St. Paul’s --- Past, Present, Future

 The Episcopal presence in Corinth, Mississippi began with three communicants in 1857.  In the next few decades, the congregation changed names and locations several times before settling in 1902 as St. Paul’s at a location on Taylor Street near downtown.

In the 1920s, the original frame building was renovated with a brick veneer and stained glass windows, including a beautiful altar window of Jesus as the Great Physician, given by Mr. Jake Rubel in memory of his physician, Dr. Charles Taylor, who had been a lay leader at St. Paul’s. Over the years, St. Paul’s acquired adjacent properties to use as rectory, parish house, and parking.

As the twentieth century neared its end, however, it became apparent that the three small residential lots on Taylor Street owned by St. Paul’s could not support the growing congregation. A generous bequest from a descendant of Dr. Taylor made it possible to buy a large tract of land on the growing northern edge of Corinth. In 1999  St. Paul’s made the difficult decision to leave its beautiful, but small, building and made plans for a new multipurpose facility on 19 acres of woods and grass on the north side of Corinth. 

Early in 2001 St. Paul’s moved into the new building. On moving day members of the congregation converged with trucks and trailers to move the altar, altar rail, pews, (and later the pulpit) from old location to new. The Taylor memorial window still rises behind the altar with other stained glass windows from the old building used in the side wall and other locations in the new church.

In 2008, in the 151st year of our existence, St. Paul's reached a new milestone as we moved from the status of "mission" to that of "parish."  In 2009 we called our first rector, the Rev. Ann Benton Fraser. In 2019, we began the search for our second.

As St. Paul’s continues to grow, we look for ways to reach out to the world in need around us and for opportunities to offer our church facilities and outdoor space to others. Seeking creative uses for our 19-plus acres of woods and cleared grounds is part of an ongoing stewardship goal at St. Paul’s.

St. Paul’s invites you to become part our church family and as we answer Jesus's call to welcome the stranger, to reach out to others in need, and to help ease the burdens of fellow laborers in our community and the world.

--- Holly McIntyre, from information provided by the late Dorothy Hopkins, St. Paul's archivist. Edited 2019 by Susan Adams.