The doors of the Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Poplar Bluff may have been closed since April 2020 because of COVID, but the members’ faith has remained strong. They are planning to give back to the community from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1.
While the historic church is located at 417 Oak St., the giveaway will be at the church’s pavilion on Valley and Benton streets.
“We are leaders,” Priscilla McClendon said. “We are still here.”
The church members will be handing out toilet paper to the first 100 people who come by the pavilion.
Pastor William Harrold said, the congregation has worshiped in Poplar Bluff for more than 140 years at various locations. Today, they worship in one of the oldest remaining church structures in Poplar Bluff. The original building was constructed in 1886 and it housed the Poplar Bluff First Methodist Church South.
Other churches had worship services in the building for decades years before it was purchased by Brown Chapel.
Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church was established in 1875 when Ruben Wyatt moved to Poplar Bluff and saw the need for a church and a school for the black community. A leading businessman, Benjaman Turner, agreed to donate the land. A church building was constructed in 1885 at 612 Lester St. This site was sold in 1971 to Doctors Hospital for expansion of Kneibert Clinic. In 1972, the congregation purchased the church on Oak Street.
Previous congregations meeting in the building were Methodist Church (South) from 1886 to 1917, Church of Christ (now on Highland Drive) from 1917 to 1963 and New Testament Baptist Church (now Westwood Baptist) from 1963 to 1971.