St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, "the church of the friendly welcome," in Detroit, Michigan, was founded by Bishop George L. Blackwell in 1911. St. Paul's growth and strength depended on two factors: securing buildings in which the faithful could worship and the inspiring leadership of dynamic pastors. Over the course of time, the congregation of St Paul has met in various venues ranging from the original church on Catherine Street, to the old Vaudette Theatre on Gratiot, to a new church on Catherine, to a facility at Palmer and Beaubien, to the present building at Dexter and Lawrence. Throughout its history St. Paul has benefited from the careful guidance of its pastors, men sensitive to the spiritual needs of the congregation and to the economic difficulties of maintaining a church.
The first pastor of St. Paul A. M. E. Zion was Rev. James A. Terry who handled the challenge resulting from the burning down of the original Catherine Street building in 1916. Terry left the congregation in the competent hands of Rev. L. Thomas Conquest in 1918. For a time Conquest presided over services in the Vaudette Theatre, until the congregation was able to purchase a new church on Catherine. The dynamic Rev. P. R. Flack took the reins as pastor in 1922 and shepherded the congregation through the difficult times of the depression. Despite economic hardships, Flack was able to transplant the church to the west side facility at Palmer and Beaubien. Rev. Lott P. Powell returned to St. Paul in 1941 to serve as pastor. Powell developed organizational structures within the church which endure to the present. He served with distinction until his passing in 1946.
In 1947 the Rev. William A. Hilliard became pastor. He was well suited to the task, building the membership to a number which outgrew the Palmer and Beaubien edifice. This precipitated the moving of the church to its present location at Dexter and Lawrence. In the course of the move, the congregation divided into two Zion Churches. The group which stayed behind is known as the Metropolitan Church and was led by Rev. Stephen P. Spotswood. Hilliard fulfilled his pastoral tasks so well that he was elevated to the position of Bishop in the A. M. E. Zion Church in 1960.
In June 1960 Dr. William C. Ardrey became the pastor of St. Paul and ably led the sixth largest congregation in Detroit. Ardrey stepped up the level of community involvement begun by Hilliard, opening the doors of St. Paul for local groups' meetings and personally taking action to improve the neighborhood and city. Ardrey's involvement in the local NAACP, service on the Detroit Public Library board, and mediation in the 1983 teachers' strike evidence his social commitment. The acme of his activism, securing federal funds for a housing project for the elderly and low income families, was cast into shadow as the loans came due before the building could be occupied. Rev. William M. White succeeded Ardrey in 1989.
From the guide to the St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Detroit, Mich., Records, 1957-2002, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)
