When Helen McCarrol was called to preach decades ago, she was turned away from the Baptist churches she approached in Birmingham. They didn’t have a place for her, because most Baptist congregations only allow men to become pastors. So Helen went out on her own and founded the Rising Star Holiness Church on Tuscaloosa Avenue. The storefront church stands near the end of a long block, by a gas station, some boarded-up businesses and a few empty lots. Her congregation has remained small– she often preaches to a room full of empty pews– but Pastor Helen holds services few times a week at Rising Star Holiness whether people show up or not.

Listen to our radio episode, Birmingham – The Long Story Short, for more Birmingham stories. Waiting for Her Flock was produced by SOTRU intern Sylvie Kovnat with photography by local artist Dana Smithberg and sound recording by SOTRU Radio Producer Laura Starecheski.

There is more to the history of Birmingham, Alabama, than the civil rights struggle. Birmingham was a major iron ore and steel manufacturing capital, and now the Red Mountain iron ore mine is being turned into a park for people to explore the history of mining and the subtleties of race relations. Al Letson, host of NPR and PRX’s State of the Re: Union, reports on the story of Red Mountain.

Be sure to visit our Birmingham page where you can listen to the radio episode, read letters to the city, check out the photos we took during our trip and much more.