Historical Sketch of Saint James A.M.E.
Church
Saint James African Methodist Episcopal Church of Columbus, Georgia
was organized in 1863. Three quarters of a century had passed since
Richard Allen and Absalom Jones led their brothers and sisters of
African descent out of St. George Methodist Episcopal Church in
the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1787. They established
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church on the corner of Sixth
and Lombard Streets in that city. In 1864, the Reverend William
Gaines, an ordained Deacon and brother of Bishop J. Gaines of Charleston,
South Carolina, became the first pastor of St. James. In those days,
all of the churches in Georgia belonged to the South Carolina Conference.
The first conference in Georgia was organized in Macon on May 30,
1867. |
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The property on which St. James AME Church stands
was given to the African Methodist Episcopal Church by an act of
the Georgia Legislature in 1873. The present edifice, a cathedral
in structure and design, was erected during the pastorate of the
Reverend Wesley J. Gaines at a cost of $20,000.00. It was completed
in 1876. The front doors, which came from the Asbury Methodist Episcopal
Church, are probably the oldest parts of the church. The heavy,
ornately carved front doors were built by slaves at the Dudley Sash
and Door Company located at Sixth Avenue and 13th Street. The bell
tower was built while the Reverend Larry Thomas was pastor (1886-1887).
The most interesting features of the building are the center spire
and twin turrets on each side of the tower built in 1886. The twin
turrets are stone trimmed and have brick details on the exterior.
The interior spiral stairs lead from the narthex to the balcony.
A semicircular apse containing an altar and choir loft was added
at a later date. The choir loft was formerly in the rear of the
church.
The current pipe organ was installed during the pastorate of the
Reverend Harold I. Bearden (1940-1948) who was later elected the
83rd Bishop of the A.M.E. Church.
St. James is the second oldest church of its denomination in Georgia.
This congregation has held memberships in five annual conferences:
the South Georgia, the Georgia, the North Georgia, the Macon Georgia
and the Southwest Georgia. Twenty-three bishops have assigned the
fifty-one pastors to St. James A.M.E. Church. The church has served
the African American community as a center for educational, professional
and civic meetings. Over the years, some major renovations were
done on the church. A major renovation was done during the pastorate
of the Reverend W. J. Daniel (1960-1972); air conditioning was added
and other repairs done at the cost of more than $40,000.00. St.
James once served as an elementary school for grades 1-6 in the
first unit of the church. Renovation efforts continued under the
pastorate of Reverend D.C. Grant who served the church from 1972-1977.
The renovation of the steeple was begun in 1979 during the pastorate
of the Reverend D.W. Jacobs, Sr. (1977-1980). During the pasturage
of Reverend Charles C. Blake (1982-1988), a new roof was placed
on the church and windows in the first unit (numbering 14) were
replaced.
The Saint James A.M.E Church was listed on the National Historic
Register, September 29, 1980. The dedication ceremonies were held
July 7, 1985. The dedication was led by Bishop F.H. Talbot and assisted
by the Reverend B.C. Carswell and the Reverend C.C. Blake, who were
presiding elder and pastor at the time.
In 1988, under the pastorate of the Reverend Eugene Adams, Jr.
(1988-1990), the property located at 189 Springfield Drive was purchased
as a new church parsonage. In 1990, a massive renovation project
was initiated by the Reverend Eugene Adams, Jr. and completed under
the efficient leadership of the Reverend Scottie Swinney (1991-present).
That mortgage for the parsonage was liquidated in 1994.
In 1995, the conversion of the old parsonage into an administrative
building was initiated by the Reverend Scottie Swinney. This major
restoration project was completed in 1996. The building houses an
archives room, conference room, offices, music room and a clothing
and food bank. The cost of this project, including its contents,
was approximately $200,000. The dedication took place in October
of 1996 with Bishop Donald G.K. Ming, Presiding Elder Charlie Tatmon
and Pastor Swinney officiating.
In 1997, the St. James AME Church family took on a steeple and
stained glass window renovation project costing nearly $70,000.00.
This project was paid for without creating an additional loan. In
1998, we were blessed to witness the completion of a new parking
facility. This too was paid for without the creation of an additional
loan. In 1999, the shingled roof was replaced with a metal one at
a cost of $53,000.00. Also in that year, the Church engaged the
services of an architect to develop plans for an elevator tower.
In 2004, the Elevator Tower was erected. This addition to the church
brought to realization a long awaited dream. Additional to an elevator,
this building will also house several new classrooms, a state-of-the-art
Stewardess Room and accessible and spacious restrooms. The elevator
will service both the Fellowship Hall and the Sanctuary areas.
In commemoration of this achievement, a time capsule was deposited
behind the Elevator Tower cornerstone to be opened in the year 2054.
From the very beginning, the pastor and members of St. James A.M.E.
Church have involved themselves in efforts to improve the quality
of life for all the people of this community. This was accomplished
by providing a full-time ministry including Sunday School, Bus Ministry,
Prayer and Class Meetings, Youth Ministry, Youth and Adult Outreach,
Music Ministry and other activities as well as soul-stirring worship
services. |
