Faith ties city, black history together

Event lauds Grace AME Church for 150 years in Warren

WARREN -- The Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church in Warren and its members have overcome many challenges including a major flood in 1913 to become one of the city's oldest churches marking 150 years.

The history of the church and its contributions to Warren were highlighted Monday as part of a two-day Black History Month program at the Warren Heritage Center, also known as the Kinsman House.

The Rev. Shane Floyd, pastor of the church, shared the history of the well-known church as part of the first event. The Rev. Samson Murray, pastor of Triedstone Baptist Church, will showcase his church at 6 p.m. today. It is marking 100 years in the city.

More than 30 people attended Monday's program. It was the 11th year the Warren Heritage Center hosted a Black History Month program.

Warren at-Large Councilwoman Helen Rucker, who is on the Warren Heritage Center board, said church was very important to many people in Warren, with congregations often starting in storefronts and in people's homes.

The song "We Have Come this Far by Faith" was played on piano and sung by Grace AME members at Monday's event.

"What we realize in the Methodist family of churches, the years have been filled with struggle and pain but God has brought us a mighty long way. Our church has a legacy in Warren," Floyd said.

He said Richard Allen was a domestic slave born in Philadelphia who pushed to have black Methodists be part of the white Methodist churches.

The start of the African Methodist church and the push for Methodism began in 1787. Floyd said the AME church emblem has an anvil symbol in the center of a cross, which is symbolic of the humble beginnings of the church in a blacksmith shop.

"In 1816, the African Methodist Episcopal Church was so huge and amazing it would become the first black denomination in this country,'' he said.

CHURCH BEGINNINGS

Floyd said the Warren Grace AME Church was established in 1874 and has "a long tradition of being service-driven in the Warren community."

He said property was purchased in 1875 on Riverside (West Market Street) for the first church. Floyd said the church faced hard times, such as major flooding of the Mahoning River in 1913, which damaged many church members' homes.

"It was tough times, but the foundation of faith stayed intact. We have come this far by faith," he said.

Floyd said the current church on Main Street began in 1949, with the sanctuary added in 1959.

He said Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said the most segregated time in the country is 9 a.m. Sunday morning when everyone goes to their own churches.

"We have come a long way, but we still have a long way to go. I believe we could all be a lot closer than we are now," he said.

James Valesky, president of the Heritage Center, said Monday's program and others during the year highlight the history of Warren and the heritage of its residents.

Mayor Doug Franklin said African American history in Warren would not be complete without the history of the local churches, which were an important part of people's lives.

"The history of African Americans in our community can be directly tied to the churches. The Grace AME Church has a great history both locally and nationally," Franklin said.

Garrick Matlock, vice president of the Warren Heritage Center, said preserving history is most important.

"I am a storyteller. We preserve the stories because after the floods, many people lost their pictures and artifacts. Our stories help us to rebuild," Matlock said

Rucker said it is important to pass on the stories to future generations.