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In 1986, Reverend
Leonard Felton became pastor and served until April 1998. Through a church-wide meeting, the
congregation voted to enter into a building mode. The design for the church was the work
of architect Isham Baker, AIA, of Baker and Cooper Associates. This project was a $2.7 million
venture.
The Building
Committee, under the capable leadership of Mr. David Robinson and Mr.
Clifton Sands, worked endlessly with many other servants on all details
of our building. Mr. Alex Faison
rendered many hours of service consulting with financial institutions for
the procurement of funds. This
goal became a reality on February 1, 1997. Bishop Felton E. May was the speaker for this special
occasion when the St. Paul congregation moved into its new edifice.
Because of St.
Paul’s great history, all was not destroyed to build anew. The old sanctuary with its beautiful
stained-glass windows serves as a small chapel. On March 8, 1998, closure was brought to the building
program. The completion of the
education wing (lower level) of the church was achieved. We were truly blessed with the temporary,
four-month assignment of retired Reverend Martin McKenny and his wife Dorothy.
God further blessed
the St. Paul family with another first in its 207th year
history; when it received its first female minister, the Reverend Mary
Brown Oliver. Reverend Oliver has
not only served as a parish minister, but has held several positions at
the Conference level – Dean of the Cabinet and District Superintendent to
name a few. She brought with her,
her own special gifts of leadership, personal pastoral ministry –
visiting the sick and shut-in, ecumenical outreach, counseling and dynamic
preaching. Her primary goal is to
increase the spirituality of our souls.
The opening of the
Tanner Community Resource Center (TCRC) on March 25, 2000, was truly a
St. Paul United Methodist Church initiative. TCRC is making its mark by helping to fulfill and augment
the outreach ministries of St. Paul by its timely response to the
changing needs of the society represented by the neighborhood it
serves. Under her leadership the
direction of the church has been established and the Lord’s work
abounds. The community is aware
of her presence.
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