St. Philip Episcopal Church, St. Paul

There appears to be some confusion regarding the organization of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church.  Two “founding” versions exist.  According to the church’s history, it was founded in 1888 as a mission church of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (now Cathedral) in Minneapolis to serve St. Paul’s African American community.  In 1894, it separated from St. Mark’s to become St. Phillip’s mission meeting in a home on Carroll Avenue and then a rented store on Rice Street.  David Vassar Taylor’s dissertation (p. 173) provides an alternative story.  William C. Pope, pastor of the Church of the Good Shepard along with his black communicants organized a literary society named St. Philips.  The Society’s success led to the establishment of a separate black Episcopal Church in 1894 that was given the name, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church.  In 1901 with help from the city’s Episcopal diocese, the congregation was able to purchase Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church located at Aurora and Mackubin Streets.  Taylor notes that with the arrival of St. Philip’s all four major African American congregations, Pilgrim Baptist, St. James A.M.E., and St. Peter Claver was now located within five blocks of one another in the Old Rondo Neighborhood. (p.176)

In 1888, Mr. Clarence and Elizabeth Tibbs moved from Baltimore to Saint Paul. Mrs. Tibbs had been a member of an African American Episcopal church in Baltimore and sought to start a similar institution in Saint Paul. Several African American Episcopalians had been worshipping at the Church of the Good Shepherd, a predominately White Episcopal church. In June 1888, having heard the Tibbs’ request, the Church of the Good Shepherd held special meetings to discuss separate services for African American members. Although the meetings were well advertised, they were poorly attended. As a result, pastor William C. Pope and his African American communicants organized the St. Phillip Literary Society. In November 1893, Mr. and Mrs. John Vincent and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Tibbs petitioned the Church Mission Society for money to establish a congregation. Their persistent efforts paid off. St. Phillip’s Episcopal Church was organized on May 1, 1894, Epiphany Sunday. The small congregation held its first meetings at 407 Carroll Avenue for the first three weeks until moving to 316 Rice Street. After three years, they moved down the road to 463 Rice Street. In 1901, Saint Paul’s Episcopal diocese helped the congregation purchase Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church (formerly St. Bonifacius Mission) at Aurora and Mackubin Streets for $1,850.25.

Current location:  Merged in 2008 with St. Thomas and name changed to Holy Trinity, 1636 Van Buren Ave.  https://spstepiscopal.wordpress.com/history/

1888: Founded as a mission church of St. Mark’s Cathedral, Mpls.

1894:  Separated from St. Mark’s to become St. Philip’s Mission

1900:  Purchased church, name unknown, at Aurora & Mackubin