LOVE IN ACTION – The AME Church – The Underground Railroad

Recap – This is the last sermon in our Black History Month Series – Love in Action where we

have looked at the our founding as a denomination to understand what it means for us to

follow Jesus’ teaching in an embodied way. (1) How we treat others is the most tangible sign

our love for God!!!! (2) Meet folks physical needs; (3) Meet folks social-spiritual needs; As we

fact this moment we can look to our history to understand how we face it

Telling the Story – Focus on how our denomination has lived that since the beginning

 Methodist Movement = where 2 or 3 are gathered – God is there. Don’t need clergy or a

building. Love of God and love of neighbor operating in class system/ small groups

 That idea spreads in UK and really takes off in America incl. w. Black people

 Richard Allen believes– founds Free African Society (FAS) w/ Absolom Jones

 White Methodists start with the powerful idea but their racism constantly creeps in

 August 1793 Yellow Fever - Is it environmental or “low class people”

 FAS mobilizes to nurse patients –agile as a movement rather than institution

 Another core effort in AME history was our engagement with the underground railroad.

 Mother Bethel in Philly had an underground connection to the Quakers to work as allies

 Bethel AME in Philly; Greenwich, NJ; Wilmington, DE; Lancaster, PA; Greencastle, PA;

Indianapolis, IN; Quinn Chapel AME in Chicago

 In 1844–Paul Quinn was elected Bishop – was underground railroad operative, esp. S.

Carolina – same year Quinn Chapel formed as a 7 person prayer band

 Bethel most popular name – Beit (house) El (God) – House of God

 Original sanctuary movement – Part of lawsuit for current sanctuary work

 Most of these groups started getting involved when they were very small. As they grew,

they were able to grow the work and use the institutional resources to help

 More research would illuminate more – how did it operate, connection to sm. Groups?

Key Points

1. They saw showing up as a tangible way to demonstrate their faith! (Even w/racism)

2. The work they did grew their movement spiritually and numerically.

3. Their collective institutional resources were mobilized in the service of justice

Could see this moment as something that might make us more tired – potential to transform us

and give us a renewed sense of purpose and direction. To make choices clear and vision real.

Questions –

1. As we look at this story from our past – where do you see parallels with the present

moment? What is God speaking to you/us from this history?

2. If the AME Church started as more of a movement than an institution – what does that

mean for who we are called to be in this season?

3. The Underground Railroad work required deep commitment and real risk. What do you

think God is calling this community to do? How are you called to lean in?