Ebenezer AME Church
Fort Washington MD
20744
Who we are
Ebenezer AME is a family church, serving the family of God. At Ebenezer, we are committed to serving you so that you can discover and activate the power of God in your life. As a result, we believe that minds will be changed, families strengthened, destinies fulfilled, and communities transformed.
Ebenezer has nearly 100 ministries to serve you. From our education ministries and music department to our comfort and outreach ministries and youth department, this is a place where you can grow and serve. We praise God for the great things He has done and is doing, but we believe the best is yet to come!
Pastor Grainger Browning, Jr. Senior Pastor, Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church
Pastor Jo Ann Browning Co-Pastor, Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church
Ebenezer has nearly 100 ministries to serve you. From our education ministries and music department to our comfort and outreach ministries and youth department, this is a place where you can grow and serve. We praise God for the great things He has done and is doing, but we believe the best is yet to come!
Pastor Grainger Browning, Jr. Senior Pastor, Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church
Pastor Jo Ann Browning Co-Pastor, Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church
Church Website
Ebenezer AME Church on Social Media
Ebenezer AME Church YouTube Video
Leadership
Leader Name:
The Reverend Dr. Grainger Browning, Jr.
Leader Position:
Senior Pastor
Phone:
Fax:
(301) 248-6894
Leader Email:
Click here to contact The Reverend Dr. Grainger Browning, Jr.
Leader Bio:
The Reverend Dr. Grainger Browning, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church of Fort Washington, Maryland where the Right Reverend Dr. James Levert Davis is the Presiding Bishop of the Second Episcopal District and Rev. Dr. Ronald Braxton is the Presiding Elder of the Potomac District. Pastor Browning was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is married to the Reverend Dr. Jo Ann Browning, Co-Pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church. He is the proud father of two young adult children, Morehouse College alumnus, Grainger III (wife, Courtney and grandchildren, Kaylah Jo Ann and Grainger IV) and daughter, Hampton University alumna, Candace Davis (husband, Andre, and granddaughter, Imani and grandson, Andre, III).
Pastor Browning is a 1974 graduate of Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in History-Education. He was awarded a Master of Divinity Degree in 1982 from Howard University Divinity School where he was awarded the Benjamin E. Mays Theological Fellowship and listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Additionally, he received Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio and from the A.M.E. University in Monrovia, Liberia. Before being called into ministry, Pastor Browning was a high school educator with the Newton Massachusetts Public School System, serving as Department Chairperson in Social Science. While living in the Boston area, Rev. Browning was also Vice President of the Boston NAACP in 1982-1983. Pastor Browning is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Pastor Browning was called to preach in 1979, while he was a member at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was appointed Pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in 1983 with a membership of 17 and a budget of $12,000. Under his leadership for the last 30 years, the church membership has grown to exceed more than 8,000 members and a budget of $8 million, ministering to the spiritual, educational, political, social, economic, health and recreational needs of the community. Under his helm, Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning has led Ebenezer A.M.E. Church family in donating nearly $2 million in scholarships to high school graduates and returning college students.
Rev. Browning currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio after having served as Vice Chairman of Wilberforce University’s Board of Trustees from 2002-2006. He has received Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Wilberforce University, as well as the AME University in Liberia.
Dr. Browning is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Rainbow/People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) Coalition. In that capacity, he has traveled on several delegations with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. to Israel, Palestine, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, and Ghana, meeting the Head of State in each one of these countries. Rev. Browning has traveled extensively throughout the African continent while ministering in Senegal, Gambia, Lesotho, Zambia, South Africa, Liberia and Egypt.
To all of the above, what he is today and ever hopes to be, Reverend Browning gives HIS LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST ALL THE HONOR, THE GLORY AND THE PRAISE!
