100 YEARS OF GOD'S MIRACLES

 

September 20, 1908, St. Matthews African Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated. It was the first

January 17, I960, Hamilton Memorial opened its doors to the community

The name of the church was changed in memory of Bro. I. H. Hamilton.

African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Texarkana Area.

February 11, 1996 Hamilton Memorial moved into its third new building.

THE HISTORY OF

HAMILTON MEMORIAL

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL

CHURCH

In 1908, Brother Ike Hamilton felt that there was a great need for an AME church in Texarkana, Texas. Brother Hamilton and his wife Gallic, Frank and Lou King, and Jeff and Mary Tramble set out to organize a church.

The St. Matthew's African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1908. The first pastor was the Rev. J. E. Roy and the Presiding Elder was the Rev. C. W. Sims. The first sanctuary was a brush arbor. The brush arbor consisted of a pile of cut brush and bushes, which was stacked upon poles.

The members felt that it was time to erect a proper sanctuary. In order to build enthusiasm within the membership, Bro. Hamilton purchased the first load of lumber to build the new church. The first church was erected on the corner of Jones and Iowa Street. The church at that time was located on what is now the north side of Liberty-Eylau Kindergarten Center.

On September 20, 1908, St. Matthews African Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated. It was the first African Methodist Episcopal Church in the Texarkana area. It was one of the oldest African American churches in the Grandview Community. Community members remember St. Matthews and its members for many reasons: one of the first churches to give baskets of food to needy families in the Grandview Community; served as a facility to hold school plays, community musicals and talent shows, a place where the community could always meet; a place to register to vote and purchase poll tax receipts. It has been said that the local Eastern Stars got its start in St. Matthews African Methodist Episcopal Church. Sis. Ethel Shepherd, a member of the church, was instrumental in bringing city services (streetlights, paved streets, water, and sewer) to the Grandview Community.

As the years passed, the wooden structure began to deteriorate. Worshippers could find themselves being pelted by rain that fell through holes in the roof. The church had to be propped up with wooden beams to keep the walls intact. The members were in search of a minister with the spiritual insight to build a new church. In 1959, Rev. Hercules Miles was assigned to the charge.

 

Under the leadership of Rev. Miles plans for a new St. Matthew's were under way. Oscar and Ethel Shepherd donated the property for the new church. A local businessman, John Jay Jones, Sr. financed a loan of $12,000 for the church.

On January 17, 1960, Hamilton Memorial opened its doors to the community. The name of the church was changed in memory of Bro. I. H. (Ike) Hamilton. He devoted over 50 years of service to the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop T.E. Primm dedicated the new building of which Rev. Hercules Miles was the pastor. Hamilton Memorial continued to be the community meeting place for the Grandview community and the Voters League for the surrounding areas. It also hosted the Northeast Texas Annual Conference in the fall of 1960. On February 26, 1961, Rev. Miles was installed as the president of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

Over the years, Hamilton Memorial continued to grow and prosper. The church purchased a parsonage under the leadership of Rev. George Brent Bailey. The parsonage was paid for during the tenure of Rev. S. J. Garrett. After the sudden death of Rev.Garrett, once again the church found themselves in search of a new minister.

In 1978, Rev. John Henry Holmes, Jr. was assigned to the charge. Under Rev. Holmes' leadership, the church grew spiritually, numerically, and financially. The church was remodeled, and it was to be paid off in seven years, but the spiritual insight of Pastor Holmes and the dedicated members of the church took on the challenge of paying the note for remodeling the church in a shorter time span. The mortgage was for $22,500. In the two years of Pastor Holmes' charge it was paid down to $4,000. Property was also purchased for a parking lot and it was paid for in cash.

In 1980 Rev. Walter L. Coffey, Jr. was assigned to the charge and the church mortgage was burned during his tenure. Bishop Henry Murph performed the ceremony for the mortgage burning.

In 1983 Rev. Holmes was assigned to Hamilton Memorial for the second time, and again the church grew spiritually, numerically, and financially. In 1985, Rev. S. L. Green was assigned to the church. Hamilton Memorial continued its upward climb. Pastor Green and his wife Pearl worked diligently with the Women's Missionary Society. Hamilton Memorial hosted a banquet celebrating the bicentennial of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A new parsonage was obtained under his leadership.

In 1989, the Rev. Louis Cornelius Hammond took the reins of leadership at Hamilton Memorial. In 1993 under his leadership the parsonage was paid for. In 1994, Rev. Hammond had a vision for the "New Hamilton Memorial." With God as our guide, the task was accomplished.

On February 11, 1996 Hamilton Memorial moved into its third new building. In September of that year the first Annual Conference was held at Hamilton Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church since 1960. On December 20, 1997 the Lord called Rev. Hammond to glory.

Again, on February 22, 1998, for the third time in his ministry, Rev. John Holmes, Jr., the pastor that served as secretary for the Sherman-Denison District fifteen years under Presiding Elder A. L. Brown, and twelve years as chairman of the finance committee for the North District of the Northeast Texas Conference under Presiding Elder Albert Moore, Jr. Pastor Holmes was assigned to Hamilton Memorial with a greater charge of responsibility of leading the church into the Twenty-first Century.

