| Parks Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church’s songs of praise are "I Don’t Believe He's Brought Me This Far To Leave Me" and “We’ve Come This Far By Faith”. Anyone reading its history will know why. In or around 1929, the late Calvin Benefield came to what was called Firework Station to see about starting a church. Like Richard Allen, he started prayer meetings by going from house to house with Will Brown, Jacob Wallace, James Powell, Grant Taylor, and John NoneIi. After several years of prayer meetings, the site at 43rd and Baker was purchased. After the walls were up, those families began to worship in Parks Chapel, no floor and crates for seats. Soon, a floor was added, chairs were purchased, the late Arthur Ervine, pastor at St. Luke AME Church, delivered the message, and four people joined the Parks Chapel AME Church. That was the first of three churches Pastor Benefield built. Pastor Benefield was a dedicated minister, who served Parks Chapel for 25 years or more, while ministering to the community as well. It stands to reason that his favorite songs were “The Uncloudy Day” and “By and By”. While the years of each pastor’s appointments are a bit sketchy, a list of the following ministers and their spiritual contributions are as follows: Rev. Fred Oliver inherited a big mortgage of $5000.00, but through major projects like the Church Banquet and a Silver Tea during Rev. Oliver’s appointment, that mortgage was paid. Pastors Jones and Jenkins, whose entire names are not listed at this time, served Parks Chapel for a very short time. Rev. Roy Joiner came not only to serve the church but also the community. Rev. Joiner furnished the church with carpet, pulpit furniture, and numerous other items he either made or received from others. Rev. Joiner taught The Discipline, held classes about the foundation of the AME church, while continuing to have the young people share in being officers of the church by being in complete charge of the service every third Sunday. His greatest gift was to teach “…thus said the Lord, to love ye one another.” Rev. Charles Boatner organized the Christian Coalition and, during his tenure, a new piano was purchased, the Annual Banquet was revived, and ground was broken for the All Purpose Building now known as The Fellowship Hall. Rev. Boatner served at Parks Chapel for 21 years and was known for singing “Precious Lord”. Rev. Charles T. Gill and his family came to Parks Chapel, and under his leadership there bloomed an active Bible Study, the Bailey Scholarship Fund, a Senior, Gospel, Youth, and Men’s Choir. Also, the mortgage on the All-Purpose Building was burned. It was noted that, Rev. Gill, and his lovely Christian wife, Janice, were examples of what the Lord can do when He leads your life. Rev. Mae Ella Williams served as pastor of Parks Chapel until September 27, 2024. While serving, Rev. Mae Ella and First Gentleman Roderick Williams brought a new energy to Parks Chapel while always maintaining that “Nobody is perfect. All have sinned and fall short of the mark.” Rev. Jarian DeMarr Stith, Sr. accepted his appointment at Parks Chapel on September 27, 2024, and has hit the ground running. He and his lovely wife, Monica, are excited about what God is doing through their ministry. While services can still be heard over the call-in line, they are now live-streamed on Facebook and Zoom. Church School has relaunched and can also be attended by those who are homebound by listening in on the call-in line, and the relaunch of Bible Study will begin May 7, 2025 with Praise & Worship at 6:45pm and Bible Study at 7:00pm . The Parks Chapel website is also up and running and “The Best Is Yet to Come”! Other names of the great warriors who served and worshipped at Parks Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church were not listed due to time and space, but many are listed on the plates that can be seen at the end of the church pews. The battle is not over, for there is much to do. The light must continue to shine because “We’ve Come This Far by Faith” and “He Didn’t Bring Us This Far to Leave Us”. |