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Payne Chapel A.M.E. is a historic congregation and an anchor in Houston’s fifth ward. The church probably began in 1886 with a small group of people meeting in the home of Minerva Wells. It was the first African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) church in the fifth ward, although several existed in Houston’s other wards. Member james Calvin Lindsey named the church for Daniel Alexander Payne (1811-1893), the sixth bishop of the A.M.E. church. A circuit pastor possibly served the church in its earliest days. The first known pastor was Henry B. Sonly (b. 1866), appointed in 1896. The Reverend James B. Butler (b. 1874) led the church as they built their first building at 1517 Hill Street. When the church grew, a new building was needed. In 1919, under the direction of the Rev. Jesse C. Butler (b. 1879), the church purchased an existing wood frame church building at 2701 Lee and a parsonage at 2709 Lee. Several remodels took place over the following decades.
in 1950, the most extensive renovations began. Renowned architect Ralph M. Buffington (1907-2003) designed a 700-seat sanctuary and educational spaces. Additional expansions occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. Some of Houston’s most prominent city leaders, business persons and educators were members of the church, including Julia C. Hester and Henry Clay. In 1986, the church held an extensive centennial celebration and hosted several church and civic leaders. The next few decades saw Payne Chapel A.M.E. dedicate itself to local community and education services. In the words of the church’s centennial proclamation, “the Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal church has weathered a century of tremendous change in the world yet remains a bastion of the Christian faith with an enthusiastic and devoted congregation.” (2022)
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