DUANE
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Duane's take
Now, I'm tellin' this one straight from the official marker; here's how Duane sees it. Out in Ellis County, there's a church with a name that carries some real weight. Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, named for A.M.E.
Bishop Alexander W. Wayman himself. That's not a small thing.
You don't get a church named for a bishop without a congregation that means business. And this one got down to business early. The year was 1880, and area residents came together to organize this congregation.
A good number of them had moved here from a community called Telico, carrying their faith with them like a lantern through a dark field. They set down roots, and they built something. Now, fast-forward into the early 1900s, and the church had itself a pastor who was also a physician: Dr.
C.A. Harris. A man of medicine and ministry both.
Under his leadership, something significant happened in 1905. The congregation picked up and moved; left behind the site known as Biggins Hill and relocated to the spot where the church still stands today. Think about what it takes to do that.
To say, we're not done growin', and prove it by movin'. Over the years, Wayman Chapel has had a strong impact on its local community, servin' the town through a variety of ways. And here's the part that makes a story worth tellin': it continues.
Still there. Still supportin' the community. Some things you build in 1880 were meant to last.
What the marker says
Named for African Methodist Episcopal Church Bishop Alexander W. Wayman, this congregation was organized I n1880 by area residents, many of whom moved here from the community of Telico. Dr. C.A. Harris, a physician, served as pastor in the early 1900s. In 1905, under his leadership, the church moved from a site known as Biggins Hill to its current location. Over the years, the church has had a strong impact on its local community. The congregation has served the town through a variety of ways, and continues to support the community. (2006)