Spiritual Freedom
The freedom to worship, lead, and grow in faith with dignity.
Our denominational heritage
The Freedom Church
Discover the story and spirit of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
Founded in New York City
A Church Born of a Call for Freedom
In 1796, James Varick, Abraham Thompson, William Millers, and others established what became the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Their movement grew from discrimination and the denial of religious freedom within the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The founders sought freedom of the spirit alongside social and economic freedom. That commitment earned the denomination its enduring name: the Freedom Church.
Faith and freedom have shaped this church from its earliest days.
The heart of the movement
Freedom in Every Dimension
The church's founding vision joined worship with a commitment to dignity, opportunity, and liberation.
Social Freedom
A commitment to equality and the full humanity of every person.
Economic Freedom
A vision of education, advancement, and stronger communities.
A lasting legacy
Voices That Shaped History
Among the notable people connected to the A.M.E. Zion Church are James Varick, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth.
James VarickHarriet TubmanFrederick DouglassSojourner Truth
The denomination also helped establish and support educational institutions in the United States and Liberia, including Livingstone College and Clinton College.
Our name, our identity
What A.M.E. Zion Means
Each word in the name speaks to the denomination's history and way of serving.
African
Affirms leadership by people of African descent and the pursuit of equality.
Methodist
Reflects a tradition of structure and shared practice in personal and community faith.
Episcopal
Refers to the role of bishops in overseeing the denomination and connecting its churches.
Zion
A biblical name for the church of God, added to the denomination's name in 1848.
Our heritage at Hudson Grove
Part of a Living Legacy
Hudson Grove carries this heritage forward through worship, service, and community in Indian Trail, North Carolina.
Explore Hudson Grove's HistoryThe Freedom Church
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
In 1796, James Varick, Abraham Thompson, William Millers, and several others established the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in New York City. This newly created church was a derivative of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The denial of religious freedom and instances of discrimination led to this development.
The denomination known as the "Freedom Church" was established by its founders with the intention of promoting the liberation of the human spirit. The founders placed great emphasis on spiritual, social, and economic freedom. Notable members of the A.M.E. Zion Church included James Varick, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, and Sojourner Truth. Today, this organization spans five continents, boasts 3,000 churches, and has an active membership of 1.5 million individuals. The A.M.E. Zion Church has played a significant role in founding and supporting various institutions and associations, including Livingstone College, Lomax Hannon Junior College in Alabama, Clinton College in South Carolina, Dinwiddie Institute in Virginia, and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Junior College in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa.
The term "African" signifies that the church is to be led by the descendants of Africa, with equality as a fundamental objective.
- Methodist: Methodism highlights the importance of structure and uniformity in both personal and communal faith.
- Episcopal: The Bishops are selected by the congregation and supervise the denomination.
- The bishops maintain a global link. Currently, the A.M.E. Zion church functions across five continents.
- Zion: This term is utilized in the Bible to refer to the church of God. The name Zion was incorporated in 1848.