We are always here to serve!
In order to be true to oneself and to the christian faith, we should strive to exemplify the teaching of the Church. We are witnessing our faith when we live as Christ taught us to live, letting Christ shine in all that we do to those around us. This is the true meaning of witness.
With over 154 years of service to Houston’s faith community, St. Paul was founded in 1869 as the first African Methodist Episcopal church in Houston. The first worship services were held under the leafy shade of an arbor.
The founding pastor was Reverend David Wren. He was accompanied by two founding families, the Richard Brock family and the Henry Fields family. With God’s grace and a little determination, the founders initiated the work for the original worship edifice at 1710 Edward Street located within the Houston Central Business District also know as the First Ward. Pastor Wren and his group of trailblazers completed construction of the first St. Paul A.M.E. Church in 1873. In 1875, the church expanded to include a parsonage.
Over the years, the St. Paul AME Church has provided a solid foundation of service to Houston’s faith community. Its dedication to social, educational and community services began in 1927 with the establishment of the Richard J. Brock Elementary School. The school was founded in honor of St. Paul’s founding member and church Trustee, Mr. Richard J. Brock. Brock Elementary continues to educate youth in the Houston community as one of 185 elementary schools within the Houston Independent School District.
A total of thirty-three (33) pastors have served the St. Paul AME Church congregation in its 154 years of existence. On November 15, 1997, Rev. Roderick D. Dawson was appointed to lead the St. Paul AME Church congregation as the 33rd Pastor. Under his leadership, the church and community have continued to flourish. In 1998, Pastor Dawson was instrumental in the establishment of a Community Development Corporation (CDC) for the church. The CDC formed numerous collaborative partnerships to provide day care and after school programs for children in Houston’s First Ward community.
In June of 2000, a community growth and expansion feasibility study was conducted by Pastor Dawson and the members of
St. Paul AME Church. The results led to a decision to move the church to the Greenspoint community, a suburb in northwest Houston. The church’s relocation was complete in June of 2001 in partnership with the Thomas Gray Elementary School.
St. Paul AME Church continued to thrive in the Greenspoint community with new projects and collaborative partnerships. In June of 2002, a new worship center, Day Care facility and offices were erected at the 1554 Gears Road location.
In November of 2002, the church’s CDC was officially named The Master’s Anvil Community Development Corporation (CDC). The Master’s Anvil CDC endeavors to operate and serve according to values established by God’s word and the principles of the AME Church’s founder, Richard Allen. The goals of The Master’s Anvil CDC are to eradicate social injustice, discrimination, and prejudice and to promote the building of broken lives. These goals are accomplished by actively encouraging involvement and development of projects to meet spiritual, social, educational, and economical needs within the church and community.