In 1931 Caldwell Temple A.M.E. Zion Church which is named after the late Bishop Josiah Caldwell was organized as a mission church in a Bronx store front. Caldwell was founded by Anna Leftage, a Sunday school teacher in the A.M.E Zion Church and a devout Christian. In 1933 the mission had grown so successfully that it was accepted as the first Zion Church of the New York Conference, away from the Mother Church. The Reverend’s John A. Matthews, George A. Taylor, and B.H. McCellen were some of the initial pastors of the new church. On September 10th, 1944, Anna Leftage’s dream came true when the Reverend Carnes McKinney, a hard working pastor, relocated the congregation to its present site located at 1288.Rev. James A. Polite Avenue (formerly Stebbins Avenue). Reverend McKinney served Caldwell and the community for 33 years. His spiritual guidance and leadership made Caldwell into one of the more notable churches in the Bronx. Since Reverend. Carnes McKinney, we have also been blessed by the service of the following pastors:
- Reverend Paul McGuire [1976 to 1978]
- Reverend Dr. Paul F. Thurston [1978-1984]
- Presiding Elder David Pharr [1984 to 1985] supply pastor
- Reverend Robert L. Perry, Sr, [1985 to 1993]
- Reverend Samuel Hill, Sr, [1993 to 1997]
- Presiding Elder George McMurry [1997 to 1998] supply pastor
- Reverend Nathaniel B. Legay [1998 to 2007]
- Presiding Elder Dr. A. Alfred Carson [2007 to 2008] supply pastor
- Reverend Henrico D. White [2008 to 2012]
- Reverend Dr. Monte D. Witherspoon Brown [2012 to 2016]
- Revered Ezra T. Maize [2016 to 2019]
- Reverend Edwrin Sutton [2019 to 2021]
On June 26, 2021 during the 200th Session of the New York Annual Conference our presiding prelate Bishop Dennis V. Proctor made a historic decision by appointing the Reverend Denise Davenport as Caldwell’s pastor making her the first woman to hold the position in the church's 90+ year history. She has outreached to the community, encouraged our spiritual growth and physical growth.
These many years have been filled with difficulties, hardships, highs and lows, great love, and great loss. We have had renovation, transformation and spiritual growth. This has made us wiser, and with this wisdom more able to meet the challenges of today and the future. Our vision is to do the will of God whole-heartedly so that the Lord may be glorified.
