Alabama's oldest historically black Episcopal church turns 160

From Alabama-

When seven freed slaves were confirmed at Trinity Episcopal Church in Mobile, the year was 1854, seven years before the start of the Civil War. The new congregation they would form, the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, would become the oldest historically black Episcopal congregation in Alabama.

Good Shepherd celebrates 160 years of existence this month.

The congregation has seen wars, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights era and a move from downtown Mobile to Toulminville in the 1960s. "We've weathered all those storms," said Eric Finley, a member of the vestry. "For those seven men who started this church, it had to take an enormous amount of confidence to branch out away from Trinity."

More here-

http://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2014/10/alabamas_oldest_historically_b.html