Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Religion in Real Time


 http://www.stpaulamechapelhill.org/st-paul-village-overview.html
Here's a little bit of religion in North Carolina in real time! This Saturday, March 2nd, St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Chapel Hill, NC is holding a 5K Walk and Run to benefit their current project, St. Paul Village.

According to the St. Paul site, the new endeavor, which will be constructed over time in phases, will offer a "worship sanctuary and fellowship hall; mixed-use senior and affordable housing; childcare, youth, and senior centers; recreational facilities; a wellness center, a health clinic; a historical museum; and a memorial garden." Quite an ambitious undertaking! St. Paul AME Church was established in 1864 and the church was built in 1892. (Their site provides an in-depth history.) The Village project will reassert the Church as a community anchor and will, on a practical level, provide more space for the expanding congregation.

The Church envisions that the Village should be a "multi-use and multi-generational" space. Fittingly, the project, centered around community, will be stand on land that was a historically African-American neighborhood dating all the way back to the mid-1800s. In the spirit of charity, St. Paul intends to donate 10% of its proceeds from the walk/run to other local organizations.

If you're interested in the walk/run or the St. Paul Village project, then navigate over to the site for more details and blueprints.

NC Religion has some texts up concerning African American Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists and more. You can search for yourself under the main subject keyword listings in the Religion in North Carolina section on the Internet Archive.