St Paul's Presbyterian Church Celebrates 100th Anniversary

Sentinel News Service

Los Angeles' own St. Paul's Presbyterian Church will commemorate its 100th Anniversary with a series of celebrations, beginning with a festive "Homecoming Day" - and the observance of Pentecost - at the 11am worship service on Sunday, May 23, 2010.

St. Paul's began humbly in 1910, when Dr. George Butterfield organized a small Sunday school for a limited number of attendants. A few short months later, Butterfield's congregants had swelled to dozens and the church officially established its chapel in a storefront on Jefferson.

By 1931, a larger church had been built to house St. Paul's growing congregation and to better serve an evolving multi-racial populace. St. Paul's was soon assigned outreach in the Baldwin Hills area and in February 1949, the venerable church's place in the community was cemented by a groundbreaking ceremony for its current home, on the corner of Coliseum and La Brea Avenue.

The "Homecoming Day' salute will be lead by an individual familiar with the church, congregants and outlying community: The Rev. Dr. Leon E. Fanniel, Pastor Emeritus, who will be preaching May 23rd.

Dr. Leon E. Fanniel earned degrees from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin TX, as well as Chicago's George Williams College and McCormick Theological Seminary prior to being installed as pastor of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church January of 1975. In 1997, after 21 years of service, Pastor Fanniel honorably retired; he currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Presbyterian Polity and Reformed Worship and Sacraments at San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Since its May 2010 inception, St Paul's Presbyterian Church has weathered as many challenges and triumphs as it has years.  This month, the proud members of St. Paul's observe this historic month in the life of the church. Former members, friends and the greater Los Angeles community are invited to celebrate and praise God with St. Paul's.

St. Paul's is located at 5100 Coliseum St. Los Angeles, CA 90016. Rev. Ann Hayman (Interim Pastor), Mary Porter, and Lois Hines are co-chairs of the 100th Anniversary, for more information call 323 292-0471.

 

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