Emanuel AME Church 

Emanuel is a historical church located in the Olde Towne section of Portsmouth, Virginia. Emanuel A.M.E. Church is rooted in the African Methodist Society that was formed soon after the founding in 1772 of the Methodist Society in Portsmouth. The African Society met independently until Nat Turner’s Insurrection in 1831, worshiped with white methodists for three years, then met under white supervision until 1864. The members occupied a Methodist church on Glasgow Street until the building burned in 1856. Slaves and free blacks provided most of the funds and labor to construct North Street Methodist Church in 1857. In 1871, the congregation adopted the name Emanuel (“ God with us”) and became part of the African Methodist Episcopal movement. 

Our worship service is designed with God’s help to meet the needs of the people of the community and surrounding area. It is our hope that each person who enters the sanctuary experiences the presence of God in our songs of praise, the gospel message, and our spirit of love and fellowship. It is our desire that your worship with us will be so spirit-filled and so enjoyable that you will be eager and excited to come again. So, whether you choose to simply enjoy your visit with us, or make the decision to be a part of our Emanuel church family, we simply want to say, “WELCOME”.