About the AME Church
The word 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 was for persons of African descent only. The church’s roots are of the family of Methodist churches. Methodism provides an orderly system of rules and regulations and places emphasis on a plain and simple gospel.
Episcopal refers to the form of government under which the church operates. The chief executive and administrative officers of the African Methodist Episcopal denomination are the Bishops of the church. – More Info About AME
We are a connectional Church under the “First Episcopal District” of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
About Heard Chapel
History of Heard Chapel AME Church (In Brief)
The encyclopedia of African Methodism of 1948 produced by Bishop R.R. Wright, Jr., says of Heard Chapel that “The building of this church is a monument to the will and labors of Rev. J.S. Johnson and his co-laborers.” The Founding of this work of the A.M.E. Church was the dream of the Rev. John Samuel Johnson and about that there is no doubt.
Heard Chapel A.M.E. Church was first known as the North Shore Mission. The very first mention of this work of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is made in the Minutes of the Twenty-fifth session of the Bermuda Annual Conference held in the Town Hall of St. George from April 5th-10th, 1908 with the Rt. Rev. William Derrick, presiding Bishop.
The desire for a permanent place of worship was often expressed. Rev. Johnson had come into an inheritance, and on June 8th, 1915 he sold a portion of his land to “Certain trustees of the African Methodist Episcopal Church of Pembroke Parish for a consideration of sixty pounds.” The lot measured 100 ft. on the north and south and 45 ft. on the east and west. The foundation was dug and laid. The Rt. Rev John Hurst, the presiding Bishop, laid the cornerstone in the same year on July 27th, 1915 in the presence of the then Governor, Sir George M. Bullock, J.C.B. The Royal Gazette of Tuesday, July 27th, 1915 makes this note: “The Corner Stone of the North Shore A.M.E. Mission will be laid today at 4:00 p.m. by Bishop Hurst, D.D. of the A.M.E. Church. His Excellency the Governor has promised to be present on this occasion. The public are cordially invited.
Before and during the construction of the church, services were held on Glebe Road in a house owned by Mrs. Mary Jackson, a building which also served as a school house of the Rev. Rufus Stovell. When Rev. Johnson was the Pastor, services would sometimes be held in his own house.
Although the sentiment was expressed during the Conference of 1915 that the time would not be too far hence that the completed building would be ready, it was fully twenty years before that came to fruition. The Church was completed under the pastorate of the Rev. Rufus Stovell, was dedicated on Monday, April 25th, 1935 by Bishop Heard, and was given his name.