A landmark African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church in Pennsylvania has made history by appointing its first female pastor since its establishment in the late 18th century.
Mother Bethel AME Church of Philadelphia, originally founded by Richard Allen, the creator of the AME Church in the 1790s, announced on Saturday the appointment of the Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness as its new pastor.
Bishop Samuel Green appointed Cavaness during last Saturday's AME First Episcopal District Planning Meeting. Before this, she served as pastor at Bethel AME Church in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
Cavaness holds an undergraduate degree in urban studies from Barnard College of Columbia University, New York City, and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City. In addition to her role in pastoral leadership, Cavaness has participated in interfaith charitable activities and worked as deputy finance director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Cavaness addressed the congregation during her inaugural service as pastor at Mother Bethel AME Church on Sunday, expressing that she was “tremendously honored and humbled” and “overwhelmed by God’s goodness and faithfulness.” She declared, “I stand before you as a new pastor before new people. But the same God that has kept us yesterday and is keeping us right now is the same God that will keep us in the days that will unfold.”
She also delved into her family's history, highlighting her lineage as “a fourth-generation preacher in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.” Her great-grandfather, grandmother, and father were all significantly involved in the AME denomination.
Acknowledging those who paved the way for female preachers in the AME Church, Cavaness paid homage to pioneers like Jarena Lee, the first woman authorized to preach in the AME in 1819. “I’m looking forward to working together; I’m looking forward to continuing in the long legacy as we stand as the mother of them all,” she stated. “I stand here with a debt of gratitude.”
Mother Bethel was established by Richard Allen, who founded the AME denomination in 1816, in response to the racial discrimination he faced in the predominantly white Methodist Episcopal Church. Over the years, the congregation has witnessed multiple church buildings on its Philadelphia property, with the current sanctuary constructed in 1890.
Additionally, in January, Mother Bethel’s staff announced that it received $90,000 in preservation funding from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, making it one of several historic black churches to benefit from such grants.
