For 160 years, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church has stood as a living testimony to God’s faithfulness—a refuge of hope, justice, and love. From Reconstruction to this present hour, Bethel’s 36 pastors and the faithful laity they shepherded have answered God’s call “to uplift the fallen, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and strengthen the bowed down,” serving Tallahassee and beyond with unwavering purpose (Isaiah 58:10).
Across every era—war and peace, segregation and civil rights, progress and peril—Bethel has remained a spiritual anchor and a light on the hill, proclaiming dignity, truth, and liberation. Guided by Ephesians 4:11–12, each generation has equipped the saints for ministry, ensuring that faith is not confined to the sanctuary but lived out in the community.
That living faith continues today through Bethel’s impactful ministries. Longstanding traditions such as the Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway nourish nearly 200 families each year, while Families Reaching Families adopts more than 40 families—nearly 150 children—during the holidays, ensuring that hope and joy reach every household. These efforts affirm the biblical truth that “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17)…