Faith Through the Ages
At the center of every successful city, like Texarkana, you will find a few things in common—safe schools, easily accessible healthcare, and affordable housing. However, even when those things are out of reach, the local churches remain.
The connection, support, and shared values of like-minded locals is something we all desire as we build our families and create the solid foundation of home.
For over 150 years, St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church and Sacred Heart Catholic Church have opened their doors, welcoming generations and keeping the light of faith burning in Texarkana.
St. James African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church
Established 1873
St. James AME Church in Texarkana, Arkansas, shares a rich history that began with the city’s founding. Established in August 1873, just months after Texarkana’s incorporation, it has been a lasting part of the community, offering faith and fellowship for generations.
Historical records suggest that St. James AME Church is likely the oldest Black church in Texarkana, Arkansas. It was founded in the Bannister home at 617 Laurel Street, where its first congregation gathered. Shortly after, a church building was constructed on the same lot. This site served as the church’s home for 27 years. During that time, a young Scott Joplin, who later became known as the “King of Ragtime,” lived nearby and occasionally played piano at the church before his rise to fame. Tragedy struck when the original building was lost to fire. However, the congregation’s dedication remained, and in 1900, the church was rebuilt on the same site. By the late 1920s, it was necessary for the church to relocate to 615 Laurel Street to accommodate a growing membership that had reached between 300 to 400 members.
On June 18, 1978, another devastating fire gutted the church building. Despite this setback, the congregation remained committed to their faith and to each other and continued worship services at the Miller County Courthouse for three years. Under the leadership of Reverend Jimmy Thomas, the church found a new permanent home at 938 Ash Street, where it was officially dedicated on March 28, 1982. Reverend Larry Ross, the current pastor, leads the congregation with the vision of “inspiring the children of God through His guidance and Holy Presence.” He emphasizes the church’s mission—“Our doors are open to all who seek refuge and spiritual direction.”
More recently, St. James AME faced yet another challenge when a severe winter storm caused significant damage. “In 2019, this church was hit hard by the winter storm. It had completely demolished the entire sanctuary, and we were not able to have church,” said Reverend Ross, “but [the congregation’s] spirits led them to continue to worship in the fellowship hall until all repairs were done.” Remarkably, the fellowship hall remained intact, providing a place for the congregation to gather. With the support of a non-denominational church in Fouke, Arkansas, the sanctuary was restored in just a few months.
On August 13, 2023, St. James AME Church celebrated its 150th anniversary, marking a century and a half of unwavering faith and community service. Standing firm for 150 years means surviving the Great Depression, two world wars, The Spanish Flu and COVID-19, The Civil Rights Movement, and many of their own personal trials as a local body. Through all of that and more, St. James AME Church has remained faithful. “These are family-orientated members whose legacy goes back very far. They have stayed on the battlefield on which their ancestors stood,” said Reverend Ross. “It’s their connection with the Holy Spirit as He leads them and their faithfulness to being obedient to His Word.”
As the congregation looks toward the future, they continue to honor their past while embracing new opportunities for growth and spiritual enrichment. “Today, our most significant impact comes from accepting how to change and adapt to the Millennial and Gen Z generations and being able to hear their needs and learn from them to help us help them,” Reverend Ross said. It is a task the church takes seriously. Through every challenge and every milestone, St. James AME Church stands as a testament to faith, perseverance, and the enduring strength of its members. “We are a church under God’s leadership, under God’s care, and under God’s love for His people.”
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Established 1874
This year marks a significant milestone for Sacred Heart Catholic Church as it celebrates 150 years of faith and service in Texarkana. The journey began in the early 1870s when a determined French missionary priest, Father Theodore Buffard, embarked on a journey across Northeast Texas. With a Mass kit and vestments (liturgical garments) in his saddlebags, he set out from Galveston toward the rapidly growing town of Texarkana, with his heart set on ministry to the Catholic population of the area. It was here, in a small building where the old McCartney Hotel now stands, that Buffard celebrated the very first Mass for what would become Sacred Heart Catholic Church. According to the church’s current pastor, Father Justin Braun, “The Church’s mission has always been the same—to make disciples of all nations, (Matthew 28:19). The nature of the Church is essentially missionary—to go out and bring all of God’s people into the loving relationship the Father in Heaven desires to have with us through His Son Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Father Braun explained, “The early history of the church in Texarkana is tied to the ethnic immigrants who came to this part of the state to work in the railroad, oil and gas, and manufacturing industries that were vital to putting Texarkana and Bowie County on the map. In order to serve the various needs of the Italian, Irish, French, and Lebanese immigrants who came here and wanted to practice their faith, the parish focused on meeting the immediate material and spiritual needs of the people who were coming to Mass.”
In 1874, the first church building was constructed at the corner of Third and Spruce Streets. The church, notable for being the first brick structure in Texarkana, welcomed its congregants for the first Mass at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve. This church was not just a place for worship—it served as a foundation of community life.
As the ministry grew, so too did its educational mission. An elementary and high school were established in conjunction with the church, becoming a valued part of the community and shaping the early life of many of Texarkana’s children. “The parish founded the school to help educate the Catholic children of Texarkana and to give them a more thorough opportunity to learn and live their faith without harassment or the difficulties of the public school system. In the early part of the 20th century, anti-Catholic bias was pretty pronounced,” said Father Braun. “The school’s existence last twenty years as we have expanded to have Spanish masses and ministry,” explained Father Braun. “I became pastor on November 1, 2020, and have been grateful for the chance to lead the parish out of COVID and into a renewed emphasis on living our faith more joyfully and inviting others to join us in following Christ,” he said.
Today, Sacred Heart Catholic Church remains a symbol of faith and community in Texarkana, Texas. It continues to evolve while honoring its rich history. The church remains committed to nurturing its community and fostering a sense of belonging for all who enter its doors. Father Braun envisions Sacred Heart as “a place where people who are thirsting for an encounter with Christ can experience it. A place where those seeking to be formed in what it means to be a living disciple of Jesus can find both the guidance and community to support them. And if you want to learn how to love God and your neighbor as Jesus commanded, you’ll find that here.”
His goal is to create an environment where “Jesus is the focus—a church that provides both spiritual and practical help to live as a disciple of Christ rather than as a person of the world. A church where truth and charity reign. A church where mercy and justice are not opposed but equal. A church where you can find answers and help.”
For a century and a half, St. James AME Church and Sacred Heart Catholic Church have been anchors of faith in Texarkana, standing as symbols of resilience and devotion. Through fires, storms, and changing times, their missions have never wavered.
As they honor 150 years of service, their legacy continues, not just in the walls of their sanctuaries but in the lives they have touched. Rooted in history and guided by faith, these churches remain beacons of light, moving forward for generations to come.
