Showing the Present
Reflecting the Past
The History of Saint Peter United Methodist Church
St. Peter Methodist Episcopal Church
St. Peter Methodist Episcopal Church was founded during the last few years of the 19th century. The property where the church now stands was purchased June 10,1899. The deed was filed for record in the Madison County Court House, Huntsville, Alabama on October 14, 1905. There was a frame structure standing on this property for worshiping prior to 1923. It had become too dangerous for services due to its condition. The old building was torn down and the lumber stacked in piles on the ground that would later be used to build a parsonage. Different families lived in the parsonage until it was torn down in the late 1960’s. Services were held in the Sisters and Brothers of Honor Lodge Hall on Pension Row while the new church was being built. The pastor and members started raising money for the new building. They gave suppers, had bake sales and sold quilts to raise money. The Board of Mission and Church Extension of the Methodist Episcopal Church was contacted for help. The Board gave St. Peter three hundred dollars. The new building was started in late 1924 and was completed in 1925.
St. Peter United Methodist
The conference dropped the name Methodist Episcopal in 1939, after the white churches in the South came back into the conference after earlier disputes over owning slaves. We were called St. Peter Methodist Church until 1968, when 750,000 Evangelical Brethren (EUB) united with the Methodists. The church is presently called St. Peter United Methodist.
Building the New Church
The pot belly, coal burning heater had been replaced by gas in the 1960’s. The building was not well insulated and there were many discussions about building a new church. A building fund committee was organized. Guidelines were drawn by the Committee, passed by the Administrative Board. The guidelines stated that the money designated for the building would be used only for the new building with an exception only in case of an emergency, such as, a major disaster beyond control. This plan worked. The money was used to build and pay off the mortgage note on the new church. Money continued to be put into the fund to buy land near the church. The groundbreaking service was held in late Summer. The Consecration Service was held in the Fall of 1989.
After 1991
Rev. Deborah Timmons, our first female pastor, was appointed to pastor the church at the Annual Conference in June 1991. Rev. Timmons was a motivator. She started Wednesday night Bible classes, a library and children’s time. Her motto, “Be a risk taker and watch God move,” echoed throughout the church. Rev. Timmons became an elder and was appointed full time pastor on another district at the Annual Conference in June 1992. Rev. Paul Hillard was appointed pastor in 1992. The corner stone was placed under his tenure. The parking lot was paved, and pews were bought. The indebtedness on the church was retired in 1995. The Mortgage Burning Service was held December 15, 1996. A portion of land was donated to the church by the descendants of Sue Della and Ellis Sanders in 1998. Additional land and two small lots were bought and paid for.
Rev. Allen Sanders, Jr. was appointed pastor of St. Peter in 1999. Rev. Marcell Johnson was appointed pastor in 2002. Rev. Patsy Glover was appointed pastor in 2003. Rev. Roderick Stallworth was appointed pastor in 2007. Rev. Danny Jefferson, now pastor, was appointed in 2010.
The church looks forward to meeting the challenges for the year 2000 and beyond. We pray for God’s blessings and guidance.
Assigned Pastors of Saint Peter United Methodist Church
Danny Jefferson 2007 to Present
1913 C. D. Dickerson
1921 W. T. Trammell
1922 Isaac Autry
1923 L. G. Fields
1930 J. L. D. Knox
1933 Arthur Jones
1934 A. R. Matthews
1936 Z. A. Jackson
1937 Fred Perkins
1938 Liona Langford
1939 Newman Jordan
1943 Charlie Davis
1946 P. M. Matthews
1948 H. Jordan
1949 F. R. Carter
1950 Elmer C. Binford
1954 E. W. Tyler
1956 Henry Griffin
1958 Riley Slaughter
1963 Henry Griffin
1965 Earl P. Lacy
1979 James F. Ayers
1989 L. L. Magee
1991 Daborah Timmons
1992 Paul Hillard Jr.
Susan Ward Lanier
1999 Allen Sanders Jr.
2002 Marcel Johnson
2003 Patsy Glover
Bessie Whitaker
2007 Roderick Stallworth
2010 Danny Jefferson