Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Travis County. Now settle in, because this story starts the way the best ones always do — quietly, in somebody's living room. In the early 1870s, a man named Temple Washington opened his home, and a small group of people began gathering there for informal worship services.

No grand sanctuary, no steeple catching the Texas sun — just faith, and a few folks willing to show up for it. By 1873, those thirteen original members had something more. They had their own sanctuary, right there on San Antonio Street, with the Rev.

Frank Green serving as their first pastor. Thirteen people. Remember that number, because what grows from it is something else entirely.

Plans were already being drawn for a new church building when, in 1883, the original structure burned. Just like that — gone. Now, a lesser congregation might have scattered.

Instead, the members of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church held their worship services temporarily at Smith's Opera House on West Sixth Street. They kept the faith in a theater, which, if you think about it, is not the worst place to remind people that something larger than themselves is playing out. By 1884, they were worshiping in a new building.

The story was still being written. Then there's the Rev. Abraham Grant, who had come to Austin back in 1881 and led this congregation all the way through 1888 — at which point he became a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

That is a man who clearly had places to go. And Dr. William Laws served the congregation during the first years of the twentieth century, and went on to become president of Paul Quinn College.

In 1913, the church moved to a site that had formerly been occupied by the St. John German Evangelical Congregation. Ten years after that, it relocated to the address where this marker stands.

From Temple Washington's front room to a permanent address, with a fire and an opera house and a bishop and a college president somewhere along the way — Metropolitan A.M.E. Church has been an established part of Austin's Black community for over a hundred years, still upholding the ideals upon which it was founded. Thirteen members showed up in 1873.

They had no idea what they were starting.

What the marker says

This congregation began meeting for informal worship services during the early 1870s at the home of Temple Washington. By 1873, the thirteen original members were meeting in their own sanctuary on San Antonio Street. The Rev. Frank Green served as first pastor. While plans were being drawn for a new church building, the original structure burned in 1883. Worship services were temporarily held in Smith's Opera House on W. Sixth Street. By 1884, members of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church were worshiping in a new building. In 1913, the church moved to a site formerly occupied by the St. John German Evangelical Congregation, and ten years later relocated to this address. The Metropolitan A.M.E. Church has been served throughout its history by many able pastors. The Rev. Abraham Grant, who came to Austin in 1881, led the congregation until 1888, when he became a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. William Laws served here during the first years of the twentieth century and was later president of Paul Quinn College. An established part of Austin's Black community for over 100 years, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church continues to uphold the ideals upon which it was founded. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986