For more than a century, Wesley African Methodist Episcopal Church has stood as a beacon of faith, service, and community in Swarthmore’s historic Black neighborhood, located at 232 Bowdoin Avenue. Since 1921, our church has been far more than a place of worship; it has been a safe haven for children, a gathering place for neighbors, and a foundation for outreach and hope. In October 2026, we will celebrate our 105th anniversary.
Today, we reach out with an urgent and heartfelt appeal.
Our building is in need of critical repairs, most urgently, waterproofing and restoration of our fellowship hall. This space is the heart of our community life, hosting youth programs, children’s church, and essential outreach activities. Without immediate repairs, these programs and the space that sustains them are at serious risk.
Wesley AME Church Fellowship Hall Restoration Project
A Gathering Place for All
Wesley AME’s basement hall and its outdoor lawns have served as a welcoming space for Blacks and non-Blacks for over a century in Swarthmore. When Black families were not allowed to skate in local roller skating rinks, Fellowship Hall was a skating rink. The annual Wesley AME tea party was long hosted there, a tradition that continues today but now is held off site because of the structural damage. Families gathered for Girl Scout meetings and Strath Haven High School Football team’s spaghetti dinners. More recently, our Hall has been used for Church and community events including fundraisers to support the unhoused, vaccine clinics, and election phone banking, as well as a rehearsal space for Jeannine Osayande’s Dunya Performing Arts Company. Learn more about the history of Wesley AME in Jeannine’s Making a Homeplace podcast.
Waterproofing and Repairs
Today, damage to the building foundation and water running into the building with every rainstorm have resulted in the urgent need for waterproofing the basement and repairs to Fellowship Hall. To address the damage with a long-term repair plan, we are working with a local construction company that understands the history of the building and the challenges of water management in the neighborhood.
The waterproofing project is not merely a building repair—it is a critical foundation for advancing the Church’s role in the community into our second century. We have future plans to redesign the space to meet the needs of not only the congregation but also the broader community, including offering health and wellness classes, hosting social events, and providing gathering space for youth and civic organizations.
Leave Your Mark at Wesley
Our memorial brick project is a beautiful way to honor the former and current members of the Historically Black Neighborhood, strengthen our community, and help raise money for the restoration of Fellowship Hall. Personalized bricks will be permanently installed in front of the church and will be a lasting and meaningful tribute to the spirit of love and community.
To give in other ways or to learn more, contact us at (484) 479-3259 or wesleyameswarthmore@yahoo.com.
