The historic congregation of Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will receive $90,000 in grant funding to help with its building preservation.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation will allot the money to Mother Bethel, one of 31 historically African American churches across the United States receiving funds this year.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Monday, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the church said it is “honored” to receive the historic preservation funding.
“Mother Bethel is honored to be awarded such a generous grant to assist with vital preservation efforts on our 134 year old building! The $90,000 grant will make raising additional preservation dollars a much easier lift,” stated Mother Bethel.
“A special thank you to the National Historic Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund and their Preserving Black Churches grant. Thank you to the funders of the grant.”
In addition to thanking the multiple foundations and charity organizations that helped to fund the grant, the church expressed gratitude to those who wrote the grant for the congregation.
“And a word of deep appreciation to the grant writing team at Mother Bethel. Without their hard work and dedication, this would not be possible. You never know who is sitting in your pews,” the church added. “To God be the glory!”
Mother Bethel AME Church traces its origins to the 18th century, when AME Church founder Richard Allen, a freed slave and Methodist preacher, launched the denomination.
Allen previously belonged to the predominantly white Methodist Episcopal Church. However, he felt a need to launch his own denomination after experiencing racism in the pews.
Allen established Mother Bethel in the 1790s, with the Philadelphia property having multiple church buildings since then. The current sanctuary was constructed in 1890.
The $90,000 came through the NTHP’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, which bestowed $4 million to 31 different historically black congregations.
“We created the Preserving Black Churches program to ensure the historic Black church’s legacy is told and secured. That these cultural assets can continue to foster community resilience and drive meaningful change in our society,” said Brent Leggs, executive director of the AACHA Fund, in a statement Monday.
“We couldn’t be more excited to honor our second round of grantees and ensure that African Americans — and our entire nation — can enjoy an empowered future built on the inspiring foundations of our past.”
Other historically African American churches receiving preservation funds include St. James AME Church in New Orleans, Louisiana; Town Clock Church in New Albany, Indiana; and Big Bethel AME Church in Atlanta, Georgia.Â
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