Grant for Tourism Project

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church: $101,261 to help fund a museum-quality tourist center.
The exhibit will feature pictures, letters, newspaper articles, and videos to make the past come to life. The project is expected to be complete by February 2025.

Click here for WBRC video.

$750,000 Grant for St. Paul 
from the National Park Service

On May 25, 2023, the National Park Service (NPS) awarded $21 million to 37 projects in 16 states as part of the Historic Preservation Fund’s African American Civil Rights grant program, which funds preservation projects and efforts of sites tied to the struggle of African Americans to gain equal rights.
As part of that grant funding, St. Paul UMC received $750,000 for Preservation, Rehabilitation and Repair. 

  • During the Birmingham demonstrations in 1963 against racial segregation, St. Paul hosted mass meetings and held training sessions in nonviolent civil disobedience for the young demonstrators who participated in the Children’s Crusade marches. Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, who established the Southern Christian Leadership Conference along with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was pastor of the church. The grant funding will improve mechanical and plumbing systems. The applicant is providing $26,000 in matching funds.   

The Prince Hall Masonic Lodge, the office of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the first African American-owned radio station, on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, Georgia. Charles Lawrence, Lord Aeck Sargent
Other recipients include the Historic Bethel Baptist Church, Dexter Avenue King Memorial and Prince Hall Masonic Lodge Rehabilitation Project (photo on left).

Congress appropriated funding for the African American Civil Rights Grant Program in fiscal year 2022 through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).

Read the full announcement here

Harvest Celebration! St. Paul UMC 153 Years of Ministry

On November 13th St. Paul UMC held Harvest Celebration, a dynamic worship celebration in thanksgiving to God for 153 years of ministry.

Dr. Richard L. Stryker, the pastor, welcomed to the pulpit Rev. Kevin Kosh, Jr. pastor, poet, and highly sought-after speaker.

Music included specials from: Scrollworks Music Program, Mr. Nicholas Anderson (Cello), Miss Corynne Sloan (Cello), Mr. Abram Griffith (Accompanist); SPUMC Harvest Choir with Soloist Ms. LeVeria Leonard;

Musicians, Mrs. Leatrice Ford (keyboard) Mr. Marlan Pinkins (drums) Mr. Andre Williams (lead guitar) Mr. Donnell Johnson (bass guitar).

Harvest 2022 was co-chaired by Doris Hale Lee and LeVeria Leonard. You can participate in this worship via YouTube. Join us in worship by clicking here. 

Congresswoman Terri Sewell visited St. Paul UMC and presented representation of the National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund grant check.