St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church

St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church. Loving Out Loud. , St. James A.M.E. Church was constructed in 1875, under the leadership of Reverend Spottswood Rice. Rice was apparently born into slavery in Virginia in 1819, and later moved by his owner to Glasgow in Howard County, Missouri. Rice was valued for his exceptional skills in the production of finished tobacco, creating great wealth for his owner., During the Civil War, when he was approximately 40 years of age, Rice left his master and joined the Union army as a member of the United States Colored Infantry. During his service Rice boldly wrote two compelling letters to seek the freedom of his daughters., A natural leader, Rice followed God's call to minister to the newly freed people. Rice came to St. James in 1874 and acted quickly to build a new brick church. St. James school superintendent W.R. Kenney wrote that in seven weeks of Rice assuming the pastorate of St. James, "We have built a new place of worship, not only an honor to the cause and a credit to our people, but an ornament to the city." This is legacy that continues to this day. , Reverend Rice went on to establish AME churches across western United States util his death in 1907. He pastored churches in Missouri (Savannah, Canton, St. Louis); Kansas (Kansas City and Parsons); New Mexico (Albuquerque); Colorado (Leadville, Manitou, and Colorado Springs); and Wyoming (Cheyenne). , The African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E. Church) is a predominantly African-American Methodist denomination based in the United States. They were the first independent Protestant denomination founded by African-American people, and the first major religious denomination that developed due to racial discrimination rather than theological differences., The mission of the AME Church is to minister to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all people. The Church seeks to save the lost, serve the needy, and encourage Church members to become involved in all aspects of Christian education., The AME Church was founded by Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia in 1816. they began with 8 clergy and 5 churches and grew rapidly, to 20,000 members in 1856 and 207,000 in 1876. During this period of rapid growth St. James AME was established in Cape Girardeau. In the year of the Emancipation Proclamation (1863), a group of African-American residents organized in the Baptist church on Lorimier Street. They soon had 115 members, and a desire for their own church. St. James was the answer to their prayers., St. James AME will commemorate its 155th anniversary in 2018. The Congregation continues to address the dreams and goals of its founders. St. James has played a vital role in furthering the education of the African-American community and has been a critical refuge when the great river goes on a rampage. St. James has provided an important meeting place for the black community. Here, in addition to worship functions, choirs, clubs, funerals, dinners, plays, pageants, and holidays, events have historically enabled African-Americans to come together in a comfortable and safe environment., St. James AME Church and congregation are among the oldest in Missouri. Built in 1875, and expanded in 1892 and 1926, St. James would be architecturally familiar to its founders and early members. As an active, vibrant congregation, St. James remains loyal to its original mission through ministries to the homeless and others in time of crisis. As Reverend Rice said, the congregation is "an honor to the cause and a credit to our people."