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BETHEL
AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH HISTORY
APRIL 1,
1868
CELEBRATING
153 YEARS
THE
EARLY YEARS
1868-1900
Less than 10 years after the end of slavery, a group of African
American citizens in the Iowa City area decided that the time had come
for them to build a house of worship. Many of this first group (some
have said up to 300 people) owned homes and were established in the
community. The black population of Iowa had more than tripled in the
decade from 1850 to 1860. Iowa City was known to have been a stop on
the Underground Railroad, so it is not surprising that there was an
established group of African-Americans residing in what must have been
a small, but supportive community.
A
place of worship for this community became a reality when the
cornerstone was laid on April 1, 1868.
The land on which Bethel was
built had been owned by Mr. Charles H. Berryhill. The original property
line extended from the current lot at 411 South Governor Street, south
to Bowery Street.
It is recorded that Mr. Berryhill sold the land to
James W. Howard, who is also listed as one of the first trustees.
The
other two original trustees were Boston Clay and Samuel Boone.
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Charles H.
Berryhill, c. 1839
Photo:
Wetherby Studio, Iowa City, Iowa |
In those first years of the church, they did not have ministers - they
had “exhorters”. Mr. Caesar Winston was one of the first exhorters for
Bethel. The current Women’s Missionary Society is named for his
granddaughter-in-law, the late Margaret E. Winston. The church moved on
with exhorters during the period between 1868 and 1885. The first
minister sent was Rev. P. C. Cooper. The records are obscure, but his
appointment would have been in the late 1880’s. City directories from
1892 to 1902 refer to the church as Zion’s A.M.E. It is consistently
called Bethel after 1906.
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Artist’s
conception of Bethel AME Church of Iowa City in the middle to late 19th
century, based on verbal and written information.
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In
the summer of 2008, this 1898 photo of Bethel AME Church was unearthed
in the City Engineer’s Office of Iowa City. Digital editing of this
photo reveals the presence of two persons, one on the church steps and
one standing in front of the tree in the foreground.
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The
parsonage was built around 1893 under the leadership of Rev. James
Farris. The members at that time bought the lumber and other materials.
They put on “Jubilee Programs” to raise money for the work. Membership
dropped, as jobs available to African-Americans of that era became
scarce. Between the years of 1870-1940, there were never more than 120
blacks residing in Johnson County. One good church member and trustee
stands out during this period. Mr. William Patterson remained and
through his presence the doors of the church remained open.
THE MIDDLE
YEARS
1900-1950
Pastoral
assignments were changed regularly during the next 50 years. Many
ministers were sent to the charge for a year. The longest assignment
during that time lasted 3 years. During the late 1930s and 1940s no
pastoral assignments were made. However, each pastor assigned
contributed to the church in some way. Those most memorable are the
building improvements and renovations.
In 1916, under Rev. B. F. Hubbard, the first pavement was laid in front
of the church. Under Rev. James Forehand’s loving care, Bethel was
renovated inside and out (May 1923). There was a fire a few days after
renovation was complete. The damage was listed at $1,100. The church
had an insurance policy of $1,500. They repaired the damage and said it
felt like they had an “almost new church”. Some members on the roster
that year were:
Mr. Charles Donnegan
Mrs. Lottie
Donnegan
Mrs.
Forehand
Mrs. Ludie
Ware |
Mrs. A. Scott
Sam
Patterson
John Ware |
There was also a fire in the parsonage on February 10, 1924. Sister
Lillie P. Jones had been sent to Bethel after the death of Rev. J. L.
Peterson. She worked very hard to restore the parsonage and was able to
accomplish that with the help of the community’s Ministerial Board.
In
1925, under Rev. S. B. Washington, the sidewalk was completed, and
bricks were purchased for the basement. In 1926, the Annual Conference
Minutes list Sarah V. Bean as the preacher. Her husband, Rev. S. L.
Bean was the pastor on the Muscatine circuit. During her stay, Bethel
finished the basement of the parsonage and added new windows in the
basement of the church. Members on the roster that time include:
Stella Scott
Sudie McCain
Wilton Scott
Mr. and
Mrs. Williams
Hallie
McCain
Artell Jett |
Mr. Charel
Dora Hueston
Sarah Jett
Allie Scott
Ruth Bright |
During
Rev. D. H. Harris’ one- year stay in 1927, the roof was repaired, and
the new piano was put in. The next year Rev. R.E.L. Cain added gas and
water to the parsonage and the church. He also purchased a gas stove
for the church basement.
