First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles |
|
|---|---|
First AME Church Los Angeles
2270 S. Harvard Boulevard Los Angeles, CA |
|
| Country |  United States |
| Denomination | African Methodist Episcopal |
| Website | http://www.famechurch.org/ |
| History | |
| Founded | 1872 |
The First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles (First A.M.E. or FAME) is a very large church in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is part of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. This church is special because it is the oldest church in Los Angeles started by African Americans. It was founded in 1872 and now has more than 19,000 members!
Contents
The Story of First A.M.E. Church
The First A.M.E. Church began in 1872. A remarkable woman named Biddy Mason helped start it. She was an African American nurse who became a successful businesswoman and gave a lot to her community. Biddy Mason and her son-in-law, Charles Owens, held the first meetings in her home. She even donated the land where the very first church building was constructed.
The larger AME Church family is a type of Methodist church. It was started by Reverend Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816. Today, the AME Church has over 2,000,000 members across North and South America, Africa, and Europe. It includes other big churches like the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in New York and the Reid Temple A.M.E. Church in Maryland.
Where the Church Has Been
The First A.M.E. Church has had a few homes over the years. From 1902 to 1968, it was located at 8th & Towne. This building was even named a Los Angeles landmark! Before that, the church was on Azusa Street. The current church building, located in the West Adams district, was finished in 1968. It was designed by a famous African American architect named Paul R. Williams.
Church Leaders Over Time
In 1977, Cecil Murray became the pastor of First A.M.E. Church. At that time, it had about 300 members. Under his amazing leadership, the church grew a lot over the next 27 years, reaching 18,000 members!
In 2004, Reverend Dr. John Joseph Hunter took over as the senior minister. Later, in October 2012, J. Edgar Boyd became the new pastor.
Making a Difference in the Community
The First A.M.E. Church is a very important place for helping people and getting involved in the community. In the 1980s and 1990s, the church created many groups to help with important issues. These groups worked on things like health, helping people without homes, providing emergency food and clothing, and finding housing, training, and jobs.
President George H. W. Bush even recognized the church for its great work in community services. In 1989, city leaders, including Mayor Tom Bradley, joined First A.M.E. leaders to start building FAME Arms. This was an apartment complex with 40 units for people with physical disabilities and low incomes.
After an earthquake in 1994, FAME Renaissance, which is the church's non-profit group for economic development, helped small businesses. They provided loans of up to $25,000 to businesses that couldn't get help anywhere else. In 2009, the church also started an outdoor fresh food market. This helped bring healthy foods to people living in South Los Angeles.
See also
- List of the largest churches in the USA
