Church has long history

By By Ida Brown / staff writer
Oct. 23, 2004
On May 31, 1901, a request to establish a mission was approved by the second bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, the Rt. Rev. Hugh Miller Thompson.
The original petition was requested by members of the first Church of the Mediator. Parish status for St. Paul's Episcopal Church was approved eight months later on Jan. 22, 1902.
Pending the construction of the church building, several churches in the area, including Temple Beth Israel, the Jewish synagogue, offered the use of its buildings to St. Paul's fledgling congregation.
The lot for the present church at 12th Street and 23rd Avenue originally cost $3,250, and construction costs were $7,450. The cornerstone was placed April 14, 1902, and the first service was held in the new building on All Saints Day, Nov. 1, 1902.
By 1910, St. Paul's had 296 active members. Today, the parish serves upwards of 500. Since its founding, St. Paul's has had an extensive record of involvement in the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, producing many priests and several bishops.