St. George's United Methodist Church, Philadelphia, PA

Historic St. George’s United Methodist Church (Philadelphia) is the oldest Methodist Church in America, founded by Captain Thomas Webb and the Methodist Society of Philadelphia in 1769 to practice Methodist religion. In December of 1769, Joseph Pillmore, a Missionary of John Wesley, held the church’s first prayer meeting followed  by Thomas Coke and Bishop Francis Asbury.  Bishop Asbury, St. George’s first pastor, ordained as many as 35 Methodist ministers throughout America. A split over racial tensions led two African American lay preachers, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, to leave the church and establish new congregations: Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas respectively.

St. George’s records consist of conference letters, account books, sacramental registers, journals and diaries.