On October 14, St. Paul will culminate a year of celebrating its 210th Anniversary with the Presiding Bishop of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, Bishop Felton Edwin May at the 10:45 a.m. worship service will be followed by an "Old Fashion" Homecoming repast.
    A glorious story of God's faithful servants started in February--Black History Month--when Mr. Dotson Burns' incorporated the church history with that of Prince George's County. The second activity on St. Paul's  historical journey unfolded in a original play adapted from St. Paul's history entitled "From Then Until Now," that was penned by Ms. Gloria Turner. This history came to life as the St. Paul Players  on Sunday, June 24.
     The narrations by Mrs. Carolyn Jeffers, Mrs. Frances Suggs, and the Speech Choir took attendees through the different eras and spoke about times and conditions that could not be acted out.
   The church archives tells us much about the humble beginnings of this little white church that now stands on the corner of St. Barnabas and Tucker Roads. Worship was not always here. According to Ezekiel Cooper's records  our story begins  October 10, 1791 in a small preaching house located across the Potomac in Oxenhill that had been built by a number of Black people. He referred to the gathering as small--between one and two hundred.
   In 1863, the Colored people worshiped in an old brick building which stood behind the site of the present day Oxon Hill Post Office. This building was supposed to be built for the slaves by the slaveholders but later they claimed that it wasn't their property and stopped them from meeting there. From there, worship took place in several members homes.
   Henry Hatton, one of the earlier members of the St. Paul family had played many important roles in the establishment of this church as the story goes on to say. In 1868, through the help of the Freedman's Bureau, and land donated by Henry Hatton, a school which could be used for worship service was built. This land was located between the Oxon Hill Children's Farm and the town of Forest Heights.
   In 1888, the church moved to its present location and stood where the old Fellowship Hall was located. Finally, on February 1, 1997, the dream of a new sanctuary was fulfilled with the completion of a dream that could not be deferred. What was begun in 1791 continues on today with a focus on the things above. St. Paul continues its ministry of "bringing others to Christ."