LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 248th Anniversary of The Afri-
can Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church of Brooklyn, New York, to be
celebrated on February 23, 2014

WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social and
educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development
of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and
WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this State and this Nation to pay
tribute to those institutions and individuals who have contributed to
the ethical and spiritual values of their communities; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body takes pleasure in commemorating the
248th Anniversary of the African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church of
Brooklyn, New York, which was celebrated on Sunday, February 23, 2014;
and
WHEREAS, Also known as Bridge Street African Wesleyan Methodist Epis-
copal Church, The African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church is docu-
mented as the oldest continuing African American congregation in the
Brooklyn-Long Island area; and
WHEREAS, Organized in 1766, and incorporated in 1818, this unique
congregation located in the heart of Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York, trac-
es its missionary origin back to Thomas Webb, a British Captain and a
convert of John Wesley, who was the father of Methodism in America; and
WHEREAS, In 1766, Captain Thomas Webb began holding open-air services
in downtown Brooklyn, and in 1794, the congregation purchased land from
wealthy land owner Joshua Sands to build a small church named The Sands
Street Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church; the congregation grew rapid-
ly and in 1810, a new church was completed named the First Methodist
Episcopal Church of Brooklyn with a mixed congregation of 1,500 members;
and
WHEREAS, Seven years later, the members raised funds to purchase land
to build a new church; in the fall of 1817, a grand rally was held and
the amount of funds collected were used for the new construction; and
WHEREAS, The following year, after being legally notified, a meeting
was held to choose trustees to take care of the temporal affairs of the
church and religious instruction; after a delegation was appointed to
visit Bishop Richard Allen at his AME Church, the African Wesleyan Meth-
odist Episcopal Church requested a preacher for their new church and to
ordain several delegates as local preachers; thus began their affil-
iation with the AME Church; and
WHEREAS, The First African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church was
incorporated in the village of Brooklyn in February of 1818; one year
later, the church corporation purchased land located on the east side of
High Street near Jay Street to build The First African Wesleyan Metho-
dist Episcopal Church in Brooklyn; in 1824, Peter Croger was elected the
first delegate to the General Conference of the AME Church; and
WHEREAS, Three years later, the men of the African Wesleyan Methodist
Episcopal Church established an educational system for youths, and the
cornerstone of The African Free School, known as Colored School No. 1,
was laid under the direction of Henry C. Thompson, an African Wesleyan
Methodist Episcopal Church Trustee; and
WHEREAS, In July of 1854, a property was purchased on Bridge Street by
the African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church from the trustees of The
First Congregational Church; Reverend James Morris Williams, the 21st
pastor of the African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church marched his
congregation from High Street to their new home on Bridge Street; here-
after, the church was known as Bridge Street African Wesleyan Methodist
Episcopal Church where the congregation worshipped until 1938; and

WHEREAS, That same year, Reverend Mansfield E. Jackson, the 52nd
pastor of the African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church, welcomed his
congregation to the new church's home on Stuyvesant Avenue, which was
purchased from the Grace Presbyterian Church; and
WHEREAS, The Church entered its third century of service under the
pastorate of Reverend David B. Cousin, Sr., the 60th pastor of this
historic congregation, and one of the five preaching sons of Bishop
Phillip R. Cousin of the AME Church; and
WHEREAS, At the 235th Church Anniversary Celebration in 2001, a pure
historical account of the congregation, pastorates, and ministries of
the church from 1766 to 2000 was released, known as Volume II of The
History of The African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church; and
WHEREAS, The African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church stands on the
threshold of tomorrow, prepared to meet the challenges of the coming
decades while retaining that spiritual resolve which characterizes its
past; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of
enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the
attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 248th Anniversary of the African Wesleyan Methodist
Episcopal Church of Brooklyn, New York, which was observed on February
23, 2014, fully confident that this commemoration reflects the belief in
those values which enhance the dignity and purpose of life; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the African Wesleyan Methodist Episcopal Church of Brooklyn,
New York.