Our history

Saint John African Methodist Episcopal Church

It is the established consensus of earlier members that Saint John Church was organized between 1840 and 1860. Saint John was an independent Methodist Church with philanthropic support. A local white citizen visited the North and learned of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and upon his return he encouraged Saint John Church to affiliate with the A.M.E. denomination. Saint John made its connection with the A.M.E. denomination in 1880, under the pastoral leadership of the Reverend Jordan Jay. The Reverend Richard Graham was the Presiding Elder and the Right Reverend J.P. Campbell was the Presiding Bishop. Saint John made its first report to an A.M.E. Annual Conference as a member of the Griffin District in 1889.

The first property of the church was donated by Jimmie Stubbs and was located behind the cemetery in Fayette County, which later became Campbell County and subsequently part of Fulton County. In 1907, a site was purchased for the sum of $110.35 where members were able to meet. A storm, however, destroyed the church in 1918 and the members were left without a place to worship. Money was raised to build another sanctuary but for several years the met wherever they could until the building committee could erect a new place of worship. Another misfortune struck the church in 1937. Due to poor construction, a strong wind caused the building to lean so badly that it was dangerous for worship.
They were once again left without a place to assemble to worship God together. In 1938, under the pastorate of the Reverend C.C. Blake, the church was rebuilt, and Saint John A.M.E. Church’s congregation worshipped in that structure until 1991.

In 1991, under the determined leadership of Reverend Isaiah Juran Waddy (1986-1993) Saint John purchased 7.8 acres and began construction at 305 West Campbellton Street, Fairburn, Ga., our present site. To aid in the new construction, the old church at 161 Senoia Road in Fairburn was sold to Temple of Prayer Deliverance Center. This sale left the church temporarily without a place of worship. Faith led Mr. Murray of Murray Brothers Funeral Homes to volunteer the use of his chapel at no cost to the church for the entire 11 months they were there. On February 16, 1991, Saint John held a groundbreaking ceremony at Landmark School with Bishop John Hurst Adams and Presiding Elder Lee Jerome Jones in attendance. Through the leadership of the Reverend Waddy and the hard work of the members, the new church was dedicated on January 17, 1992 by Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming, Presiding Elder Lee Jerome Jones, and Pastor Waddy.

In 1993 the Reverend Dr. Keith Lawrence was appointed Senior Pastor of Saint John. Under his leadership Saint John grew spiritually and numerically and began holding two worship services while also acquiring four additional properties.