[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 108 (Monday, July 13, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1041-E1042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  177TH ANNIVERSARY OF METROPOLITAN AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. TERRI A. SEWELL

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 13, 2015

  Ms. SEWELL of Alabama. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
177th Anniversary of Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in 
Washington, D.C. For 177 years Metropolitan A.M.E. Church has stood at 
the forefront of the fight for social justice and equality.
   Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, often referred to as the National 
Cathedral of African Methodism, was formed by the unification of Israel 
Bethel and Union Bethel. The churches united as a reaction to the 
dissatisfaction among African-Americans over racial segregation at 
Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church. Their decision to stand together 
as one body in the face of unwarranted racism and to work for the 
advancement of the black community was both courageous and heroic.
   On July 6, 1838, the Baltimore Conference of the African Methodist 
Episcopal Church officially welcomed Union Bethel to the greater 
community. In 1872, the name was officially changed to Metropolitan 
A.M.E. when the Baltimore Conference authorized construction of a new 
church that would be built in ``close proximity'' to the White House 
and the United States Capitol.
   The cornerstone for the new church was laid in 1881, and a stained 
glass window was dedicated to each contributing Annual Conference that 
invested in the church's construction.

[[Page E1042]]

   Since its founding, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church has played a pivotal 
role in seeking justice for African-Americans. From leading anti-
slavery efforts and harboring runaway slaves to providing AIDS 
awareness and registering voters, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church has always 
been on the forefront of transformative change.
   Metropolitan A.M.E. Church serves as a sanctuary to all, providing 
not only a place for worship but also a safe haven. For 177 years, 
Metropolitan A.M.E. Church has met the needs of the community and has 
influenced the civic, cultural, and intellectual lives of African-
Americans.
   Their walls hold the memories and wisdom of illustrious guests like 
Frederick Douglass and Eleanor Roosevelt who addressed the most 
pressing social issues that plagued our growing nation. Metropolitan 
A.M.E. Church has hosted numerous historic events including the 
official pre-Inaugural prayer services for President William Jefferson 
Clinton in 1993 and 1997--thus becoming the first African-American 
church to ever serve in such a capacity. Likewise, Metropolitan A.M.E. 
Church hosted the National Memorial Service for Mrs. Rosa Parks, the 
mother of the modern American Civil Rights movement.
   Most recently, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church opened its doors to the 
community in the aftermath of the June 17, 2015, church shooting at 
Mother Emanuel in Charleston, South Carolina. Hundreds came to 
Metropolitan A.M.E. Church to honor the nine victims and to seek 
comfort in the church's warm embrace.
   Metropolitan A.M.E. Church follows in the rich tradition and mission 
of its parent denomination, the historic African Methodist Episcopal 
Church. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was born in protest of 
slavery and racial discrimination in 1787, after members of the Free 
Africa Society were forced off their knees as they prayed at St. 
George's Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It 
was at this moment that the members of the Free African Society 
realized that when it came to the American Methodist Church, their 
shackles had not yet been removed.
   Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and other free blacks established the 
African Methodist Episcopal Church as a refuge from racism--a safe 
place to worship in spite of the opposition they received as members of 
St. George's Church. Their journey to establish a new church 
denomination was not easy, but the seeds they planted soon grew. In the 
weaning days of the Confederacy, the membership of the African 
Methodist Episcopal Church grew rapidly, as the Union army permitted 
church members to recruit newly freed slaves.
   Metropolitan A.M.E. Church rose out of this rich legacy, and became 
a powerful agent for change in its own right. Metropolitan A.M.E. 
Church has played a vital role in our history, standing tall as a 
cornerstone of its community through the test of time. This tradition 
continues today, and will continue well into the future.
   On a personal note, I am pleased to serve as the keynote speaker for 
the 177th Anniversary Service on July 12, 2015. It is a high honor to 
have the opportunity to celebrate the 177 years of contributions and 
exemplary service of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church. It is a privilege to 
stand in the same pulpit as esteemed guests such as Paul Laurence 
Dunbar, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Dorothy I. Height. As a life member of 
the historic Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma, Alabama, I can truly 
say that it was the support of my church family and the teachings of 
African Methodist Episcopal Church ministry that helped me grow into 
the woman I am today.
   I ask my colleagues to join me in recognition of the 177th 
Anniversary of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church on this distinguished 
occasion. May the glory of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church continue to grow 
and prosper for years to come.

                          ____________________