BALTIMORE — A piece of Baltimore’s history turns 200 on Sunday.
St. James Episcopal Church was considered the first consecrated episcopal church with an African American congregation in the South, according to Doug Donovan, media person for Johns Hopkins.
On Sunday morning, churchgoers commemorated the occasion with a special church service.
"It is an honor come here today to say congratulations. Congratulations for what? For being faithful through good times and difficult times. To be courageous in this community, to hold down this corner of Lafayette Street," said Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie.
"Not only because of you, but the ones that came before us. We stand on their shoulders. They are the ones that prayed until we got here; they are the ones that kept preaching before we got here. For this is St. James [Episcopal Church], where you have the opportunity at the same time to look back from where you came, a rich history and rich heritage, and at the same time look ahead for what's ahead.”
According to the church's website, the church was founded by William Levington in 1827.
In addition to the mass, the church also hosted a gala on Friday at Martin’s West.
