Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
2233 Main Street Hartford, CT 06120
Rev. Sean M. Lewis, Pastor
"The Church on the Hill"
About the African Methodist Episcopal Church
About the AME Church
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The African Methodist Episcopal Church grew out of the Free African Society, which Richard Allen helped to establish. A former slave from Delaware, Richard Allen had purchased freedom for himself and his family. He was a member of St. George's Methodist Church in Philadelphia until his fellow white parishioners disturbed the black worshipper during prayer. It was at this point that he decided "to trouble them no more and to worship under his own vine and fig tree."
We are a worldwide, connectional church, divided into 20 Episcopal Districts with each headed by a Bishop.
Our motto is: "God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer, Holy Spirit our Comforter, Humanity OUr Family". We are a reconciling, liberation people, who openly welcome all to join us in praise and worship to Almighty God.
The Mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical and emotional needs of all people by spreading Christ's liberating gospel through word and deed.
Our Beliefs
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To find the basic foundations of the beliefs of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, you need look no further than The Apostles’ Creed and The Twenty Five Articles of Religion:
APOSTLE’S CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead; and buried. The third day he arose from the dead’ he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.
“God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer,
the Holy Spirit Our Comforter, Humankind Our Family.”
The Twenty Five Articles of Religion
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1. OF FAITH IN THE HOLY TRINITY
2. OF THE WORD OR SON OF GOD, WHO WAS MADE VERY MAN
3. OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
4. OF THE HOLY GHOST
5. THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES FOR SALVATION
6. OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
7. OF ORIGINAL OR BIRTH SIN
8. OF FREE WILL
9. OF THE JUSTIFICATION OF MAN
10. OF GOOD WORKS
11. OF WORKS OF SUPEREROGATION
12. OF SIN AFTER JUSTIFICATION
13. OF THE CHURCH
14. OF PURGATORY
15. OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS THE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
16. OF THE SACRAMENTS
17. OF BAPTISM
18. OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
19. OF BOTH KINDS
20. OF THE ONE OBLATION OF CHRIST, FINISHED UPON THE CROSS
21. OF THE MARRIAGE OF MINISTERS
22. OF THE RITES AND CEREMONIES OF CHURCHES
23. OF THE RULERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
24. OF CHRISTIAN MEN’S GOODS
25. OF A CHRISTIAN MAN’S OATH