THE MISSION AND PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

The Mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, and environmental needs of all people by spreading Christ’s liberating gospel through word and deed. At every level of the Connection and in every local church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church shall engage in carrying out the spirit of the original Free African Society, out of which the  A.M.E. Church evolved: that is, to seek out and save the lost, and serve the needy through a continuing program of: (1) preaching the gospel, (2) feeding the hungry, (3) clothing the naked, (4) housing the homeless, (5) cheer­ing the fallen, (6) providing jobs for the jobless, (7) administering to the needs of those in prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, asylums and men­tal institutions, senior citizens’ homes; caring for the sick, the shut-in, the mentally and socially disturbed, and (8) encouraging thrift and econom­ic advancement.

The Church History

The Saint Paul A.M.E. Church was established in 1903, and its first pastor was Rev. C.H. Wright . The members had service in the homes of the members. The initial sanctuary was dedicated on September 18, 1911, while Rev. E.J.W. Day was the pastor. The present sanctuary was dedicated on June 26, 1960

The first church, a wooden structure on the site on the Educational Building, was built in 1911 and was dedicated on September 11, 1911.   The Rev. E.J.W. Day was the pastor.  The Trustees were Brothers L. Robinson, J.H. Hill, D.H. Allen, A.J. Matthews and D.E. King was the Treasurer.

The Rev. C.T. Edwards started the Building Fund for the present building before he relocated.  Rev. Brewster A. Gant was responsible for the construction of the church.  The men of the church gathered at the church every evening after they got off work and on Saturdays and worked diligently on building the new church.  They laid bricks and poured concrete on a daily basis.  The women fixed refreshments and helped with bringing needed supplies.  The new sanctuary was dedicated in June 1960.  The Trustees at that time were Brothers Clyde Smith, Walter Jones Sr., Ernest Owens, Ed Haynes, Arthur Ash, Clarence Wilcher, Charles McGill, Wallace Bell, Jerome Davis and Willie Pouncer.  Sister Cora Bell was the church secretary. Saint Paul continues to strive under the leadership of Rev. Rubin Ancrum.