Our History
Bethel A.M.E. Church
150 Years Strong in Asbury Park!
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded in 1869 by Rev. John Cornish, and incorporated on July 10, 1879. For 24 years, the congregation held worship services in a tent on present-day Lake Avenue. Land for a church edifice was deeded to the congregation by James A. Bradley, the founder of Asbury Park, on March 20, 1893. The land was located at the southwest corner of Second Avenue and Main Street, and the congregation worshipped on that site until 1949. The second and current edifice, located at the corner of Langford Street and Cookman Avenue, was formerly the Sons of Israel Synagogue. Worship services were held at the new site for the first time on March 6, 1949.
For 150 years, Bethel has had an illustrious line of pastors. Rev. Dr. Danielle L. Hunter, the first female pastor of Bethel, was appointed to shepherd the congregation on April 6, 2014.
“Since its founding, Bethel has been committed toserving the spiritual and physical needs of the residents of Asbury Park and neighboring communities. ”
Since its founding, Bethel has been committed to serving the spiritual and physical needs of the residents of Asbury Park and neighboring communities.
In 1999, the outreach ministry of the church expanded from the church to the Bethel Ford Center located on Atkins Avenue. Operated by Bethel Community Development Corporation, the Ford Center has been the site of tutoring and job training programs over the years. Presently, a thriving food pantry and clothing closet ministry is located at the Ford Center.
In April 2019, Bethel launched a community garden outreach program at the Ford Center. In collaboration with Interfaith Neighbors’ Kula Urban Farm, which is adjacent to the Ford Center, Bethel youth plant produce and maintain the garden. Everything the garden produces is available to residents of the community free of charge.
Since 2017, Bethel has hosted a free community lunch program at the church one Saturday a month. During the monthly lunch, members of Bethel are on hand to greet and fellowship with lunch attendees. Items such as toiletries, gloves, socks and coats are provided to lunch program guests.
As a community of faith, spiritual growth is paramount in the life of Bethel. Via worship services, Sunday school, Bible study, prayer meeting, Vacation Bible School, an intercessory prayer line and other avenues, Bethel strives to nurture and strengthen the spiritual lives of men, women and children.
In these and many other ways, Bethel continues to fulfill its mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ by demonstrating God’s love; teaching and preaching Christian principles; serving the community; and praising and worshipping God.
