Standing on the promises of God

LaCrosse church celebrates 106th year

Celebrating the 106^th Anniversary of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in LaCrosse, Rev. Jerome Able spreads the good word to parishioners attending a recent Wednesday evening Bible Study.

LACROSSE – It started with a half-acre of land.

In 1903, W.S. Roberts donated a plot of land to the members of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church. The church opened its doors three years later in 1906.

More than a century later, St. Paul Missionary is still thriving.

The church observed its 106^th anniversary in a celebratory service Sunday. The service theme was “Standing on the Promises of God.”

“Hallelujah” and “Thank you Jesus” echoed through the crowd as St. Paul members gave thanks for the church’s endurance. An organ played lively music that filled the building, and the church’s choir led the congregation in songs of praise.

The church spent time honoring its oldest member, Mary Dell. Dell, 94, first attended St. Paul when she was 12 years old. She’s still a member 83 years later, although she no longer attends due to health issues.

“She may not be here physically, but she is here.” church member Shirley Washington said of Dell.

Church mother Annie Madison has been a member at St. Paul since 1950. She said her parents, sons, grandchildren and brother have all attended St. Paul at some point. She estimated attendance for the anniversary service to be between 50 and 60 people.

“We were expecting a large crowd, and we think we got what we expected,” she said. “It was well attended.”

Madison said she values St. Paul because of her history there.

“When I go to church, I can look over and see where my dad used to sit and almost see him sitting there,” she said.

St. Paul also dedicated a section of the program to retelling the church’s history. Like Mary Dell and Annie Madison, many church members have attended all their lives.

The church has had 11 pastors during its 106 years, and in 1906 the church counted 32 members. During those years, dues ranged from 5 to 25 cents.

By 1945, the church had nudged its congregation up to 43 members, and the dues were 25 to 50 cents. Between 1945 and 1950, the church experienced a boom in membership, and it soon had 157 members.

Between 1950 and 1959, the growing congregation chose to build a new church. Members worked toward making renovations and improvements for the next several years.

Over the next 40 years, the church purchased new furniture, added a fellowship hall, P.A. system, new lights and replaced the roof of the fellowship hall.  For a period of several years, between 2009 and 2011, the church was without a pastor.  The Rev. Jerome Able was appointed on Sept. 16, 2011.

“He and his wife are very strong leaders,” Madison said about the Ables. “We call them godsends.”

In the past year, the church has appointed two church mothers, two Sunday School teachers and a youth minister. Madison said St. Paul currently has between 20 and 30 members.

She said the church hopes to grow again and reach the numbers it once had, but it’s harder to have large numbers in a small community.

“We want to think positive,” she said. “We’d like to see it where it is a few years ago.”

Madison said the church’s size brings everyone closer together.

“When you have a small setting, it’s more like a family,” she said. “If the pastor doesn’t see you on Sunday, you know you were missed.”

Madison said that’s something that doesn’t happen often in megachurches.

Deacon Joel Allen has been at St. Paul for nearly his entire life. He said he was baptized into the church at 8 years old. Allen has been a St. Paul deacon for 27 years.

“We’ve had pastors that have come and gone,” he said. “What draws people here is we’re all about winning souls for the Lord.”

Allen said the church’s openness is a part of the reason it’s done well.

“This church has been on a solid foundation for 106 years,” he said. “We’re open to everybody. Come on in and praise the Lord.”

#     #     #

Email ayanastewart@

alachuatoday.com