Gilbert-Lambuth Memorial Chapel

I have been to this chapel tons of times for speaking engagements, weddings, religious ceremonies, funerals, and many other events. This chapel is on the campus of Paine College and owned and operated by the school as well. It was built in 1968 and holds up to 1200 people. The rear section of this building contains classrooms, sound-​proof practice rooms, a music library, studios, robbing rooms, and auditorium that seats 200 persons.
This is the Gilbert-​Lambuth Memorial Chapel. That name is full of meaning. The names are fitly joined together and fitly memorialized by this gift, this useful building on this campus. Each man was a real scholar.
John Wesley Gilbert was the first Paine student, the first graduate, the first Negro member of this faculty. He was a classicist, a Biblical Scholar, great human being. Walter Russell Lambuth was a physician as well as a theologian, one of the church’s great missionary statesmen. A trustee of this College, his name also is given to Lambuth College in Jackson, Tennessee.
Both men were ordained ministers, churchmen, — Gilbert an editor, Lambuth a bishop. Together, in a venture to rival Stanley’s quest for Livingston, they walked a thousand miles across the Congo to established, class of 1957 at Paine, Secretary General of the Protestant council of Churches in Congo, confidant, counselor, and sometimes stern teacher of leaders of both Gilbert-​Lambuth. Look where you will in Paine College. You will find a close and intimate linkage of two races, a real and continuous fellowship of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Church. In this chapel these meanings are fitly joined.
I’m actually very fond of this venue because this is were my older sister’s funeral was held. Our church couldn’t hold as many people as we were expecting for her service, so that’s when the idea was brought in to hold it here. This venue was just right for the service. Everyone was seated comfortably and the service was quite beautiful. The fee in 1995 for the rental of this building was a couple of hundred dollars. I’m sure it’s well over that now. Like I said before I have been here for several events in the community one of the greatest and memorable is my sister’s funeral and hearing and meeting the motivational speaker, Les Brown.
Recently, the newly elected mayor, Hardie Davis was inducted into office here. At any giving time there are many events held here and it’s a great place to hold any event throughout the community. With this chapel’s rich history in the community you are sure to have great and fond memories of this building and the events held here.