Greater Powell A. M. E. Church

Congregation Founded: 1842-AME Affiliation: 1882

"God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother" Greater Powell AME Church in Grenada, Mississippi has been a beacon light in the community and state for nearly one-hundred and sixty years. It is known as the "shining star" and "flag-ship" congregation among Afro-Americans churches in North Mississippi. It has had some of the outstanding citizenry in Mississippi among its membership. In Spring, 2002, it will formally dedicate a 12 million dollars federally-funded Senior Citizens Housing Complex. It fostered the first federally sponsored Day Care Center in the state of Mississippi back in the middle 1950s among Afro-American churches which provides child care for more than one-hundred children each semester and is yet in operation with a certified staff. It was a central and focal point of the Civil Rights Movement in the mid 1960s under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Ralph David Abernathy, Andrew Young, Jesse Jackson, Hosea Williams and others. The first Black Attorney admitted to the Mississippi Bar, Attorney Wilbur Ransom, was a member and Trustee of this congregation during its early years before relocating to Indianapolis where he became one of the staunch members and Deputy Chairman of the Trustee Board of Bethel AME Church. The first Black elected officials in Grenada since Reconstruction were members of this congregation, not to mention the countless school teachers, school principals and administrators, university professors, civic and community leaders, medical doctors and connectional church leaders who numbered among its membership. Many yet rise up, and "call her blessed." May we say as did David? "Behold how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." "ARISE, SHINE, GIVE GOD THE GLORY FOR THIS IS THE YEAR OF JUBILEE!!!"

"THE PEOPLE THAT WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT" "The African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1787 in Philadelphia by a former slave, Richard Allen, who purchased his freedom and became a lay minister in the predominantly (white) Methodist Episcopal Church. He and others withdrew from the St. George's Methodist Church located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania due to discrimination and segregation practices and founded the Mother Bethel A. M. E. Church, first located in a blacksmith shop. In due time, other Afro-American Methodist congregations withdrew from the Methodist Episcopal Church and met in 1816 to organize their own connectional church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Richard Allen was elected the first Bishop. The African Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest predominantly African-American Christian denomination in the Western World. It has more than 5 million members in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, the Bahamas, England (Europe), Holland (The Netherlands in Europe), Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Grenada, Virgin Islands, Suriname (South America), Guyana (South America), and in 19 countries throughout the African Continent. It operates 6 colleges and 2 seminaries in the United States as well as numerous nursing homes, summer camps, schools of religion, housing projects, and health clinics. It operates several colleges, seminaries, publishing houses,and health clinics in overseas areas as well. Most outstanding Afro-Americans throughout history have been members of the AME Church including Richard Allen, Henry McNeal Turner, Daniel Alexander Payne, Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. DuBois, Senator Hiram Revels, Senator Blanche K. Bruce, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Henry Ossawa Tanner, Carl O. Flipper, Roy Wilkins, A. Phillip Randolph, W. C. Handy, Donna Summers, Dionne Warwicke, Daisy Bates, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, General "Chappie" James, Vernon Jordan, Dick Gregory, Rosa Parks,and many others. Today, the 213 years old AME Church continues to seek and to serve the lost, downtrodden, and to be a champion of justice the world over. "Hitherto, hath the Lord helped us."