Shorter Chapel in Franklin Celebrates 150 Years
By Rev. Dr. Kenneth Hill
“Anchored, Rooted, Grounded in Faith and Love,” was the theme for Shorter Chapel AME Church’s celebration of its 150 anniversary year. On Sunday, May 5, Shorter Chapel unveiled a new sign, kicking off the church’s sesquicentennial year.
Shorter Chapel was organized in 1868 and named for James Alexander Shorter, who was the ninth elected and consecrated bishop. Shorter Chapel’s original location was in the downtown area of Franklin, Tennessee, and was used as a hospital during the Civil War. Shorter Chapel is listed on the National and Tennessee Historic Registries.
In 1925, the church relocated to its current location in the historic Natchez community on the corner of Natchez Street and Fowlkes Street in Franklin. Shorter Chapel has been in the same location for the last 90 years.
For 150 years, Shorter Chapel has provided a safe and welcoming site for residents of Franklin and the Natchez community to worship and fellowship. August 9, marked the start of a weekend-long celebration of Shorter Chapel’s 150-years of service to the city of with a Raise the Roof songfest. Five churches joined the celebration with choirs offering worship music to the people. The churches performing included St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Payne Chapel AME Church in Nashville, First Missionary Baptist in Franklin, St. Paul AME Church in Columbia, and Limestone Baptist Church in Franklin.
On Friday, August 10, an “Evening of Elegance” Gala took place at the Marriott Cool Springs, where a great message was delivered by the anointed guest preacher, the Rt. Rev. Jeffrey N. Leath. Delectable food, fun, and fellowship were enjoyed.Almost 300 people attended to celebrate the Church’s sesquicentennial anniversary. The Master of Ceremony for the Gala was Mr. Lelan Statom, News Channel 5 Nashville’s Emmy Award-winning meteorologist. There were special musical guests and notable talent from Franklin and surrounding area.
The gathering included current and former church members, former pastors, and supportive members of the community. During the evening, several awards were presented to community organizations and individual members of the congregation. “We were once slaves but we weren’t slaves in our heart,” said Mary Mills, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award, having attended the church since she was 19. Now 92, the former school teacher and County Commissioner has watched the church evolve. She still remembers the days of potbelly stoves warming the building and singing lyrics out of the church hymnals. She notes, there’s “a lot of love in that church.”
“In matters of social justice, Shorter Chapel has always taken the lead,” Pastor Kenneth Hill told the gathering. “We engage in restoring relationships and restoring the facility, both of which have great community value… We are a church that began in protest and was born at the altar… Shorter Chapel has been known as a church of protest and social justice and creating a sanctuary for those in the African-American community. From this time and to this day, we want to serve the community as a place of sanctuary and for people in the community,” he added.
Dr. Hill said, “Historically, this church has been a beacon of hope and light for the community.” He commented that part of the celebration is to seek support to preserve this historic property and its legacy for the new century. Shorter Chapel seeks to restore the bell tower to its traditional architecture, as the church has great architectural, cultural, and historical value in the community. When complete the new bell tower will ring into the community the sound of hope to the people of the Natchez community and beyond!
Guest minister, the Rev. Tyronda H. Burgess, the pastor of Joshua Chapel AME Church in Waxahachie, Texas, gave the sermon during morning worship at Shorter Chapel AME Church at its 150th-anniversary celebration on Sunday, August 12, 2018, in Franklin, Tennessee. It was a tremendous weekend.
