  Many souls at BROOKSTON believed, were converted and born into the Holy Faith.

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Brother Lewis Young and his wife, Sister Mary Purdy Young were two of the converts from that meeting.  They began and continued a prayer meeting in their home for more than two years.  There were saints from the nearby communities of Ridgeway, Drewry, Wise, Kittrell, and churches; Morning Star and Saints Delights supported these prayer meetings.  other churches and members were: Rev. Cannady, Pastor of Union Chapel in ridgeway; Deacon Dave Eaton, Sister Bettie Baten, Brother William Crews, Deacon Hendricks, Rev. Germany and Sister Boothe.  The prayer meetings were held on Monday nights and Rev. Cannady would stay over until Monday night and preach for these saints at the home prayer meeting in the house.

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In the meantime, the Youngs and others joined HOLY TEMPLE CHURCH in Henderson, where the Rev. H.H. HAIRSTON was the pastor.  In 1910, the church at Greystone was organized in their home by then Bishop Henry L. Fisher, who appointed L.G. Young to be in charge of this flock.  They chose to name this church NEW BETHEL HOLY CHURCH.   

 

After the church was organized. Rev Young purchased the site of land on which the church now stands for $25.  He sold it to the group of saints for $10, and then later, he gave the $10 back to the church when they began to build.  They soon began to build an edifice for God on this site; however, they experience hardships.  At the beginning, when the first load of timber was purchased (which cost $30) to begin building, three to ten members walked away and refused to help pay for it. But, the seven members who remained preserved through afflictions, difficulties, and sacrifices and continued in the faith and their determination to build God a house of worship.  These members include: Sis. Channie Hawkins, Sis. Mollie Montgomery, Sis. Bell Bullock Johnson, Sis. Laura Reese .

 

With low paying jobs and very little money among them, these saints whose hearts God had touched, continued and succeeded in erecting the first building on this site under the leadership of the late Elder Lewis G. Young. Elder Yong did the carpentry work on the building with his own hands free of charge. This reduced the cost of the building to only the materials required.  Souls were added to the church as time went on God used Elder Young to preach holiness in the Greystone Community. 

 

Much suffering was experience by the early pioneers of Young Memoria. However, under the divine guidance of Almighty God, the founder and pastor, the late Elder Young stood up for the high standards of true holiness in keeping his conviction of God's will for man. There has been many members who have come and gone, but not without being exposed to the dynamic preaching and teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ by the late pastor.  Over 100years have passed since the laying of the first cornerstone of YOUNG MEMORIAL. The founder has "fallen asleep" in Jesus, but the church still stands as a "lighthouse" in the Greystone Community to light the way of any soul seeking eternal life through Jesus Christ.

 

The name of the church was changed fron NEW BETHEL to YOUNG MEMORIAL after the death of it's founder in 1969.  The members voted to change the name in memory of the founder, Elder L.G. Young.  The church continued to march on under the leadership of Elder Tyler E. Young, the son of the founder and former pastor. We thank God for this man of God who walked in his father's footsteps, along with his wife, Mother Daisy L. Young. Currently, the church is thriving under the new leadership of Elder Walter P. Young, Sr., the grandson of the founder and son of the former pastor, Elder Tyler Young.    Standing strong beside him is his wife Sis. Magnolia T. Young. 

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Today, we enjoy the comforts of a beautiful large brick edifice with a fellowship hall, named after Mother Daisy Young, a kitchen, named after Mother Mary P. Young, a food pantry, named after First Lady Magnolia Young, that offers goods for the community, men and women bathrooms, offering handicap accessible access. The church and all its property are mortgage free. We are grateful to God for the carpentry skill of our current and former pastors/founder who instrumental in helping to erect this building thereby saving the church from a lot of indebtedness.

 

As so we say, "Through many dangers, toils and snares, the church has already come, it was Grace that brought it safe thus far; and Grace will lead it on!"  to all