Bethel Church of Morristown

from our humble beginnings, bethel has strived to remain true to god’s calling for our church. we’ve sought to be willing to step out in visionary faith and take risks for god, and he has blessed us for that. in looking back at bethel’s history, we can clearly see god at work. this gives us hope for the future and inspires us to continue to seek to impact morris county and beyond with the love of jesus christ. in 1841, several families left the presbyterian church of morristown under the leadership of mother frances freeman ray to form the bethel mite society, which was later incorporated as the bethel african methodist episcopal church of morristown in 1843. bethel’s first pastor was bishop willis nazery, who was born a slave in 1803 in isle of wight county in virginia. for eight years the congregation met in each other’s homes until funds were raised to construct the carpenter gothic church on spring street in 1849. bethel’s first building was dedicated with bishop paul quinn offici