Leaders envision former Scott’s Chapel building as children’s center

By Rachel L. Toalson
Staff Writer
The Rev. Idotha Battle of Kingsville loves the children.
She retired as a school nurse a year ago, but the children drew her back. She teaches them now, balances her time with them and her time serving the congregation of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Kingsville as part-time pastor.
And, with new property added to the church, Battle aims to prove one can never do too much for the children.
Ownership of the former Scott’s Chapel UMC building and property transferred March 9 to St. Paul’s AME during a special resurrection ceremony. Scott’s Chapel served the Kingsville community for 96 years before closing in June.
It was a complete surprise for Battle when she received a letter from McAllen District Superintendent Larry Howard, telling her United Methodists wanted to transfer ownership of the property to her church.
Her congregation prayed about taking on the building, Battle said, because it was in such disrepair. Church members decided it was God’s will.
William Andrew, chair of the Southwest Texas Conference’s 10th Episcopal District board of trustees for the AME Church, said the city is paying for demolition of the historical building, which was recently condemned. Though demolition has not been confirmed, the AME Church will be taking donations in coming months to help construct a community building.
“It is more cost-effective to rebuild than to renovate,” Andrew said. “The church is going to build a community center that will enhance the community because they’ll give out clothes and food, and when larger activities are held that are too big for the St. Paul AME facility, they will have them at the new facility.”
Battle said she’d like to see a place constructed where kids in the community could have a library and others in the community could have a safe place to go.
“I’d like for it to be a place for the young people,” she said, “to host after-school programs. A learning center, an opportunity for people in the area, especially the young people, to have a place to go and be at ease and learn and get books and get reading tutorials. We can’t do too much for the children.
“I’d like it to be something that would enrich the history of Methodism but that would also feed the hungry and clothe the naked, bring about intellectual and economic development.”
She said her congregation will do everything it can to raise money for the new building, but the community will have to rally with church members.
“I asked God if there’s anything I need to do, and he keeps giving me a peace about it,” Battle said. “I want to do this for the children. The community is full of so many negative things. We need to do something positive and rally together, be brothers and sisters of Christ, and work together.
“If the unchurched community sees us working together, they’ll feel the power of the Lord. We can get rid of this black, white, Mexican stuff and just be children of God. The spirit of Methodism is no matter what color you are, we love God and each other. And maybe, by showing it, the unchurched community will say, ‘Maybe this is good. Maybe this God thing is real.’”
Battle said she cannot see yet how God will work out the project, but that doesn’t keep her from believing.
“I’m banking on God showing the world what he can do,” Battle said. “Nobody really understands it, but my heart understands it. Y’all could have done anything else with (the property).”