By Anna Yoder | Columnist

As Northsiders, we can count our blessings to live in an area rich in culture and diversity, with beautiful architecture, and among individuals with caring and generous hearts. The architecture of our Northside churches is of particular interest to me as I marvel at the gorgeous structures and the stained-glass windows. Many might think I’d be writing about my own church, St. Peter Catholic Church with its impressive gothic structure or the famous Tiffany stained-glass windows of Calvary Methodist; yet this column features another Northside church. A small congregation with a huge, giving heart with Reverend Aisha Tate as its charismatic pastor: Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church.

Pastor Tate explained that the reference to “African” referred to the original church’s founder Bishop Robert Allen who was African, and emphatically stressed that “all people from all walks of life are welcomed” at Brown Chapel. Founded in Philadelphia in 1794, the Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church congregation has a rich history notably for its role in the Voting Rights Movement. Here on the Northside in the Third Episcopal District, we have our very own Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, which Pastor Tate describes as “a multicultural loving church… committed to God.”

Northside’s Brown Chapel started from humble beginnings in 1827 with its congregation worshipping at a local farm. Then the congregation moved to a family home to worship and finally settled in the historic church we still see on Boyle Street. Rev. Tate was working in a beauty salon when “the Lord called her” and in 2017, she became the first woman Pastor for Northside’s Brown Chapel.

Brown Chapel embodies the historic Northside not only with its 1903 historic church building (which was added to the list of Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmarks in 1988) but also by faithfully serving our community. Brown Chapel offers educational mentoring and grief counseling at the Martin Luther King school, holds community health fairs (e.g., COVID and diabetes testing) and created the Daniel’s Den ministry which provides medical and emotional support to cancer patients. Pastor Tate smiles widely as she says Brown Chapel also does “lots of praying!” Another of their faith ministries is serving community meals and this is how I came to know Brown Chapel. While walking to the hospital for an appointment using my normal route down Hemlock Street to Boyle, I heard a woman trying to get my attention from a church basement window. I was a bit surprised to see a woman’s face at street level, let alone asking me if I wanted lunch. Thinking the lunch was being offered to church members or the homeless, I politely declined her generous offer. Returning home using the reverse route, the same woman beckoned me to the soup kitchen window and encouraged me to take her up on the lunch offer. The sweet, aproned woman gently told me that the lunch was not just for the homeless or their congregation, but for the entire community. I reluctantly took the container of creamy mushroom soup and bottle of iced tea and thanked her profusely for her kindness. I shared the lunch goodies with my husband. He scarfed down the soup and said it was one of the best mushroom soups he ever tasted! (I had the iced tea for lunch.) As it turns out, the soup kitchen ministry was temporary. Another community soup kitchen had closed during the pandemic and knowing the possible need during that time for extra assistance, Brown Chapel stepped up and started their own soup kitchen. After the pandemic, the soup kitchen closed and I am thankful I was able to experience it while it was open.

One of Brown Chapel’s stained glass windows is illuminated by the sun’s light. Photo by Anna Yoder

Brown Chapel continues to serve the community through their food bank and offers a community hot breakfast (including grits and pancakes!) from their commercial sized kitchen. Brown Chapel is also the host of the annual “Circle of Courage” banquet, a public event celebrating “people of faith and courage” and where awards are presented to individuals who “do good, give back, and carry out courageous acts.”

To learn and see more of Brown Chapel, I scheduled a visit with Pastor Tate, who eagerly gave me a tour. Immediately I felt a sense of community as we met in a warmly appointed gathering room where the congregation socializes. Pastor Tate offered to show me the sanctuary and as I approached, I was taken aback at the stunning two-story stained-glass window. In the sanctuary, I marveled at several more stained-glass windows including a multiblue color “rose window” just above where Pastor Tate gives her sermons, another depicting Jesus with His flock and other traditional and uniquely shaped ones — all in vivid colors. Pastor Tate readily pointed out that some windows were missing glass panels or whose artwork was in need of repair. That’s where — in addition to her charismatic personality — Pastor Tate’s unwavering love for God and her church comes in. With her undaunted efforts, Pastor Tate submitted proposals the past three years for what her congregation refers to as the “Let the Light Shine” grant — a grant that would be used to restore the historic stained-glass windows. Although Brown Chapel was not awarded this grant in the past three years, Pastor Tate was not deterred from trying again to obtain the grant. It was on the Pastor’s wedding anniversary trip to Lancaster when she remembered that the most recent grant deadline was ending that day. She worked feverishly in the hotel room to assemble yet another grant proposal, this time without having her past notes and without her own computer. As the saying goes, God works in mysterious ways and Pastor Tate’s proposal was accepted! The only church in Pennsylvania and one of only 35 churches spanning 22 states, Brown Chapel is the distinguished 2023 recipient of the “Preserving Black Churches” grant, an initiative of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund under the umbrella of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Through the “Preserving Black Churches” aka ‘Let the Light Shine’ grant, Brown Chapel was awarded $150,000 to restore 15 of their historic stained-glass windows! This is a huge accomplishment and honor for this historic church.

So, the next time you are taking a walk on the Northside appreciating the wonderful architecture, meander over to Boyle Street and marvel at the beautiful, historic stained glass windows of Brown Chapel knowing they will be lovingly restored for the next generation to enjoy.

For more information on the Brown Chapel’s food bank please contact the church at (412) 321-2240 and for more information on the “Circle of Courage” awards, please visit circleofcouragepgh.com.

Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is located at 1400 Boyle St. in Central Northside.