THE HISTORY
Organized in 1884, St. Paul A.M.E. Church first met in the home of the Homer F. Wilson, Sr's., one of the church's 10 founding families. The Rev. Jesse Woods was the organizing pastor. One year later, because of the growing interest and the need for a church building for Glencoe's African American families, the membership built the first of three buildings. Since there were no other funds available, the Wilsons mortgaged their home at 425 Adams St. to purchase the lot from Morton T. Culver. The Church was carried into the Chicago Annual Conference and became a bonafide member of the African Methodist Episcopal Connection just a few years after.

The first church building was built in 1886. It was destroyed by fire in 1930. The second building, (top left) was constructed the following year under the pastorate of Rev. Francis Washington and an addition built in 1954.

The present structure, (top right) was built in 1992 under the pastorate of Rev. Deborah B. Williams. Robert Andrews of Andrew Architecture in Chicago did the design. The red brick building incorporates an epoxy glass window designed by David Laughlin, installed by B. J. Hopper. entitled, "The Good Shepherd". It was donated by the Glencoe Community and dedicated on May 11, 1975 in memory of Sarah M. Wilson Rankin, Daughter of Homer F. Wilson. The symmetrical entryway with its slanted windows was designed by Robert C. Haith, a church Steward and is set forward from the main building creating an effective entry to the church. In the year 2000, 20 families funded a project, spearheaded by The Women's League of St. Paul, presided over by Nancy King of the original founding family, to install commemorative stain glass windows throughout the sanctuary and vestibule of the church. Each window embodies a liturgical symbol and the name of the donor. These windows were designed and installed by Barbara Bergwerf of Stained Glass and More of Glenview, IL.