WS Chronicle

In the photo above: The Rev. Donald Jenkins, pastor, St. Paul United Methodist Church

Special to the Chronicle

St. Paul United Methodist Church, 2400 Dellabrook Road, will celebrate its 144th anniversary on Sunday, May 24 at 11 a.m. The Rev. Donald Jenkins, pastor, will deliver the anniversary message on the theme ‘Remember, Celebrate, Give Thanks’. His sermon will be grounded in the words from Psalm 124:1 — “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side.” A reception will immediately follow in the church’s fellowship hall.

St. Paul is the first church founded for African-Americans in the town of Winston and is the second oldest African-American church in Winston-Salem.

Initially known as “the church by the railroad” because of its location, St. Paul was established as St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church in 1871 and held its first gatherings under a secluded brush arbor near Liberty and Main streets. In 1967, the church merged with Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church, which was founded in 1897.

Today, the church serves as a beacon of faith and hope in the community. Located in East Winston, on the corner of Dellabrook and New Walkertown Roads, the congregation is deeply focused on its mission to be a passionate church. This passion is exemplified in St. Paul’s commitment to demonstrating God’s love to serving those in need and helping people mature in their faith through b1iblical teaching.

The church supports many outreach programs, including a weekly food pantry, Meals on Wheels, Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministry, as well as North Hill and Ashley Elementary Schools.

St. Paul members plant seeds for the future by donating funds to provide scholarships for its graduating high school members. This year’s chairwoman, Shelia Robinson, acknowledges, “After all, it is all about God, anyway.”
Rev. Jenkins has severed as pastor since 1993. He leads the congregation in its passion, which is guided by five core values:

1. God is the center of all we do.

2. Dynamic worship is
mandatory.

3. Prayer is our power.

4. Accountability is required.

5. Communication is essential.

The public is invited to this event.