St. Peter Baptist Church in Pascagoula celebrates 205 years

The oldest continuously operated black church in the state of Mississippi is celebrating a major milestone this weekend!

WXXV News 25’s Lucas Warren was in Pascagoula to preview the event and give a closer look at its rich history.

In the year 1819, the ringing of the bell signaled to all members of the St. Peter Baptist Church that it was time to worship and over 200 years later that same church is still holding services just now without the bell.

St. Peter Baptist Church was founded in 1819 by its founding father Mr. Dudley Brooks. Brooks was a former slave who was awarded freedom after saving the life of his master’s wife.

Brooks would then relocate to Pascagoula where he worked as a ship caulker until he earned enough to buy his wife’s freedom.

Once free, Brooks and his wife would settle down in Pascagoula and start what is now St. Peter Baptist Church.

The church would begin in Brooks’ home but as the congregation grew, worship moved outside.

Needing a place of worship, members of the church put together $250 and bought the land that still houses St Peter Baptist Church today.

That rich history is what Reverend Williams Marshall says makes this church unlike any other. “It makes it special when you look at the people that have come before me and those who came before us. We are the oldest continuous black congregation in the state of Mississippi. I want to keep the legacy going because they did a very fine job of holding up the church so I don’t want to come and let them down. I don’t want to let god down. We want to keep the spirit of this church as real today as it was when I first walked in. I just thank God for the blessed opportunity.”

But beyond providing a place of worship, St Peter Baptist Church has grown with Pascagoula and has become a staple in the community.

“I asked everyone to fill out a card when they come through the door. If I don’t see them in a week or two, I’ll text that number just telling them we miss you and that we’d love to have you. We try not to pressure anybody to come into the house of worship, just let them know that we are here. To me it’s an individual thing and we are offering nothing but love and everyone I talk to says they can feel that when they walk through the door. So, we just let everyone know we’re here for them.”

St. Peter Baptist Church will be celebrating its 205th anniversary on Sunday, November 3rd at 3 p.m.