The AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH was founded in New York City in 1796.
Our first meetings were held in a rented house on Cross Street between Mulberry and
Orange Streets.
The John Street Methodist Episcopal Church (which is now the United Methodist
denomination), was the first Methodist Church in the city, founded in 1756. At that
time, there were only a handful of free black members.
As our numbers increased, we were made to wait for all whites to be communed before
we would be served. No one of color was allowed to become an ordained minister.
Although these reasons contributed to our withdrawal, the main reason was that "God
was not truly being heard in The John Street Church."
Some of our founders were James Varick (our first 'superintendent', a title that was
later changed to 'bishop'); William Brown, William Hamilton, Frances Jacobs, William
Miller, June Scott, Abraham Thompson and Peter Williams, Sr. These men and women were
free blacks.
In 1800, our first church, called ZION, was built. We were originally called the
A.M.E. Church of New York. To avoid confusion with a similar group founded in Philadelphia a few
years before, the name of our 'Mother Church' was added to our denominational name.
| We are: |
| AFRICAN, |
in our heritage, although our membership is open to all who desire salvation; |
| METHODIST, |
in our tradition, that everything is set up and conducted in a particular method or order; |
| EPISCOPAL, |
in our form of government, supervised by Episcopal leaders called Bishops; |
| ZION, |
the name of our first church and the Holy City we strive to make our eternal home. |
