African Methodist Episcopal Church
The word African signifies that people of African descent and heritage organized the Church. It does not mean the Church was founded in Africa, nor that it was created exclusively for people of African descent. The African Methodist Episcopal Church is part of the broader family of Methodist churches, emphasizing an orderly system of faith, discipline, and govern
ance grounded in a plain and practical gospel. The term Episcopal refers to the Church’s form of governance, meaning it is led by bishops. The chief executive and administrative leaders of the denomination are the Bishops of the Church. Today, the African Methodist Episcopal Church is a global denomination organized into 20 Episcopal Districts across 39 countries on five continents, administered by 21 active bishops and nine General Officers who oversee the Church’s departments.
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Historic St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church
📍 Lexington, Kentucky
Historic St. Church traces its origins to 1820, when a group of free and enslaved people of African, Indigenous, Spanish, and mixed ancestry separated from Hill Street Methodist Church to form their own congregation. They initially worshiped in a rented brick horse stable owned by Charles Wilkins, a prominent Lexington banker and trustee of Transylvania University. In 1826, the congregation constructed a permanent brick sanctuary on the site, as confirmed by the church’s original cornerstone. The property was formally purchased in May 1827 for $280. Trustees Daniel Francis, John Skinker, Benjamin Tibbs, William Dolan, and Peter Lewis signed the deed. During the antebellum period, Historic St. Church served as a documented site of the Underground Railroad, providing refuge, assistance, and coordination for freedom seekers pursuing liberation. This sacred legacy of resistance, faith, and courage is now formally recognized through its inclusion in the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, affirming the church’s historic role in the abolitionist movement. Church stands as one of the oldest continuously active African American congregations in Kentucky and a landmark of statewide historic, cultural, and spiritual significance.
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Our Mission
Historic St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church is called to minister to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all people, helping to transform the world through
WORD • WORSHIP • WORK • WITNESS • WELCOME.
