African Union Methodist Protestant Church facts for kids

The African Union Methodist Protestant Church (often called the AUMPC or A.U.M.P. Church) is a Christian church group. It is part of the Methodist family of churches. This church was officially started by Peter Spencer in 1813. It began in Wilmington, Delaware, and was first known as the "Union Church of Africans." Later, it became known as the "African Union Church."

How the Church Started

The African Union Methodist Protestant Church is an important part of the history of Methodism in America. In 1866, another church group, the First Colored Methodist Protestant Church, joined with it. This group had started in Maryland and was connected to the A.M.E. Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

After they joined, the Delaware-Maryland church changed its name. It combined both names to become the African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church and Connection. Most people just called it the A.U.M.P. Church.

A Split in the Church

In the 1860s, some churches decided to leave the A.U.M.P. Church. In 1865, they formed their own group called the "Union American Methodist Episcopal Church." Today, both the A.U.M.P. Church and the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church are sometimes called the "Spencer Churches." This name honors Peter Spencer, who founded the original church.

How the Church is Led

For many years, the A.U.M.P. Church was led in a way that gave more power to local churches. However, in the 1880s, leaders began to think about changing to an "episcopal structure." This means having bishops who oversee many churches.

In 1922, the church chose its first bishop, Daniel J. Russell, Jr.. But it took until 1967 for the church to fully adopt this new way of leadership. At that time, two more leaders were made bishops.

Today, the A.U.M.P. Church has about 40 churches. These churches are located in the mid-Atlantic and Upper South regions of the United States. You can find them in states like New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and in Washington, D.C.

Important Churches

Many churches connected to the A.U.M.P. Church have historical importance. Here are a few:

• Hosanna Meeting House: This church was built in 1845. It is located in Hinsonville, a village in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where free Black people lived.
• St. John's Church (Ruxton, Maryland): This church in Ruxton, Maryland, was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1982. The NRHP is a list of places important to American history.
• St. John's African Union Methodist Protestant Church: Located in Goshen, New York, this church was added to the NRHP in 2010.
• Saint Paul African Union Methodist Church: This church in Washington, D.C. was added to the NRHP in 2011.
• Mt. Zion A. U. M. P.: This church in Marshalltown, New Jersey, is considered the "mother church" for the New Jersey and Pennsylvania church areas. It is also the home church of Bishop and historian Daniel James Russell. This church is part of the Marshalltown Historic District, which was added to the NRHP in July 2013.

External links

• Official site: https://web.archive.org/web/20101021222649/http://www.aufcmp.org/
• Russell, Daniel J. History of the African Union Methodist Protestant Church. Philadelphia: Union Star Book and Job Printing Publishing House, 1920. Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina
• A.U.M.P. Book of Discipline, 1871, Documenting the American South, University of North Carolina
• St. James African Union Methodist Protestant Church
• Mount Calvary African Union Methodist Protestant Church
• Mount Pleasant African Union Methodist Protestant Church