5. St. James AME Church
Prior to 1875, the building that houses the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church was known as the Girard Colored Mission and it dates to 1863. In 1875, following an act of Georgia Legislature, the building was given to the African Methodist Church. It is the second oldest A.M.E Church in Georgia. The first Cathedral construction was completed in 1876 and the ornately carved front doors, built by slaves, are the oldest parts of the church and are a reminder of the history of strength and perseverance behind the congregation. The church has undergone many renovations that tell a narrative of the church. In 1886, Reverend Larry Thomas oversaw the construction of the bell tower, which still stands today as a symbol of the Church's concrete mission to serve its congregation and community. Reverend Harold I. Bearden, who served from 1940 to 1948, installed the pipe organ that is still heard during church services today. This pipe organ is also the oldest in the state. In 1988, St. James purchased property for a new parsonage, and by 1996, the conversion of the old parsonage into an administrative building was completed under the leadership of Reverend Scottie Swinney. The building now houses offices, a conference room, music room, clothing and food bank, and archives room, which collectively aid in the fulfillment of the church ministry. In 2004, St. James erected an Elevator Tower to accommodate all members of the congregation. The building includes classrooms, accessible bathrooms, a stewardess room, and an elevator that services the Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary. To commemorate this achievement, a time capsule was deposited behind the Elevator Tower cornerstone to be opened in 2054. On September 29, 1980, the church was listed on the National Historic Register.
Bibliography
Bishop, Sanford, In Recognition of St. James A. M. E’s Church’s 150th Anniversary. November 15, 2013. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2013/11/15/extensions- of- remarks-section/article/E1679- 1
Grant, Judith, Columbus Georgia, IL: Arcadia Publishing, 2000.
Columbus Black Heritage Georgia Visitors Guide: A Retrospective Look at the Development of Columbus, Georgia’s Black Community, http://creativefolk.com/travel/pdf/columbus.ga.pdf