Since his third return, Hamilton Memorial has paid off the organ, concreted the parking lot in front of the church, landscaped the church grounds, purchased two sets of drums for the music department, and purchased and paid for a fifteen-passenger van. The original mortgage note for the new church was set to be paid off in fifteen years. With Rev. Holmes' leadership the note has been reduced to eleven years.

In 1999, Rev. Holmes was elected as the President of the Greater Texarkana Christian Fellowship and Ministerial Alliance. He served and worked diligently in that office for two years.

Hamilton Memorial was host to the 124th Northeast Texas Annual Conference in September 2002. We were the first to host an annual conference since Bishop Young rearranged the conference settings to be hosted within a hotel. We set the standards of how God can transform anything to Holy ground.

In 2004, the Conferences in the 10th Episcopal District (Texas) were reconstructed, we are now the North Texas Conference, and Hamilton Memorial is in the Tyler District. In 2005, Presiding Elder W.C. Ervin, III appointed Pastor Holmes as the Dean of the Tyler District and our church has set the standard of how we are to worship our God at all times.

Hamilton Memorial serves as a meeting place for a new community group, Project Community Vision, which was organized in February 2002. The group was formed to help the Grandview Community as well as the communities of voting areas of Wards 1 & 2 with issues and concerns of the people.

With God's blessings, we will continue to grow in word and deed. We would like to say again, since Pastor Holmes third return, Hamilton Memorial has truly grown spiritually, numerically and financially. The Church has outgrown the educational facilities within the new church. Through the spiritual leadership of Pastor Holmes who give, all honor to God the Father, Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit the Comforter.

Moreover, the spirit filled members of Hamilton Memorial, a people who have a mind to work for the kingdom building on earth for the Lord stepped out on faith. Lead by Bro. W. A. Griffin Hamilton purchased a new parsonage and transformed the former residence into an Educational Center known as The Hamilton Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Education Center. Hamilton Memorial is not a large church in the eyes of man but we serve an awesome God that has shown us that when you trust Him, He will provide.

The Educational Center has been fully furnished debt free. Liberty-Eylau ISD donated the chairs and chalkboard, Domtar donated the copier and tabletop paper, and International Paper donated cups and napkins. Bro. W. A. Roberson donated the first case of bathroom tissue and the members have donated an entertainment center, TV's, VCR's, filling cabinets, and learning materials, etc... We the Pastor and members of HAMILTON MEMORIAL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH would like to join the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

METHODIST

 

 

 

CHRONICLE OF BISHOPS

IN THE

STATE OF TEXAS

JabezP. Campbell - 1866-1868

James A. Shorter - 1868-1872

John M. Brown - 1872-1876

Thomas H.D. Ward - 1876-1880

Richard H. Cain- 1880-1884

Alexander W. Wayman- 1884-1888

Abram Grant - 1888-1892

Benjamin F. Lee - 1892-1896

Josiah Armstrong - 1896-1898

Moses B. Salter- 1898-1904

Evans Tyree - 1904-1912

Charles S. Smith - 1912-1916

Joshua H. Jones - 1916-1920

William D. Johnson - 1920-1928

William S. Brooks - 1928-1934

George B. Young - 1934-1948

Henry Y. Tookes- 1948

John A. Gregg- 1948

Joseph Gomez - 1948-1956

Howard Thomas Primm - 1956-1960

William F. Ball, Sr. - 1960-1964

Odie Lee Sherman - 1964-1972

John Hurst Adams - 1972-1980

Henry Wendell Murph - 1980-1984

Rembert E. Stokes-1984-1988

James Haskell Mayo -1988-1989

Robert Lee Pruitt - 1989-1991

John R. Bryant - 1991-2000

McKinley Young - 2000- 2004

Gregory G.M. Ingram - 2004 - Present

 

 

NORTHEAST TEXAS CONFERENCE LEADERS

PRESIDING ELDERS

1. Rev. C. W. Sims                          5. J.W. Franklin

2. Rev. Burl Simpson                       6. Rev. A. L. Brown (Sherman-Denison District)

3. Rev. Warren McGrew                  7. Rev. Albert Moore, Jr. (North District)

4. Rev. L. B. Prince.                8. Rev. W. C. Ervin, III-Present (Tyler District)

 

 

PASTORS OF HAMILTON MEMORIAL AME CHURCH

1. Rev. J. E. Roy                                            ll. Rev. Hercules Miles

2. Rev. Turner                                                12. Rev. W. M. Harris

3. Rev. W. S. Bush                                        13. Rev. G. B. Bailey

4. Rev. Carrington                                          14. Rev. S. J. Garrett

5. Rev. J. A. Rhodes                                      15. Rev. J. H. Holmes, Jr. 1978-1980

6. Rev. J. W. Jefferson                                   16. Rev. W. L. Coffey 1980-1983

7. Rev. Brown                                    17. Rev. J. H. Holmes, Jr. 1983-1985

8. Rev. Baker                                     18. Rev. S. L. Green 1985-1989

9. Rev. J. W. Williams                        19. Rev. L. C. Hammond 1989-1997

10. Rev. J. C. Rodgers                       20. Rev. J. H. Holmes, Jr. 1998-Present