St. Paul AME Worship Center is on 1704 S. Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road in Lithonia, Georgia, where it is known for 10:00 a.m. Sunday worship, a 9:00 a.m. Sunday School, and a ministry life that reaches well beyond Sunday morning. This African Methodist Episcopal church's work includes a Christian school, an intercessory telephone prayer line, youth and music ministries, prison outreach and the Harvest of Eden food pantry.
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:00 AM
Sunday begins with virtual Sunday School at 9:00 a.m., followed by the main worship service at 10:00 a.m. The service is held in person at 1704 S. Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road and streamed live each Sunday on YouTube and Facebook.
The church's motto captures its sense of belonging: “There's no place like this place, anywhere near this place. So this must be the place!” Visitors are greeted with “Welcome to the Paul,” a Men's Choir is part of the music ministry, and young people are invited to volunteer for YPD events. The church also asks everyone to read their Bibles at least five minutes each day and promotes a wear orange campaign.
Guest Parking and a Welcoming First Impression
Guest parking is in front of the church, where a first impression team greets visitors and shows them how their God-given talents could be used. For younger members of the family, Children's Super Sunday is held on the third Sunday of each month, and the monthly youth church service takes place in the Woodie Franklin Fellowship Hall on the second floor.
Women of Faith and Wednesday Bible Study
Women of Faith Bible Study meets every Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., and participants join by calling the prayer line number. A second gathering, Bible study with Pastor Moore, takes place every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. through Zoom.
The Intercessory Teleconference Prayer Line
The prayer line is open to all people in need of prayer. Morning sessions run Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 6:00 to 6:30 a.m., and a Monday evening session runs from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The church's reflection on that ministry captures its spirit: “Time spent in prayer is not time wasted. It is time invested.”
Harvest of Eden Food Pantry
Harvest of Eden, the church's food pantry, opens at 3:00 p.m. on every fourth Thursday. Alongside the pantry, the church lists an Outreach ministry and a Prison Ministry, while members can also serve through the Drama Ministry and Sacred Arts.
St. Paul AME Christian School
St. Paul AME Christian School operates Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. under director Colette Williams. The schedule is designed for busy parents, with before and after school care and a set of early childhood classrooms for infants and toddlers, two- and three-year-olds, and four-year-olds.
- Before and after school care includes transportation to and from local area schools and nutritious snacks for children who stay after school.
- The infants and toddlers program builds a learning plan for each child, focusing on basic motor skills and early social development.
- Two- and three-year-olds use lessons taught from the A-BEKA curriculum along with other independent materials, with teachers emphasizing language, listening and speaking skills.
- Four-year-olds receive introductory programs in reading, math and science, plus room for artistic expression and conversation.
Class sizes are kept small enough for individual attention, and each school day starts with thanksgiving for the gift of life. The school treats parents as the most significant adults in a child's life and encourages daily communication between parents and staff.
Ministries for Every Generation
The church's ministry roster spans the sanctuary, the school and the community.
- YPD, the Young People's Department, includes the monthly youth church service.
- The Ministry of Music oversees the church's worship music and the Men's Choir.
- Christian Education, Sunday School and Women of Faith Bible Study support Bible learning for children and adults.
- The Women's Missionary Society gathers women for missionary service.
- The Prayer Line Ministry and Outreach carry the church's service beyond its own walls, and the Prison Ministry is another arm of that work.
- Drama Ministry and Sacred Arts offer creative ways to participate.
- The Trustee Board and Steward Board look after the church's governance and stewardship.
Senior Pastor Kevin T. Moore
Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. Kevin T. Moore comes from a long line of pastors and is a third-generation pastor. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and Leadership from Morris Brown College, completed a three-year Master of Divinity program in two years with honors at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, and finished a Doctorate of Ministry in Theology that included study abroad at Universidade Metodista de São Paulo in Brazil. He was ordained an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2011.
His ministry has included service as Connectional Evaluation Chair and Connectional Worship Leader for the AME Young People's Department. He trained as an Ella Baker Trainer for the Children's Defense Fund and the Black Community Crusade for Children, working closely with Marian Wright-Edelman, and he serves on the Board of Trustees of Turner Theological Seminary. Pastor Moore has served as pastor of Bethel AME Church in Albany, Georgia, chairs Bethel Housing Community Development Inc., and previously led Saint Paul AME Church in Macon, Georgia.
He preaches messages that cross generational lines, grounding them in the word while drawing on research, secular anecdotes, stories and popular culture references. His own declaration is simple: “I am a masterpiece because a piece of the Master is in me.”
The Ministerial Team
Rev. Roy Williams serves as assistant pastor and Rev. Marc Grace as Minister of Music. Rev. Curtis Greene, Rev. Betty Hamilton, Rev. Ronald Harper, Rev. Myron Mills, Rev. Shirley Pearson, Rev. Linda Redding, Rev. Aron Liles and Rev. Jimmy Hurt serve as associate ministers. Colette Williams directs St. Paul AME Christian School.
Giving at the Paul
The church receives tithes and offerings in person during the 10:00 a.m. Sunday service and through several online options. Supporters can give through Realm Giving, through Givelify, or by texting “Thepaul” to 73256. Zelle payments can be sent to stpaulfinancecommittee@gmail.com, with the fund or cause noted in the memo.
With a 10:00 a.m. worship service, a 9:00 a.m. Sunday School, a Christian school that runs from early morning to early evening, and ministries for prayer, music, youth, women and community service, St. Paul AME Worship Center keeps Lithonia at the center of its work.