For
the next few years, the church lost ground and confidence. Many
African-Americans who had come to Iowa for the steady labor left the
state during this time. Membership rose and fell, making it difficult
to keep the doors of the church open. In 1950, Deacon Christina
McDonald was ministering at Bethel. The Conference Minutes for that
year list the church as having no indebtedness. Although these 50 years
were lean ones in terms of the number of members, they are years marked
by many physical improvements to the church and parsonage.
THE LAST
FIFTY YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY
1950-2000
Deacon
Christina McDonald kept the doors of the church open during the 1950s
until Rev. Fred L. Penny was sent to the charge in 1958. Coming to
Bethel A.M.E. Church with his wife and 6 children, new life was
breathed into the church by Rev. Penny. Upon arriving at the Iowa City
church for the first time, Rev. Penny was greeted by the church’s then
lone member, Mrs. Margaret E. Winston, who was seated in a ladder-back
chair beside the stove in which she had built a fire to warm the church
and to welcome her new pastor. During his 37 years as Pastor of Bethel,
Rev. Penny provided an open door for African-American students
attending the University. The African-American residents in the
community that were not affiliated with the University of Iowa had
dwindled to a very small number. They were scattered throughout the
city and not closely connected. Many former students have fond memories
of delicious meals prepared by Mrs. Penny and served after Sunday
service with stimulating conversation on any of the various social,
spiritual, and other issues of the times.
In November of 1959, the University of Iowa had an illustrious
visitor and lecturer, whom Rev. Penny was charged with picking up from
the Cedar Rapids Airport---none other than Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.
Upon learning that Rev. Penny was the local AME pastor, Rev. King asked
to see Iowa City’s Bethel AME Church and was given a tour by Rev. Penny
before being driven to the Hotel Jefferson in downtown Iowa City where
he was staying during his visit.
With the sponsorship of the
University of Iowa’s School of Religion, Rev. Penny invited Bishop
Joseph Gomez to the campus in April 1963, as a distinguished lecturer
in the Senate Chamber of the historic Old Capitol Building, which had
been the first capitol of the Iowa Territory (c. 1842). A luncheon in
honor of Bishop Gomez followed in the Iowa Memorial Union. The day-long
series of activities were well attended by church members, University
staff and students, and townspeople alike.
The April 1968
observance of the church’s 100th anniversary was greatly muted by
tragedy, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, wherein members
and friends attended, to both observe the anniversary and to mourn with
us.
During the 37 years that Rev. Penny served Bethel, Iowa City, the
church building saw physical improvements such as having the electrical
capacity increased to 110 volts (a gift from daughter, Dianna),
installation of a modern central heating system, several repaintings of
both the interior and exterior, replacement of wooden entry steps and
deck (three times), and replacement of exterior concrete basement
steps. In addition, the wooden basement floor was replaced by concrete
with a drain, a gift from a friend of Bethel, Mr. Joseph Breno, who did
the labor himself. The tiny, 4-room parsonage at the rear of the
church, beyond repair and no longer fit for human habitation, was razed
in 1988.
In the later years of Rev. Penny’s ministry at Bethel,
he was ably assisted by Rev. Marvin L. Crawford, a graduate of the
Interdenominational Theological Center of Albany State College and a
medical student at the University of Iowa College of Medicine (Class of
1988), who was at that time a licentiate in the A.M.E. Church (the
earliest stage of ordination as an A.M.E. pastor). Today, Rev. Crawford
is pastoring First St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Lithonia, Georgia along
with his distinguished practice of medicine as a member of the faculty
at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Other renowned
University of Iowa alumni, who have graced Bethel’s worship space with
their attendance as students, include the jazz singer, Al Jarreau,
Percy W. Watson, Mississippi Statehouse Legislator, internationally
acclaimed opera singer, Simon Estes, and Dr. Lilia Abron, CEO and
Founder of PEER Consultants, a chemical engineering consulting firm, to
name a few.
With Rev. Penny’s death in September 1994, nearly four decades of
students, church members, the community of Iowa City, along with much
of Eastern Iowa mourned and remembered him.
With the University
of Iowa as a major employer in the state, many more African Americans
have made Iowa City and the nearby communities of Coralville and North
Liberty their place of residence. After Rev. Penny’s death, Bishop J.
