Groundbreaking for the New St. John AME Church Edifice
By B. A. Johnson, Ninth Episcopal District
Hosea 10:12 says, “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” The St. John AME Church congregation in Huntsville, Alabama, assembled on Sunday, March 14, 2021, the 136th anniversary of the church, to break ground for the new edifice.
After a joyous worship service had been preached by the Rt. Rev. Harry L. Seawright, the presiding prelate of the Ninth Episcopal District, the congregation proceeded to the site of the groundbreaking. All city, county, and state dignitaries were present as well as ministers and clergy from neighboring churches and the Episcopal District. As a hush fell over the crowd, the Rev. Maurice Wright, II, the servant pastor of St. John, approached the podium and lead the assembly in singing the hymn, “We’ve Come This Far by Faith.”
Greetings were brought by the Honorable Tommy Battle, the mayor of Huntsville, the Honorable Devyn Keith, City Councilman (District 1), the Honorable Laura Hall, State Representative (District 19), the Honorable Anthony Daniels, State Representative (District 53), and the Honorable Violet Edwards, Madison County Commissioner (District 6). Also present were the Rev. Don Darius Butler, the pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church, St. John’s future neighboring church, and Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr., the president of Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University.
The program proceeded with the Call to Worship; an invocation by the Rev. Charles Glover; and the scripture read by Presiding Elder Bruce W. Hunter of the Ninth Episcopal District.
Bishop Reverend Harry L. Seawright led the congregation in the “Responsive Expression of Commitment.” During the commitment response, Steward Pro Tem, Marcus Hill represented the Board of Stewards; Mr. Bill Williams spoke for the Trustee Board; Miss Martinee Hill represented the youth; Sister Adrienne Pope-Kelly Washington, the Committee Co-chair, represented the Building Committee; Brother Rufus Gilmore, the church treasurer, stated the commitment on behalf of the Finance Committee; Dr. Thalia Love-Brown spoke on behalf of the Christian Education Department; and the pastor closed the commitment response with prayer. The “Breaking of the Ground” was the final act of commitment performed by Bishop Seawright; Presiding Elder Bruce Hunter; Pastor Wright; Brother Marcus Hill; Brother Bill Williams; Sister Adrienne Pope-Kelly Washington; Miss Madison McCall, the granddaughter of the Rev. Dr. Homer L. McCall; and the Rev. Robert Hereford, Sr. (retired), the son of the late Rev. Samuel S. Hereford.
The location at 4600 Blue Spring Road will be the third location of St. John AME Church. St. John held its first services in a barbershop in downtown Huntsville in 1885. The first structure was built in 1900 at 217 Church Street and was utilized until 1971. In 1971, under the pastorship of the Rev. Hereford, the congregation moved into the second church at 229 Church Street.
