Union Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

In 1813, a beacon of hope ignited in Wilmington, Delaware. A flame of faith and freedom sparked into life. This flame became the Union Church of Africans, later known as Union Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. A man named Peter Spencer, once bound by slavery, became a liberator of souls. He led a courageous group from Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church, seeking spiritual autonomy. Spencer, alongside William Anderson, dared to dream of a church where Black voices resonated without constraint. Where their faith flourished. The Union Church of Africans predates the African Methodist Episcopal Church by three years. This signifies its pioneering role in the independent Black church movement. In 1813, the church’s foundation was laid at Eighth and French Streets. This marked a pivotal moment in the pursuit of religious freedom. An annual festival, the Big Quarterly, emerged in Wilmington in 1814. It served as a testament to the growing sense of unity and liberation among African Americans. The festival attracted thousands. This transformed Wilmington into a hub of religious freedom. Spencer’s legacy extends beyond Union Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church. He established thirty-one churches and accompanying schoolhouses, fostering education and spiritual growth. The church experienced a split in 1865. This led to the formation of the African Union Methodist Protestant Church (AUMP) and the Union American Methodist Episcopal Church (UAME). The UAME, the church we stand before today, carries the torch of Spencer’s vision. It upholds the principles of independence, faith, and community.