Haskell Mayo of the Fourth Episcopal District of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church assigned Rev. Willie W. Clemmons to the charge. In the
short time that Rev. Clemmons was with us, the church acquired a new
roof, further upgrade of its electrical capacity, and for the first
time in its history, wall-to-wall carpeting was installed in the
sanctuary. Also during Rev. Clemmons’ ministry at Bethel, Bishop Mayo
visited us as our distinguished guest at a fundraising banquet.
In
the fall of 1995, Rev. Reginald Blount joined the clergy of Bethel
A.M.E. Church as Associate Pastor. In February 1996, Rev. Clemmons was
reassigned to fill a vacancy at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Quincy,
Illinois and Rev. Blount was assigned as Pastor at Bethel, Iowa City
where he served from February 1996 through November 1, 1998. During
this period, a vacation bible school, lasting for one week during the
month of June was initiated at Bethel and it was open to youngsters
community-wide.
During Rev. Blount’s stay at Iowa City, a new
lighting system was installed in the church, which greatly enhanced
evening activities. With the aid of a grant from the local Historic
Preservation Society, the church exterior was repaired and repainted by
Cornerstone Construction in a historically correct manner utilizing the
appropriate paint and other materials.
Late in 1998, Rev. Blount was assigned to fill a vacancy at Eternal
Flame A.M.E. Church in the Chicago area where his wife was enrolled at
Garrett Theological Seminary to further her education. This move
enabled Rev. Blount to rejoin his family and continue his own academic
work as a Ph.D. candidate at Northwestern University without having to
commute between the Chicago area and Iowa City.
Our next pastor,
Rev. Orlando R. Dial, was also an educator, having served as a teacher
and assistant principal at West High School in Waterloo, Iowa. Rev.
Dial also headed the Christian Education Department of the North
District of the Illinois Conference of the AME Church, as the Illinois
Conference encompasses the southern half of the state of Iowa. Rev.
Dial was most ably assisted by Local Pastor, Rev. Lula Mallett.
Enhancements were made to the church entrance and thanks to a gift from
member, Venise Berry, central air conditioning was added to the church
and the electrical capacity was again upgraded. Recent years have seen
vibrant growth in numbers and enthusiasm, as we continue to let
spiritual growth lead and guide us in our physical growth and
transformation.
2000 AND
BEYOND
On
September 27, 2000, Bethel A.M.E. Church received historical
recognition at both the state and federal level with designation as a
national historic site on the National Register of Historic Places.
The church embarked upon a building fund campaign, led by members,
Melvin Shaw and Venise Berry, to renovate the building and increase the
size of the
sanctuary, working in tandem with the local historical
society, in order to maintain the historical integrity of our building
as we grow. A ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony was held Sunday,
November 4, 2007 following morning service. Excavation for the new
sanctuary began in earnest on Thursday, December 3, 2009.
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The Lord be
praised!
We’re on
our way as
we move
forward in
faith!
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After
construction was completed and all the necessary inspections were
passed, a permit of occupancy was issued and our services and
activities were moved into the new structure, which also includes a
fellowship hall, named for the late Rev. Fred L. Penny, on the lower
level. The new building is totally ADA (Americans with Disabilities
Act) compliant with stairs-free access at both levels and an interior
elevator. August 1, 2010 was the date of our first Sunday service in
the new sanctuary. The formal dedication was held on Friday, December
10, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. with Presiding Prelate, Bishop John R. Bryant
officiating in a special dedication service.
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Exterior
view of the new sanctuary, attached to the historic
structure by an enclosed breezeway.
The new
structure received a 2010 Historic Preservation Award from
the Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission.
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View of new
sactuary interior.
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With the
new and larger facilities, Bethel accepted the invitation to host the
annual community-wide ecumenical service, celebrating Dr. Martin Luther
King, on Sunday evening, January 16, 2011. A Martin Luther King Day
service and celebration has now become a regularly scheduled annual
event, which is well-received and attended by the entire community of
Iowa City.
In early 2014, the basement of Bethel’s historic structure was
renovated with the help of outside donations procured by Venise Berry,
and is being used as a church nursery. Water issues in both the old and
new basements were successfully addressed and modern amenities were
added to the old basement. A wall mural by Dianna Penny, depicting a
peaceful landscape and a replica of the historic church, was painted on
the basement’s east wall.
