Church History — St. Paul CME Church Docena

Our History

St. Paul CME Church Docena — 110 Years of God's Faithfulness

Our story begins over a century ago, in the year 1916, when the seeds of our beloved church were first planted in the soil of faith and community. It was the Reverend W.E. Perkins who first organized our congregation. In those early days, we gathered in a humble place called a "beanery," owned by the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company. But our spirits were anything but humble — they were filled with the glory of God and the promise of what was to come.

Just a year later, in 1917, we moved into a building that was once a theater, sharing it with our sisters and brothers from St. Matthews Baptist Church. We worshipped on alternating Sundays — a testament to the spirit of cooperation that has always been a hallmark of our community.

As the years passed, a succession of devoted pastors led our flock. Under the guidance of Rev. O.J. Ford (two terms), Rev. L.C. Bester oversaw one of our most significant milestones — the construction of our current church building. Despite being ill during construction, Rev. Bester rallied to preach the opening ceremony, challenging us to "carry love into the new church and keep it always." His words echo in our hearts to this day.

In the early 1990s, under Rev. Michael Payne, Sr., we celebrated the liquidation of our church mortgage. In 2002, we made history with the appointment of Rev. Sucena Clark — the first female pastor of St. Paul CME Church. Under Rev. Alvin Crenshaw (2012–2017), our church's artistic expression reached new heights through an award-winning praise dance team and the production of our church choir CD.

Today, under the guidance of Rev. Elder Desi Echoles — appointed July 2022 by Bishop Dr. Clarence K. Heath — we continue to build on this strong foundation. In 2024–2025, we celebrated the completion of a new parking lot. As we celebrate our 110th anniversary in 2025, we stand as a testament to God's faithfulness across three centuries of American history. To God be the glory for all He has done and all He will do through St. Paul CME Church Docena!

Key Milestones

Moments That Shaped Our Story

1916

Church Founded by Rev. W.E. Perkins in the TCI "beanery" in Docena, Alabama.

1917

First Building — Moved to a shared theater building with St. Matthews Baptist Church, worshipping on alternating Sundays.

1974

Current Sanctuary Completed under Rev. L.C. Bester's leadership — dedicated with the challenge to "carry love into the new church and keep it always."

~1993

Mortgage Liquidated under the leadership of Rev. Michael Payne, Sr. — a major achievement for our congregation.

2002

First Female Pastor: Rev. Sucena Clark appointed, breaking new ground and expanding our understanding of God's calling.

2012

Award-Winning Ministries — Under Rev. Alvin Crenshaw, St. Paul developed an award-winning praise dance team and produced the church choir CD.

2022

Rev. Elder Desi Echoles Appointed by Bishop Dr. Clarence K. Heath — bringing soul-stirring enrichment and servant leadership to our congregation.

2024

New Parking Lot Completed — expanding our facilities and demonstrating our commitment to accessibility and hospitality.

2025

110th Anniversary Celebration — A century and a decade of faith, service, and community transformation in Docena, Alabama.

Pastoral Leadership

Our Pastors Through the Years

God has blessed St. Paul CME Church with faithful pastoral leadership through every season. We honor their service and celebrate the foundation they built for future generations.

1916–1935 Founding Era

Rev. W.E. Perkins1916–1921 · Founding Pastor

Rev. Wheeler1921–1925

Rev. Bollas1925–1927

Rev. J.S. Love1927–1928

Rev. Carter1929

Rev. Crompton1929–1935

1935–1965 Mid-Century Growth

Rev. Bell & Rev. Hicks (Associates)1935–1937

Rev. O.J. Ford1937–1944 · First Term

Rev. Windham1944–1946

Rev. O.S. Croom1946–1948

Rev. J.J. Jackson1948–1952

Rev. O.J. Ford1952–1962 · Second Term

Rev. G.H. Yarborough1962–1965

1965–1994 Building & Expansion Era

Rev. L.C. Bester1965–1974 · Built Current Sanctuary

Rev. Prince Chambliss1974–1977

Rev. Wheeler1977

Rev. Robert Bonner1977–1978

Rev. Bobby Hall Sr.1978–1979

Rev. Eugene Pollen1980–1983

Rev. William Gregory1983–1984

Elder Sidney Hill1984

Rev. Paul Buchanan1984–1985

Rev. James Washington1985–1986

Rev. Arnold Sherrod1986–1988

Rev. Harold Clark1988–1989

Rev. Michael Smiley1989

Rev. Phillip Bryant1989–1991

Rev. William Patrick1991–1992

Rev. Michael Payne, Sr.1992–1994 · Mortgage Liquidated

1994–Present Modern Era

Rev. Eddie Richardson1994–2002

Rev. Sucena Clark2002–2005 · First Female Pastor

Rev. Belinda McCain2005–2009

Rev. Mark Cooper2009–2012

Rev. Alvin Crenshaw2012–2017 · Award-Winning Ministries

Rev. Sara Pritchett2017–2018

Rev. Demetrius Blackman2018–2019

Rev. Johnny R. AllenAug 2019 – Feb 2022

Rev. Dr. Lawrence Jefferson-SnortonFeb–Jul 2022 · Interim

Rev. Elder Desi Echoles ★July 2022 – Present · Current Pastor

Vision & Mission

St. Paul CME Church
Vision & Mission

Our Vision

"To be the light of the world in Docena and beyond, continuing our century-long legacy of faith, innovation, and community transformation through the power of God's love."

Our Mission

St. Paul CME Church Docena exists to:

WORSHIP

Gather as a family of faith to praise God with joyful hearts, soul-stirring music, and creative expressions of worship including praise dance and choir ministry.

GROW

Nurture spiritual growth in every generation, building on our strong foundation of biblical teaching and pastoral care that has sustained us since 1916.

SERVE

Demonstrate God's love through acts of service, carrying forward our heritage of cooperation, community partnership, and outreach that began when we shared worship space with our sister church.

LEAD

Pioneer innovative ministry approaches, embracing change and breaking barriers as we have throughout our history — from appointing our first female pastor to incorporating award-winning artistic ministries.

UNITE

Foster a spirit of cooperation and fellowship that builds bridges across our community, reflecting the same collaborative spirit that has defined us from our earliest days.

INSPIRE

Proclaim that "Help is on the way" through Christ, bringing hope and spiritual enrichment to all who seek God's presence and purpose for their lives.

Core Values

What We Stand For

These values have guided St. Paul CME Church for over 110 years and continue to shape everything we do.

Faith

Trusting in God's guidance as we have for over 100 years — the foundation of everything we are.

Love

Carrying love into everything we do, as challenged by Rev. Bester when he dedicated our sanctuary.

Innovation

Embracing new ways to worship and serve, from award-winning praise dance to digital ministry.

Community

Building lasting relationships and partnerships that uplift the entire Docena community.

Excellence

Pursuing award-winning ministry in all we do, honoring God with our very best.

Legacy

Honoring our past while building faithfully for future generations who will carry this torch forward.

"From 1916 to 2025 and beyond — to God be the glory for all He has done and all He will do through St. Paul CME Church Docena!"

Back to Home Contact Us

St. Paul CME ChurchA Legacy of Faith Since 1916