Rev. Dr. Walter R. Henry
Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church is blessed to be led by Rev. Dr. Walter R. Henry, a lifelong servant of the African Methodist Episcopal Church whose ministry reflects a deep commitment to preaching, teaching, pastoral care, stewardship, and service to the people of God.
With a heart for ministry and a foundation rooted in the A.M.E. tradition, Rev. Dr. Henry continues to lead the congregation in faith, worship, historic preservation, and community service.
A Life Rooted in the A.M.E. Church
Rev. Dr. Henry is a lifelong member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A native of Havre de Grace, Maryland, he was baptized as an infant at St. James A.M.E. Church and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior at an early age.
His call to ministry began early. He first delivered God’s Word at the age of twelve and officially began his ministry at the age of eighteen under the guidance of the late Rev. Franklin J. West, Sr., then pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church in Havre de Grace, Maryland.
Ministerial Calling and Ordination
Rev. Dr. Henry was licensed to preach in May 1992 and was admitted to the Baltimore Annual Conference in April 1993. He was ordained an Itinerant Deacon in 1996 and later elected and ordained an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1998.
Following his ordination, he served as a ministerial assistant at Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath, who later became a Bishop in the A.M.E. Church.
Pastoral Leadership
Rev. Dr. Henry began his pastoral ministry in 2000 when he was appointed to Wrights A.M.E. Church in Elkton, Maryland. Since that time, he has served several congregations, including Providence A.M.E. Church in Memphis, Tennessee; Mt. Sinai A.M.E. Church in Arlington, Tennessee; Mt. Herman A.M.E. Church in Dixonville, Tennessee; St. James A.M.E. Church in Memphis, Tennessee; and now Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Lexington, Kentucky.
Conference and Denominational Service
In addition to his pastoral appointments, Rev. Dr. Henry has served the A.M.E. Church through conference leadership, ministerial training, finance, and trustee service. His work has included service with the West Tennessee Conference Board of Examiners, the West Tennessee Conference Board of Ministerial Examiners, the West Tennessee Conference Treasurer’s office, and the West Tennessee Conference Board of Trustees.
He currently serves in the Kentucky Conference on the Finance Committee and the Board of Ministerial Examiners.
Education and Preparation
- Morehouse College — Bachelor of Arts in History, 1995
- Princeton Theological Seminary — Master of Divinity, 1998
- Candler School of Theology, Emory University — Doctor of Ministry, 2021, with a concentration in Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation
Serving Historic St. Paul
As pastor of Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Rev. Dr. Henry leads a congregation with a sacred legacy of faith, freedom, worship, education, historic preservation, and community service. Under his pastoral leadership, the church continues to honor its historic foundation while preparing for a faithful and fruitful future.
