(News Journal) Maureen Milford reports ~ August Quarterly Festival keeps vision alive for new generation (with Video)
In 1805, a group led by Spencer broke away from Old Asbury as a protest against discrimination and to “build a house for ourselves.” Out of that exodus grew Ezion Methodist Episcopal Church. Although it was a black congregation, it was still part of organized white Methodism.
In time, Spencer wanted to sever ties completely so that he and his followers could have complete control of the church. After Spencer and his group founded African Union Church in 1813, they built a house of worship on French Street, between Eighth and Ninth streets. Early on, women were accepted as preachers and laypersons had leadership roles.
Many consider Spencer’s church to be the first African-American institution legally incorporated in the United States, but other churches have claimed the honor. Either way, his vision resulted in independent black denominations. The church’s August Quarterly became a religious and secular homecoming bringing black worshipers, both free and slaves, to Wilmington on the fourth Sunday in August. In 1946, 25,000 people from many states attended the Big Quarterly.
Spencer served as pastor for 30 years until his death in 1843. He was buried in the graveyard next to the church. The original church was razed in 1970 to make way for an urban renewal project and the congregation moved to its current location. But the grave of Spencer was kept at the site. A 14-foot sculpture by Charles Parks stands as a memorial to Spencer and his church in Spencer Plaza.
.........A highlight of the festival will be a jubilee conference on Friday at Ezion-Mount Carmel church, at 800 N. Walnut St. in Wilmington, that will the feature prominent religious scholars, the Rev. Dr. Lewis Baldwin, a professor of religious studies at Vanderbilt University, and the Rev. Dr. Cain Hope Felder, a professor of New Testament language and literature at Howard University School of Divinity.
A full schedule of events, along with locations and times, is available at www.augustquarterly.org.
At Sunday's kickoff event - Chase Center on the Riverfront
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