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| Completed
wall mural in basement of historic church structure. |
The
nursery, newly furnished and ready for use by our infants and toddlers. |
In early
October, 2014, Rev. Dial, having successfully served Bethel-Iowa City
for 17 years, was assigned to St. John A.M.E. Church in Burlington,
Iowa and Bethel-Iowa City was assigned a new pastor, Rev. Kimberly
Abram-Bryant, a newly-minted young pastor embarking upon her first
pastoral assignment, in addition to being a devoted wife and a mother
of three sons. Our congregation is happy to report that our spiritual
growth has continued and is flourishing under her gifted spiritual
leadership. Rev. Abram-Bryant is an ordained deacon and is working to
further her education. We look forward to a bright future for her and
with her.
On April 14 and 15, 2018, Bethel-Iowa City celebrated its 150th
anniversary, featuring special services with guest ministers,
receptions, exhibits, and dinners, and which was widely covered by
local news media, including the local ABC affiliate, KCRG-TV, front
page coverage in The Cedar Rapids Gazette, dated Monday, April 16,
2018, and an Iowa City publication, Little Village, dated April 2018.
Various students from the University of Iowa sought interviews to
research and prepare written material about the church, its history,
and impact on the local community. Featured speakers at our special
celebratory services were Rev. Orlando R. Dial, Pastor of St. John AME
Church of Burlington, Iowa; Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, Pastor of Arnett
Chapel AME Church of Chicago, Illinois; and Rev. Cyrus J. Burns, Pastor
of Gaines Chapel AME Church of East Moline, Illinois. Pastors Dial and
Blount are former pastors of Bethel-Iowa City.
In addition to photographic and other pictorial exhibits detailing
church history, a YouTube video was prepared and shown by member and
film maker, Steven Berry. News of Bethel-Iowa City’s 150th anniversary
celebration also appeared in The Communicator, a publication of the 4th
Episcopal District Historical Commission, with Barbara A. Gordon of the
Indiana Conference as publisher/editor.
In the early Spring of 2020, our faith was challenged by the global
onset of a new and deadly virus, COVID-19, forcing churches and other
public institutions to shut down in-person contact and adapt to
electronic means of assembly and worship, namely, the gifts of modern
technology, ZOOM or teleconferencing, enabling us to assemble and
continue worship and fellowship. During the warm weather months, Rev.
Abram-Bryant conducted communion services via curbside drive-up wherein
she and all congregants were safely masked, and we carried on despite
the challenges of the pandemic, giving honor to God. Thanks to the
successful creation of an effective vaccine, we were able, by the
summer of 2021, to partially reopen our in-person services while
continuing ZOOM and teleconferencing transmission into homes.
In July
2021, member, Cynthia Shaw estab-lished our “Blessing Box,” a little
free pantry, on the church lawn, wherein passersby who have need may
help themselves to canned goods and other non-perishable food items,
toiletries, small wearables (socks, gloves, and caps, etc.), and paper
products, donated by church members and friends. Also contained within
is a small box where passersby may leave prayer requests.
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Pictured at right (L-R) is Cynthia Shaw, Rev. Kimberly Abram-Bryant,
and member, Joseph Blair, the builder of our “Blessing Box,” during its
dedication ceremony, July 11, 2021.
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Shown at
left, our “Blessing Box” has elicited this unspoken but eloquent
expression of gratitude by an anonymous passerby, in chalk on the
pavement that borders our church lawn. |
At
the 150th session of the Illinois Annual Conference on September 3,
2021, Rev. Jacquelyn Ford, ordained an itinerant elder, was assigned as
pastor to Bethel-Iowa City by Bishop John Franklin White, replacing
Rev. Kimberly Abram-Bryant who is continuing her education. We wish her
Godspeed in her new quest and warmly welcome Rev. Ford as our pastor as
our work continues.
We can only believe that those charter
members of 1868 would be proud of all those who have come after.
Although it has not all been easy during these 153 years, we want to
thank God first, for with Him all things are possible. We also want to
thank those original members who chiseled the dedication with a firm
and skillful hand that all who may follow will see the work of both God
and man.
Respectfully submitted,
Francine Thompson
and
Dianna Penny
ADDENDUM:
This history is in no way complete. Many facts, names and
dates are lost or obscured because records were not kept during times
without pastoral appointments. Sources for information include the
following:
Iowa City, City Directories 1891-1957
Iowa Census Records, Johnson County, 1850, 1860
69th Anniversary History of Bethel A.M.E. Church, recorded and submitted by Lottie Donnegan, April 6, 1937
Annual and District Conference Minutes, 1903, 1906, 1914, 1923, 1926, 1928, 1934, 1950, 1958
Information updated October 12, 2021.
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