Our Mission

The mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs of all people by spreading Christ's liberation gospel through word and deed. Each local church shall engage in carrying out the spirit of the original Free African Society.

Our Name

African means that the church was organized by people of African descent and heritage. It does not mean that the church was founded in Africa or that it is for people of African descent only. It does mean that those Americans who founded it were of African descent, and we proudly recognize this fact.

Methodist refers to the church's membership in the family of Methodist churches. Richard Allen, the founder and first active bishop, felt that the form and format of Methodism would best suit the needs of the African community.

Episcopal refers to the form of government under which the church operates. The Episcopal form of government means that the chief executive and administrative officers of our denomination are our bishops. Their authority is given them by the General Conference, elected representatives of the entire denomination. Their responsibilities are to oversee the spiritual and temporal affairs of the church, including presiding over annual conferences, making pastoral appointments, ordaining deacons and elders, organizing missions, and generally promoting the interest of the denomination.

Church refers to the "Christian Church," which is a community of people who believe in God and who have accepted Jesus Christ as the guiding example of their lives. We also believe in the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, who enables the believer to become a true and effective servant of God. Jesus Christ is the spiritual head of the Christian Church.

Our Government

The General Conference is the legislature of the A.M.E. Church. It meets every four years to elect bishops and to make laws. The A.M.E. Church has a Bishop's Council and a Judicial Council.

The Departments of the A.M.E. church are there to serve the needs of the church. The work of each department is directed by a General Officer, who is elected by the General Conference.

Bishops are elected and serve our churches which span the globe. A.M.E. Churches can be found in more then twenty-four countries.

Presiding Elders are appointed by the Presiding Bishop. The Presiding Elders superintend the work of the church by presiding over sub-districts of each annual conference.

The pastor is appointed by the Presiding Bishop to a mission, circuit, or station. The Pastor appoints stewards in the local church who serve as the administrative body. Trustees are elected by the local church and oversee the physical plant of the church.

The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church serves as our ecclesiastical constitution, outlining the Articles of Religion, the General Rules and Rituals, and other services of the Church. Finally, there are five conferences in the A.M.E. Church. They are: The General Conference, the Annual Conference, the District Conference, the Quarterly Conference, and the Church Conference.

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