Church celebrates 115th

Most of Bethel AME Church’s 235-member congregation joined dignitaries and visiting pastors Sunday to celebrate its 115-year history in Spokane and to break ground on its future.

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was founded on April 6, 1890, by the Rev. A.C. Augustus who preached in a house on South Stevens Street, making it the second oldest traditionally black church in the state, Pastor Lonnie Mitchell said.

After holding services at various locations, the church purchased a lot at Third Avenue and Browne Street in 1901 and built a church, which was moved in 1921 to Fifth and Pine Street.

In 1972, the church built at its current location, 645 S. Richard Allen Court.

On Sunday, Mitchell hosted several other pastors, city leaders and congregation members for a 3:30 p.m. service to celebrate the ground-breaking of the planned 17,000-square-foot Emanuel Family Life Center.

“Bethel has always been a community-minded church,” Mitchell said. “One of our missions is to help people in need, especially those at risk.”

The weeklong anniversary celebration featured a gospel music concert Saturday night at Gonzaga University’s Martin Centre.

Then at 11 a.m. Sunday, the congregation gathered at its normal worship time to dedicate a recently completed renovation that doubled the size of the 33-year-old sanctuary, said Chester Carothers, executive director of Richard Allen Enterprises.

“While some churches are moving out of the inner city, our remodel solidified our dedication to the neighborhood,” Carothers said.

The church’s next project, the family center, will include a computer lab, provide day care for the elderly and children, and host classes, Carothers said.

“We take a holistic view. The church is another piece of the whole needs of the people,” he said.

The new services at the center will “address whatever void is left in someone’s life.”

Mitchell, Bethel’s pastor since 1991, said he expects contractors will finish the center in about six months.

“We want to provide housing and education opportunities and help the local economy develop,” Mitchell said. “We are dedicated to the community.”

Betsy Wilkerson, who co-chaired the anniversary ceremonies, said she was pleased with the turnout for the gospel music workshop, which Bethel hosted last week.

“Our congregation is mixed, but the congregation at the gospel music workshop was about 50-50 white,” she said.

“It’s been good relationship building.”

April Arredondo and her husband have been attending Bethel since her daughter discovered the church just over a year ago.

Her daughter, Autumn, attends an AME church in Billings, Arredondo said.

“She wanted to come here,” she said. “As soon as I did, I fell in love with the ministry. Everybody is so warm and welcoming.”

Wilkerson said the key to Bethel’s future success is to support its core.

“Bethel wants to continue to grow and meet the needs of the neighborhood,” she said. “Each neighborhood can sustain itself.”