Since 1794, Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church has been at the forefront of history in Philadelphia and the nation. In November, the church and denomination took another first step, making history — and HERstory — by appointing The Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness as the first woman pastor in the 237-year history of the church.
Cavaness brings a wealth of exceptional public service to her new ministerial role. A fourth-generation minister, she graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary. Cavaness was also the deputy finance director for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s historic campaign for U.S. President in 2016.
Previously, she had served as the pastor of First AME Church, Sharon Hill, and Bethel A.M.E. Church of Ardmore since 2014.
Along with her duties at Mother Bethel, she serves on several civic organizations, including Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity.
Billy Penn caught up with Rev. Cavaness and she spoke about her transition — and first Christmas — at the historic church.
What was the process of your appointment to Mother Bethel?
Cavaness: In Methodism, we believe in an itinerant system, so we are sent to charges [churches] by our bishops. We make ourselves available for where our gifts and graces are needed. So Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green Sr., was led to send me to Mother Bethel.
So ministers are selected to go to churches annually by presiding Bishops?
Cavaness: Yes. We get a pastoral appointment every year, but we are always available to move to other churches. Again, we take the vow to the church, so we make ourselves available. You know, this ministry is not mine. It’s so much more about the good of the work of Kingdom building and we’re called to the world. To borrow from John Wesley, “The world is our parish.”
How did you feel when your appointment became official?
Cavaness: There’s still a level of shock that I feel I’m the leader. I’m still getting over that and working through it that I’m entrusted with this international treasure. We’re a faith community, and Mother Bethel has deep meaning to the community. I feel like I’m a sacred caretaker. I had someone the other day tell me that “Mother Bethel is just Mother Bethel.” We honor what this building stands for. We had some people come from Texas and we were able to tell the story of the stained glass windows. Even in my office, you know, I have a kneeler here that’s probably 100-something years old when I go touch the pews upstairs. Just to be surrounded by so much history has me in awe. Also, the level of encouragement, of support that I’ve received from across so many denominational lines, and all walks of life. When people in the neighborhood see me, they’re like, “Welcome Rev!” It’s been inspiring.
As a family who has been a part of the AME Church for generations, how did your family respond to the news?
Cavaness: My dad passed away years ago. My mom said your father would have never thought that his child would be the pastor of Mother Bethel. For her, she can’t believe that it really happened. They dedicated me to God as a child and they knew I was going to be a preacher. I had accepted the Mother Church. My first cousin was at my first service and he put on Facebook, “When your first cousin becomes the pastor of the Mother Church, African Methodist, you gotta go support.”
As we move into 2025, what are your thoughts on doing ministry under the new Presidential administration?
Cavaness: We’re not new to this. We have had to serve under other administrations that were demonizing, and dehumanizing, and have always risen to the top. We know how to make “bricks from straw.” So if anything, I’m finding this as the Black churches have to be who we are and be unapologetic about that. We have to almost triple and quadruple our efforts of how we affirm our people, and how we help our communities. Certainly, we are not running away and hiding from the potential evils of this new regime.
What I say to our people is to minimize their consumption of CNN and MSNBC. We have to reroute that energy. At Mother Bethel, we take on the tenets of the Free African Society that was created by Absalom Jones to be self-determined, self-sufficient, and self-reliant. If the mothers and fathers of faith were able to do what they did 200, 300 years ago, there is no reason we can’t stand today. From 1791 to the present, the ministry of Mother Bethel stands as a testament to that. We’ve been able to prevail. To have this treasure, and being able to weather the recession and depression, Jim Crow, Emmett Till, Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor and so many more, and we’re still standing. People are still feeling a level of refuge, support, and comfort here and they expect that from us. You know, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.”
We are now in the season of Advent and Christmas. What has your message been to church?
Cavaness: So I’ve always been a practitioner of Advent. The Christmas season is a hard one for me. My dad began his transition and my grandmother passed on Christmas Day. So I’ve been reflecting on the true meaning of the season. With all the consumerism, we are coming with a contra message of hope, peace, love, and joy. This is what the world needs.
With the rhetoric that was spewed during the election, people are afraid. Letters are being sent home with parents about deportation. People are grappling with the economy already. So we have to come up with another message that uplifts all God’s children for the cause of Christ.
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2024-12-22 09:57:23
