A.M.E. History
African Methodist Episcopal Church Motto:
"God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer, Holy Spirit Our Comforter, Humankind Our Family”
AME History
The African Methodist Episcopal Church grew out of the Free African Society (FAS) which Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and others established in Philadelphia in 1787. When officials at St. George’s MEC pulled blacks off their knees while praying, FAS members discovered just how far American Methodists would go to enforce racial discrimination against African Americans. Hence, these members of St. George’s made plans to transform their mutual aid society into an African congregation. Although most wanted to affiliate with the Protestant Episcopal Church, Allen led a small group who resolved to remain Methodists. In 1794 Bethel AME was dedicated with Allen as pastor. To establish Bethel’s independence from interfering white Methodists, Allen, a former Delaware slave, successfully sued in the Pennsylvania courts in 1807 and 1815 for the right of his congregation to exist as an independent institution. Because black Methodists in other middle Atlantic communities encountered racism and desired religious autonomy, Allen called them to meet in Philadelphia to form a new Wesleyan denomination, the "African Methodist Episcopal Church" (AME Church).
The African Methodist Episcopal Church has a unique history as it is the first major religious denomination in the western world that developed because of sociological rather than theological differences. It was the first African-American denomination organized and incorporated in the US. The church was born in protest against racial discrimination and slavery. This was in keeping with the Methodist Church's philosophy; whose founder John Wesley had once called the slave-trade "that execrable sum of all villainies". In the 19th century, the AME Church of Ohio collaborated with the Methodist Episcopal Church in Cincinnati in sponsoring the first independent historically black college (HBCU), Wilberforce University in Ohio.
The AME Church has never strayed away from the course charted by Richard Allen. Today, we have over a million members throughout the United States, Canada, South America, West Africa, South Africa, and the West Indies.
OUR NAME
African - Our church was organized by people of African descent and heritage.
Methodist - Our church is a member of the family of Methodist Churches. We believe in the plain and simple gospel and an orderly system of rules and regulations.
Episcopal - Episcopal refers to the form of government under which our church operates. In the Episcopal form of government, the Bishop is the chief executive and administrative officer.
The AME Cleveland District website is: http:// www.clevelanddistrictamec.org
The AME 3rd District website is: http:// www.thirddistrictame.org
St. Paul A.M.E. Organizations
CHURCH MINISTRIES
1. STEWARDESS BOARD
2. JULIA BROWN MISSIONARY SOCIETY
3. JOSEPH R. COOPER LAY ORGANIZATION
4. MASS CHOIR
5. YOUTH CHOIR
6. SENIOR USHER BOARD
7. JUNIOR USHER BOARD
8. CLASS LEADERS
9. YOUNG PEOPLE DEPARTMENT (YPD)
10. LIGHTHOUSE MINISTRY (YOUNG FEMALES)
11. POWERHOUSE BOYS TO MEN (YOUNG MALES)
12. PRAISE DANCERS
13. SONS OF ALLEN
14. COURTESY GUILD
15. PASTORS AIDE
16. MUSIC & ARTS ACADEMY
17. SUNDAY SCHOOL
18. VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
19. GREETERS
20. CULINARY TEAM
21. TECHNOLOGY AND MARKETING TEAM
OUTREACH MINISTRY
1. PRISON MINISTRY
2. ANGEL FOOD MINISTRY
3. AAA (MONDAY NIGHT)
4. BELLAIRE GARDEN MINISTRY