VINTAGE FAITH CHURCH

411 Sherman Street SE

1898

The original church structure was built in 1898 as a Congregational Church by a Mission Organization of New York State. The denomination never caught on in Decatur, and in 1901 St. Paul’s Lutheran Church bought the building. In a special meeting held on February 24th, 1901, with twelve voting members present, the Lutherans approved the purchase of this building. They paid $1,600.00 for the land and structure. On March 17th, 1901, the church building was dedicated, even though the down payment for the purchase was not made until May 1st, 1901.

St. Paul’s made major modifications in 1951 when they built the basement and rotated the church entrance from Sherman Street to its current entrance on 4th Avenue. As St. Paul’s grew, members realized they were outgrowing this building and, as a result, moved to their present location in southwest Decatur in 1968. In the same year, Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Vickery and her husband purchased the church building and developed a ministry that became known as Christ’s Mission. They ministered to the poor and needy by providing food in the downstairs kitchen and clothing in the basement for thirty-four and a half years. After Mrs. Vickery’s death, her foundation sold the church to Don Thomas. The only request the foundation had for Mr. Thomas was that the building remain a church. Mr. Thomas rented the building as a house of worship in keeping with Ms. Vickery’s request to only use the building as a church. The founding members of Vintage Faith began renting the church in 2006 and in 2015, purchased the building from Mr. Thomas. Robbie Stofel began the ministry of Vintage Faith in 2006 after preaching at other churches in the area and preached here until his moving to Tennessee in 2021. Brad Eades is the current pastor of the church.

You will not want to miss touring this beautiful historic church on December 9th.