Alphabet File page 86
Father Gmelch had long been a friend of the Fathers of the Divine Word. HE was the first to welcome them when they came into the diocese in 1905. He likewise welcomed them to bay St. Louis to establish St. Augustines Mission house and to care for the colored of the parish. The cornerstone of ST. Augustines Mission House was laid November 23, 1922. The Divine Word Fathers took over the colored school in 1923 and the parish of St. Rose of Lima was definitely separated form the parish of Our Lady of the Gulf on August 28, 1926.
All the while, the good pastor was working hard to pay off the debt of the parish church. the debt was $13,000 when he came into the parish. This he paid off within the space of a few years. He erected the Stations of the Cross at a cost of $1400, a new school building at $7500 and the beautiful stained-glass windows, costing $143,000. IN addition he finished the interior of the church at a cost of $30,000.
The schools in the parish are flourishing, and the students number 478. Both St. Stanislaus college and St. Josephs academy are accredited by the state of Mississippi and by the Southern association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. this is the highest academic rating possible. As these schools are second to none in the diocese, so are the spiritual advantages, of the parish of Our Lady of the Gulf. Father Gmelch, with his assistants, Father Leo Fahey and Father Patrick Moran, are earnestly striving to carry on the work so nobly begun by the pioneer missionary, Father Buteux, more than 90 years ago.
Our Lady Of The Gulf - Sacred Heart Catholic, Standard-
Vidalia Rd, Kiln
St. Ann's Catholic, Clermont Harbor
St. Clair Catholic;, Vacation Lane, Waveland
St. Joseph Church, Pearlington
St. Joseph Chapel, Dunbar Ave, Bay St. Louis
St. Matthew The Apostle, Hwy 603, Kiln
St. Rose de Lima Church, 301 Necaise, Bay St. Louis
St. Stephens Catholic, St. Stephens Road, Kiln
CHURCHES Episcopal
Christ Epispocal, 912 S. Beach, Bay St. Louis
CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH - Christ Episcopal Church services were held as far back as 1838 but it was not until 1851 before regular sercices began as St. Lukes Church.
A church fronting the Bay was built in 1860 which the Civil War destroyed, and, title to the land was lost. The remaining Communicants joined the (Episcopal) Grace Church in Waveland which was later destroyed by fire.
By 1890 the cornerstone for a new church was laid on North Beach adjacent to Boardman Avenue.
In 1901 Christ Church was admitted to the diocese as a mission; in 1904 the church was moved on rollers down Dunbar to the corner of North Beach and Carroll; 1938 a parish house was erected; 1947 Sunday School classrooms were added. In 1948 the church was granted parish status and the Episcopal Day School was started.
In 1951, 71/2 acres at 912 South Beach was purchased for a school-church; 1956 a new brick school building was completed and a brick residence for the rector.
August 17, 1969 Christ Church was demolished by hurricane Camille and was replaced and dedicated in 1971 together with Virginia Hall. The church celebrated its centennial June 8, 1990..
St. Luke's organized at Shieldsboro Apr 23, 1858
St. Thomas Episcopal, Diamondhead Cir.
CHURCHES - Methodist
Diamondhead Methodist, Diamondhead, MS.
Main Street Methodist, 162 Main Street, Bay St. Louis
CHURCH TO CELEBRATE 100TH ANNIVERSARY FOR SANCTUARY - On Sunday, Sep 29, Main Street United Methodist Churchs congregation will celebrate 100 years of worshiping in its sanctuary.
The ll a.m. worship service will include special music by the Main Quartet and the Chancel Choir as well as historic hymns for congregational singing.
This will occur on Laity Sunday, a Sunday set aside each year to pay tribute to the laity of the United Methodist Church.
Several lay persons will participate in the service and will be dressed in period dress.
Following the worship service, there will be a potluck dinner in the multipurpose building with historical exhibits/narrators.
In 1852 a new Methodist Church was organized in the city of Shieldsborough(Bay St. Louis), affected by E. D. Pitts, who was a preacher, but also teacher in schools at Napoleon and Shieldborough.
Services were held in a small building at the corner of Second and Main streets. The building was given to the church in 1859 by J. B. Toulme. It was named St. Johns Methodist Episcopal Church South.
Van Carpenter, pastor of Main Street United Methodist, Main Street, Bay St. Louis, said the public is invited to join the anniversary celebration. (SCE 9-12-1996
MAIN STREET METHODIST CHURCH
The church was begun in 1852 in the town of Shieldsboro, now Bay St. Louis, by E. D. Pitts, a local school teacher and preacher. It was originally St Johns Methodist Episcopal Church South and is now Main Street United Methodist Church.
The land and existing building was donated by John B. Toulme to two women trustees of the church, one being his daughter-in-law. The land adjoining the church was donated by his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. And Mrs. John V. Toulme. A parsonage built on this land in 1892 was replaced by the Edicational /Day Care Center in 1973.
The present church building was erected in 1895; the parking lot in 1987; the MultiPurpose Building in 1993; the Office/Sspecial Sservices rooms in 1998.
The church celebrated its buildings 100 anniversary in 1995.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - The Rev. Joseph Bullen was the first Presbyterian missionary to the Chickasaw Indians in Mississippi.
On Dec 13, 1949, the first official meeting for establishing a Presbyterian Mission was held in Bay St. Louis and on Jan. 8, 1950 the first service was held.
In May 1953 a renovated Army barracks/Art Studio building on De Montluzin Street was bought and converted to a church. In March 1957 the Presbyterian Mission became the First Presbyterian Church of Bay St. Louis.
On March 27, 1960 the Drake property on Ulman Avenue was purchased, providing room for a manse and a larger church which was built and dedicated April 15, 1962.
In 1972 additional parking space east of the existing church was purchased.
VALENA C. JONES CHURCH In 1880 the Methodist Annual Conference in Mississippi included for the first time in history, 2 negro delegates. Four out of 100 negroes living in Mississippi were Methodist.
In 1880 in a small building on Washington Street freed negroes began the St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1882 a larger building was built on Good Children Street (now Sycamore Street).
In 1920 the General Conference elected Robert E. Jones of Greensboro N. C. Bishop of the New Orleans Area which included Central Ala, La, Ms, Texas, and upper Ms.
In 1922 the church purchased more land and in 1926 built a larger church on Sycamore Street and dedicated it to the wife of the Bishop, Mrs. Valena McCarthy Jones, a school teacher for whom a local school is also named.