Pastor Browning is a 1974 graduate of Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in History-Education. He was awarded a Master of Divinity Degree in 1982 from Howard University Divinity School where he was awarded the Benjamin E. Mays Theological Fellowship and listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Additionally, he received Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio and from the A.M.E. University in Monrovia, Liberia. Before being called into ministry, Pastor Browning was a high school educator with the Newton Massachusetts Public School System, serving as Department Chairperson in Social Science. While living in the Boston area, Rev. Browning was also Vice President of the Boston NAACP in 1982-1983. Pastor Browning is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Pastor Browning was called to preach in 1979, while he was a member at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was appointed Pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in 1983 with a membership of 17 and a budget of $12,000. Under his leadership for the last 30 years, the church membership has grown to exceed more than 8,000 members and a budget of $8 million, ministering to the spiritual, educational, political, social, economic, health and recreational needs of the community. Under his helm, Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning has led Ebenezer A.M.E. Church family in donating nearly $2 million in scholarships to high school graduates and returning college students.
Rev. Browning currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio after having served as Vice Chairman of Wilberforce University’s Board of Trustees from 2002-2006. He has received Honorary Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Wilberforce University, as well as the AME University in Liberia.
Dr. Browning is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Rainbow/People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) Coalition. In that capacity, he has traveled on several delegations with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. to Israel, Palestine, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, and Ghana, meeting the Head of State in each one of these countries. Rev. Browning has traveled extensively throughout the African continent while ministering in Senegal, Gambia, Lesotho, Zambia, South Africa, Liberia and Egypt.
To all of the above, what he is today and ever hopes to be, Reverend Browning gives HIS LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST ALL THE HONOR, THE GLORY AND THE PRAISE!
Other Church Leaders:
Co-Pastor The Reverend Dr. Jo Ann Browning
Administration
Admin Name:
Bro. Kenneth Brown
Admin Position:
Church Administrator
Phone:
Fax:
(301) 248-6894
Admin Email:
Click here to contact Bro. Kenneth Brown
Ebenezer AME Church Service Times
You are part of the family! We invite you to join us for one of our worship services EVERY Sunday 7:45AM & 10:45AM, Bible Studies and special events.
It's been more than 5 years since the last service times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm service times.
Please contact the church to confirm Service Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
It's been more than 5 years since the last service times update. Please make sure to contact the church to confirm service times.
Please contact the church to confirm Service Times or SUBSCRIBE to updates below
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Additional Info:
2018 Christmas Celebration
The Christmas season is here. We’ll host our 2018 Christmas Celebration Sun. Dec. 16th during our 7:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. worship services. Celebrate our birth of our Savior with the Ebenezer AME Music and Fine Arts Department as we experience the joy of the Christmas season.
Jewels Christmas Celebration
Come celebrate Christmas with the Jewels on Thurs., Dec. 20th at The Camelot by Martin’s from 11:30a.m. - 3:30p.m.. Cost $45.00 per person. Sign up before December 6. You can stop by the Jewels table after service today, email [email protected], or call 301-265-8313.
The Christmas season is here. We’ll host our 2018 Christmas Celebration Sun. Dec. 16th during our 7:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. worship services. Celebrate our birth of our Savior with the Ebenezer AME Music and Fine Arts Department as we experience the joy of the Christmas season.
Jewels Christmas Celebration
Come celebrate Christmas with the Jewels on Thurs., Dec. 20th at The Camelot by Martin’s from 11:30a.m. - 3:30p.m.. Cost $45.00 per person. Sign up before December 6. You can stop by the Jewels table after service today, email [email protected], or call 301-265-8313.
Ebenezer AME Church History
Ebenezer’s history is rooted in faith. It is a tremendous story of hope. Some call it “The Miracle on Allentown Road.”
The history of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church is one rooted in faith. Since moving from the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC to Fort Washington, Maryland in 1983, the church has taken many steps of faith, and God has blessed it exceedingly and abundantly. It is a tremendous story of hope. Some people call it “The Miracle on Allentown Road.”
Our beginning is reminiscent of the origins of many AME churches. In 1856, 13 black members left Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal Church in the Georgetown section of Washington, DC because of discrimination and segregation. As written by one of the founding members, they wanted to “establish a church by colored folks with colored pastors,” where they would worship in dignity, spirit and truth.” For a while, they erected a church at 2727 O Street NW, not far from Mt. Zion. They named it Ebenezer, meaning “stone of help,” found in I Samuel 7:12. Thus began the journey of faith.
