A Multi-Ethnic Church on the Southern Edge of Birmingham
Palisades Church of Christ sits on Palisades Boulevard on the southern edge of Birmingham, Alabama, and it is best known for being a multi-ethnic, bilingual congregation in a long line of Birmingham-area Churches of Christ. The church meets on Sunday mornings for Bible study at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m., with live Spanish interpretation offered throughout the service and Spanish-language classes for the entire family. Visitors are welcome to attend in person or follow along through a livestream of the worship service. Founded in 1990, Palisades has shifted over the past three decades from a predominantly white congregation to a body where roughly half of Sunday attendance comes from minority populations, with people from around the world represented in the pews.
A Story of Two Congregations Reuniting
The roots of Palisades reach back to the 1870s, when a small group began meeting in homes in the young mining community of Birmingham. After a tent meeting in the summer of 1895, G. A. Sharitts and others organized a congregation of about 22 members, which met in a third-floor loft known as Fox Hall at the corner of what is now 4th Avenue and 19th Street North. The group, supported over the years by Sharitts, Justin "Mack" Barnes, and John T. Lewis (who came to work with the congregation in November 1907), grew steadily and in 1910 moved into a new frame building on Charles Street in West End. That move marked the formal beginning of the West End Church of Christ.
West End became a prolific church planter. In 1913 it purchased a building from a Presbyterian congregation in Woodlawn and helped start the Woodlawn church, now known as Deerfoot. Beginning in 1921, West End matched dollar for dollar the giving of the city's African-American Christians, an effort that helped establish more than eight congregations across Birmingham. In 1941, West End purchased the Simpson Methodist building at 7th Avenue and 25th Street North and launched the Central Church of Christ, giving about 100 members to the new work. Central grew to roughly 700 members by the early 1960s and planted churches in Leeds, Montevallo, and Riverchase, and its most famous outreach was Jimmy Fowler's radio program "Messages from the Master."
By the late 1980s, both West End and Central recognized that relocation would be necessary to keep serving Birmingham effectively. After almost fifty years apart, the two congregations decided to reunite. Property was purchased on Palisades Boulevard, and on December 2, 1990, Palisades Church of Christ held its first service in the Shades Valley High School building, with Edsel Burleson from West End and Tom McLure of Central serving as co-ministers. The congregation moved into its new building on July 5, 1992, and has gathered there ever since.
Worship in English and Spanish
Palisades describes itself as a bilingual church. The main worship service on Sunday morning is conducted in English, with live Spanish translation provided for everything said from the pulpit, and dedicated Spanish-language Bible study classes are offered during the 9:30 hour. Children's and adult classes for Spanish speakers run alongside the English program so that whole families can learn and worship together. Mid-week Bible study is also available online for those who cannot be on site.
Worship follows the traditional Church of Christ pattern. Congregational singing is a cappella, with no instruments accompanying the assembly, and the practice is treated as a hallmark worth preserving. Weekly observance of communion is part of the service, both as a memorial and as a proclamation of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is held in high regard as an ordinance of faith.
What Palisades Believes
Palisades belongs to the family of Churches of Christ that traces its roots to the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement of the early 19th century, led by Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell. The movement sought to recover the practices and beliefs of the early Christian church, emphasizing the authority of Scripture, the unity of believers, and the phrase "no creed but the Bible." Most Churches of Christ would affirm the content of the Nicene Creed, and Palisades is no exception, centering its teaching on the resurrection of Jesus and the promise that he will one day "make all things new."
The congregation is candid about being imperfect. Members describe themselves as "imperfectly seeking to be the people Jesus calls us to be" and as a community that strives to acknowledge its failures rather than ignore them, relying on Jesus for forgiveness and renewal. Each local Church of Christ governs itself, and Palisades follows a congregational leadership structure of shepherds (elders), deacons, and ministers.
Shepherds, Ministers, and Deacons
The shepherding team at Palisades is made up of Marvin Alexander, David Copeland, Jay Meadows, Lenord Terry, and David Wood, who can be reached collectively at elders@palisadesfamily.com. Daniel Courington joined the staff as preaching minister in June 2015. A licensed master social worker in addition to his ministerial work, Daniel focuses his teaching on making complex biblical and historical theological subjects accessible to anyone in the room. Mandi Courington directs the children's ministries, and Paul Kelsey, who joined the staff as youth minister in 2022, leads the youth ministry while also working as a technology integration specialist with Jefferson County Schools. Elsa and Ed Prada oversee the Spanish-speaking ministries, and Ed Prada also serves as a deacon alongside Edwin Kindred, Don Lovell, Gary Rasbury, and Kevin Reeves. Jan Smith serves as office manager and handles day-to-day communication through the church office.
Children, Youth, and Teaching Online
Sunday mornings include Bible study classes and programs for children and youth that run on the same 9:30 schedule as adult classes, so families move through the morning together before joining the bilingual worship service at 10:30. The youth ministry under Paul Kelsey and the children's ministry under Mandi Courington give the next generation their own dedicated space within the life of the church. Recordings of recent worship services and sermons are posted on the church's sermon video page, and questions about the teaching can be sent directly to Daniel Courington.
Supporting the Mission
Palisades is a 501(c)(3) organization supported by the gifts of its members, and visitors are never expected to give. For those who wish to contribute, online giving is available through PayPal on the church's giving page. The office can be reached at 205-871-4385 or office@palisadesishome.net for general questions, and the office address is 625 Palisades Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama 35209.