Hood African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church founded in 1848 is an historic African Methodist Episcopal Zion church located in Oyster Bay, New York. It holds the distinction of being the oldest continuous congregation holding services in its original church structure in Oyster Bay. A small wood frame building was constructed on this site in 1856. Later the church was renamed to honor an early bishop, the Right Reverend James Walker Hood. In 1937, the wooden church was covered with the brick exterior you see today. From 1937 to 1963 the pastor was Reverend Moses T. Smith. Today the congregation is led by Reverend Kenneth Nelson, who came to the Hood AME Zion Church in 1981. Reverend Kenneth Nelson retired in June, 2013 and the Reverend Linda B. Vanager was appointed to the Pastoral charge.