Philadelphia's historic Mother Bethel AME church celebrates restoration of stained glass windows after vandalism
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Months after someone threw rocks through several stained-glass windows at Mother Bethel AME Church in Society Hill, the church is celebrating the restoration of the historic and iconic windows.
"We've owned this land since 1791. This building went up in 1889, and when the stained glass windows went in, the ones that were damaged, those were the original windows," said senior pastor Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler.
Mother Bethel's rich history dates back to the late 1700s, and the church is the birthplace of the African Methodist Episcopal movement. Its stained-glass windows tell a story.
"They are beautiful, they're ornate, they decorative, and they were also purchased by many people who had been former slaves," Tyler said. "So, if you can imagine walking into this building in 1889 from people who were raised on plantations in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, the awe it inspired in them — and they handed it down to us."
Earlier this year, someone damaged three of the windows on the first floor of the church.
"I was really hurt when I found out and saw it on the news. I was just glad they were able to repair them," said Rev. Jacquie Wilson, of Ward Emmanuel AME Church.
The community gathered Wednesday night to bless the new windows.
"This is like home for all of us, and to see these windows replaced has been amazing for us, and it's so heartwarming and touching," a member of the congregation said.
"We are very glad to be here to celebrate this coming together of all Philadelphia to preserve this Black culture," Rev. Betsy Ivey, of the Philadelphia Fund for Black Sacred Places, said.
In the months since the vandalism, hundreds of donations poured in to help to restore the broken glass.
"When we first got word of the vandalism, we sent out an email to our members and supporters asking if they'd consider making a donation to help the church repair the damage and recover from the vandalism," said Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. "In the end, almost 300 donations came through, totaling just about $25,000."
Now the church is celebrating the restored glass as an opportunity to continue being a light in the community.
"We really want this to be a beacon. What would it look like every night when you drive by, and you're like what is that?" Tyler said. "It's a stained glass window, a church, and the hope is what we will ultimately do is continue to inspire."