Warner Robins CME Church steeped in history
WARNER ROBINS -- Warner Robins Christian Methodist Episcopal Church is 38 years old, but its history goes back well over a century.
The church is the combined assembly of two historic Houston County congregations: Sandy Run CME, which was located off Ga. 247, and Oak Ridge CME, which was on Watson Boulevard near the old Kmart.
“Those two churches came together in the 1970s to form this church,” said Rev. Lindsey Phillip Napier Sr., the church’s pastor for nine years. “They came together under the leadership of Rev. Donald Jordan. We still maintain the church graveyards at both those old locations.”
According to church’s history, black Christian men and women eager to extend freedom to all facets of their lives joined together following the abolition of slavery to establish the older churches. Their goal was to meet the unique needs of former slaves spiritually, educationally and socially.
Each hosted schools and provided meeting grounds for social and political activities. Many souls were saved and prayers prayed, according to the history.
Records show the first sermon Jordan preached at the newly combined church was “They Said It Couldn’t Be Done.”
Napier and church members call the modern Warner Robins CME a church growing in the word of God and believing in the teachings of Jesus, who taught many things by word and example, such as concern for the welfare of others, to love neighbors as themselves and to be concerned for justice.
Following the path of their founders, they say their goal is to be Christ-centered and equipped to meet the spiritual, social and economic needs of members and the community.
In its commitment to service, Warner Robins CME has more than 30 ministries, boards and fellowships to impact lives.
“All of our ministries are vitally important,” Napier said. “One I’m particularly proud of is called Men At Work where men from our church mentor boys from the church and community and help equip them to be successful, productive men in the community. It ranges from teaching etiquette to life skills to legal matters.”
Napier said the ministry meets the third Thursday of each month as well as having summer retreats, field trips and other mentoring opportunities. He said the church is planning a similar program for girls.
“These young people are so smart, we want to see them make it and not fall into the snares that entrap them,” he said. “I’m just an old country boy myself from Sylvester, Georgia, and everybody said I couldn’t make it, but with encouragement I did. We have so many good role models in our church, we just have to help these youngsters.”
Those role models are a reflection of another priority and ministry in the church, its Board of Social Concerns. That board ranges in matters from health awareness, screenings and fitness opportunities to social and political action.
“Through our history, the church and people here have been involved in making the community a better place,” Napier said. “Many of the area’s civil rights leaders were from among us and we’ve had many, many public servants, leaders, politicians and educators from here. Men like Darren Lee, Clifford Holmes, Alton Mattox and Willie Talton. We encourage involvement.”
In addition to mentoring, the church offers tutoring programs that are a reflection of Napier’s passion for education. He’s been involved in ministry for 39 years and is a retired educator following 25 years in the classroom and as an administrator.
“We offer tutoring free of charge for kids who want to show up,” he said. “We’ll even pick them up. We have retired teachers and concerned members who provide it. We’ve seen the difference it makes in kids who weren’t doing well at all who go on to the honor roll. We do that Mondays and Thursdays and even provide snacks. We have a computer lab and everything. We also have plans to start a school ourselves.”
Napier said his father was a minister and he himself was called to preach at a young age, then first licensed to preach in 1977. He has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Augusta’s Paine College and masters of divinity degree from I.T.C. Phillips School of Theology, Atlanta. Studies at Valdosta State and Troy State University led to masters in education and education specialist degrees.
Napier has served as a pastor and educator throughout Georgia. He and his wife, Phyllis, have three children.
Contact Michael W. Pannell at mwpannell@gmail.com.
This story was originally published April 22, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Warner Robins CME Church steeped in history."