The congregation worshiped and praised God in the historic Georgetown location for well over a century. During that period, Ebenezer was blessed to have many distinguished pastors, including Rev. Charles H. Wesley, Rev. John T. Bailey, and Rev. Dr. Walter L. Hildebrand, and three pastors – Rev. Benjamin T. Tanner, Rev. James A. Handy and Rev. Alexander W. Wayman – who later became Bishops in the A.M.E Church. By 1983, black families started leaving Georgetown for economic and political reasons. Church membership fell to less than 30 people with a Sunday offering of only $200 per week. The time had come to execute the next phase of our faith walk.
With the vision, leadership and support of Bishop John Hurst Adams (the Presiding Prelate Second Episcopal District at that time), Rev. Howard C. Wright as Pastor, Dr. Joseph C. McKinney as the African Methodist Church Treasurer and the Washington Conference Board of Trustees, 17 faithful members moved to Fort Washington, MD as the church in Georgetown was sold. Like Abraham, they moved to a land they did not know, in the midst of a people they knew not, and into an edifice that logic suggested they could not afford, but they did so in faith.
One month following the move to a 500-seat sanctuary with a $3,500 monthly mortgage note and a $300 weekly offering, our Pastors, the Rev. Dr. Grainger and Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Browning were called to serve the Ebenezer family. The congregation soon outgrew the building and began holding worship services at the Friendly High School auditorium in 1986. In 1994, having outgrown the 1,500-seat auditorium at “Friendly Ebenezer,” members carried their faith pilgrimage to “Ebenezer the Beautiful,” a 2,600-seat sanctuary on 33 acres of land. God indeed performed a Miracle on Allentown Road.
The Browning pastoral team has served at Ebenezer for more than 25 years. Currently, the ministry nurtures more than 8,000 members and offers 100 ministries with Bible studies, meetings and activities each day of the week. Ever mindful of the multitude of spiritual and physical needs, not just within our church family, but throughout our community, our future plans include the development of a school, family life center and senior citizen complex. Ebenezer strives to be a source of help and inspiration within the walls of the church and throughout the community.
The history of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church is one rooted in faith. Since moving from the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC to Fort Washington, Maryland in 1983, the church has taken many steps of faith, and God has blessed it exceedingly and abundantly. It is a tremendous story of hope. Some people call it “The Miracle on Allentown Road.”
The congregation worshiped and praised God in the historic Georgetown location for well over a century. During that period, Ebenezer was blessed to have many distinguished pastors, including Rev. Charles H. Wesley, Rev. John T. Bailey, and Rev. Dr. Walter L. Hildebrand, and three pastors – Rev. Benjamin T. Tanner, Rev. James A. Handy and Rev. Alexander W. Wayman – who later became Bishops in the A.M.E Church. By 1983, black families started leaving Georgetown for economic and political reasons. Church membership fell to less than 30 people with a Sunday offering of only $200 per week. The time had come to execute the next phase of our faith walk.
One month following the move to a 500-seat sanctuary with a $3,500 monthly mortgage note and a $300 weekly offering, our Pastors, the Rev. Dr. Grainger and Rev. Dr. Jo Ann Browning were called to serve the Ebenezer family. The congregation soon outgrew the building and began holding worship services at the Friendly High School auditorium in 1986. In 1994, having outgrown the 1,500-seat auditorium at “Friendly Ebenezer,” members carried their faith pilgrimage to “Ebenezer the Beautiful,” a 2,600-seat sanctuary on 33 acres of land. God indeed performed a Miracle on Allentown Road.
Empower me
Empower me to be a bold participant, rather than a timid saint in waiting; to exercise authority of honesty, rather than to defer to power or deceive to get it; to influence someone for justice, rather than impress anyone for gain; and by grace, to find treasures of joy, of friendship, of peace hidden in the fields you give me daily to plow.
Ebenezer AME Church listing was last updated on the 11th of December, 2018
