Church Council

Our Story

Hamilton Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in October 1924 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. T.W. McKnight Sr., at 1400 Wilson Street, Parsons, Kansas.  The Rev. Wade H Hamilton, founded and the man for whom the church was named, was instrumental in getting the following group of interested men and women to organize a Church:

• J. W. Booker, Sr.

• John Henry Jackson

• Richard Jackson

• T.W. McKnight, Sr.

• T.W. McKnight, Jr.

• Hattie McKnight

• Lora McKnight

The above-mentioned men were our first Trustees.

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In 1925 land was purchased and contractor Paul McConnell was hired to construct the building at the cost of $1,050 at 12th and Morton.  Trustees John Brown, Richard Jackson, Henry Jackson, T.W. McKnight Sr., and T.W. McKnight Jr. signed a mortgage to obtain funds for this construction.  In 1932 that mortgage was paid off.

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The church then relocated to 1331 Clark during the pastorate of Rev. C.A. Shaw.

In 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Protestant Church merged to form the Methodist. Church.  At this time the Central Jurisdiction was established as an “All Black” Jurisdiction.  The Central Jurisdiction continued as a segregated structural arrangement until 1968.  

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In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged to form the United Methodist Church.  The Central Jurisdiction was abolished, and the Black conferences were transferred into the regional jurisdictions.  This structural arrangement continues.

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In 1994, another milestone was reached as the church held a mortgage ceremony during the 69th church anniversary celebration.

On April 19, 2000, the building at 1331 Clark was demolished by a tornado.  April 23, 2000, we began holding worship services at Faith United Methodist Church.  By the grace of God, many gifts, lots of hard work and continued prayers, the congregation moved into our current building in 2002 under the pastorate of Rev. Lewis Smith.  The first worship service was held April 28, 2002.

In August 2006 longtime member, Riley Cartwright became our Pastor. Pastor Cartwright brought his love of teaching and coaching to the congregation every Sunday.  When Pastor Cartwright could no longer serve as Pastor, Calvert Green served as our lay pastor until 2022.  In June of 2022, Dr. Rev. Stanley Baslor led our congregation until June 2024.   Today our church continues under the leadership of Dr. Brianne Ford.

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Hamilton Chapel has been honored with the servitude of 48 men and women who have served as Pastor.

As we move into our 100th year, we take pride in our past, as demonstrated in the entryway display as well as the examples left with us throughout the years.  Our ancestors' love for God and commitment exemplifies the pride of our past as well as our present.

We pledge to continue to strengthen and build Hamilton Chapel in our effort to serve this community.