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Emmanuel Episcopal Church 150th Anniversary Celebration
Emmanuel Episcopal Church is the oldest African-American Episcopal congregation in Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee. This year, the church is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a weekend of remembrances and special events during the weekend of October 11-12, 2025.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church was founded on March 25, 1875. Now in its third location, the church moved from Downtown Memphis to 604 St. Paul Avenue @ Cynthia Place in the 1950s and then to its current location at 4150 Boeingshire Drive in Whitehaven in 1989. Emmanuel has played a significant role in Episcopal and Memphis history—Bishop Thomas Demby, the first Black bishop in the national Episcopal Church, served as rector at Emmanuel from 1907-1914. Notable members have included Robert R. Church, Memphis’ first Black millionaire, as well as countless attorneys, doctors, educators, business owners, entertainers, politicians, public servants, and others who have left indelible marks on the history of the city of Memphis, the state of Tennessee and the United States. Emmanuel was also home to the first Head Start program in Shelby County, continuing its legacy of education and empowerment.
The special weekend starts on October 11th, with a celebratory banquet featuring food, music, historic artifacts, personal testimonies from church members and a video presentation. The banquet will take place from 3-6 p.m. on that day at the Emmanuel Episcopal Center, 604 St. Paul Avenue @ Cynthia Place. This location was the former home of the church for more than 30 years. Tickets for the banquet are $25 and can be purchased at Eventbrite. The weekend will conclude on October 12th at Emmanuel’s current location, 4150 Boeingshire Drive @ Raines Road in Whitehaven, with a special church service and picnic.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3264676-0
