Jacqueline Bryant, a member of the church for several decades, shared with the crowd how in 1873, the Rev. Richard James established the church where the Willie Galimore Center is today ― a short distance from its current location. The church settled at its current spot in the early 1900s, she said.
"As of this coming June 4, 2021, it will be 148 years of existence," she said. "To God be the glory. Amen."
The $350,000 St. Paul AME rehabilitation project is being funded by the Lincolnville Community Redevelopment Agency's Institutional Rehabilitation Program, according to Jaime Perkins, CRA administrator.
The Lincolnville CRA is an entity established by the city of St. Augustine to reduce blight and improve the community. With guidance from a steering committee, a portion of property tax revenues in Lincolnville are reinvested into the community through programs outlined in the CRA's redevelopment plan.