GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — For 157 years, Key Stewart Church has been a cornerstone of faith and community in Gallatin. Now, church leaders say a new milestone is helping ensure that legacy continues for generations to come.
Inside the church sanctuary, members gather in a place whose history dates back to the years following the Civil War. The congregation was founded by Rev. Hilary Key, a man born into slavery who later helped establish churches across Middle Tennessee.
“Stewart has been in existence for 157 years, and God is not finished with us yet,” said Pastor Sean Cook.
Trustee Andrew Turner said the church's roots run deep, tracing back to a period when formerly enslaved people were first able to establish congregations and worship freely.
“After the Civil War, that's been a long time, you know, the time when we were able to establish churches and worship freely,” Turner said.
This year, the congregation marked another significant chapter in its history: gaining ownership of the property beneath the church after leaving the United Methodist Church.
For members, the move represents more than a real estate transaction. They see it as a symbol of self-determination and community empowerment.
“It’s our church,” Turner said. “We can say that it's our church. It is not the church that is owned by the conference. It is our church. The church belongs to the community.”
Pastor Cook said ownership gives the congregation greater control over its future and provides an opportunity to build resources for generations to come.
“It was very empowering for us as a community and especially as a Black community to be able to have ownership,” Cook said. “When you have land, you have resources and you have some power.”
Church leaders say the milestone is also tied to a broader historical struggle for equality and opportunity.
“It’s a civil rights struggle. It continues,” Turner said. “We feel like we've arrived, but we haven't. Especially during these times in particular, we need to make sure that we're vigilant and understand the work goes on.”
For longtime member Charlene Jackson, who joined the church at age 12, ownership means the congregation can make its own decisions about worship, ministry and how it supports the community.
“We were not relying on another group telling us that this is the way in which we're supposed to worship,” Jackson said. “Any monies that are raised locally, we can decide who we would like to help.”
As Key Stewart Church looks toward the future, leaders say they are focused on preserving the legacy built by previous generations while creating opportunities for those who come next.
“The next generation is going to inherit what we leave behind,” Cook said. “So that's so important to us.”
After more than a century and a half, church members say the congregation's story remains rooted in faith, strengthened by ownership and guided by a commitment to serve the Gallatin community for years to come.
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