Flipper Temple AME Church will celebrate their 105th Anniversary this year. The church was established on January 4th, 1920 by Reverend C.D. Thornton, H. B. McIver, and a group of twenty-four other adults and children walked to the corner of Fair Street where the church currently stands. Rev. Elijah S. Shafah joins us today to talk about the church, their history, and the huge The Night of Worship taking place on Friday, March 28th at 6:00PM at the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel 830 Westview Dr. SW, Atlanta, GA 30314 on Morehouse Campus. For more information and tickets for Night of Worship
Rev. Shafah explains that the church was established in the community because most folks didn’t own cars and many walked to church for Sunday services and weekly activities. He speaks about the establishment of the African Methodist Episcopal Church that began in Philadelphia by Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and other leaders who had been removed from worshiping with mainstream churches. They established a culturally African-centric worship that became a safe space for our communities.
The church which seems to have always been there was purposely a part of the center of “Black Excellence” where students from throughout the Atlanta University Center along with administrators and faculty regularly worshipped. Rev. Shafah speaks about the special connection between Morris Brown University and the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
As the 18th pastor to lead Flipper Temple AME, I asked Rev. Shafah about the legacy he has come to lead. He speaks about the fact that he grew up at Flipper Temple AME and was humbled and excited to lead the church into this next century. He spoke about his desire to rekindle the relationships with the students and faculty at the Atlanta University Center. Not only is Rev. Shafah, a child of Flipper Temple AME, is also a graduate of divinity school at the ITC.
The Night of Worship takes place on Friday, March 28th at the International Martin Luther King Chapel on Morehouse Campus 830 Westview Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30314.
For more information and tickets for Community Night of Worship
For more information about Flipper Temple AME Church