Wallace Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church

There are few houses of worship as important to Summit’s history as the Wallace Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church. The Church has been an integral part of our community since its inception. One of the church’s founding members was the grandmother of Lawton C. Johnson whose name adorns the Summit Middle School. In its rich history, the Church has been a beacon of faith, support and fellowship.

As the congregation celebrates its 100th year of service to the community, Wallace Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church needs our help.

The Church was founded on June 29, 1923.

The success and longevity of the Church has always been dependent upon community.

Through the sacrifice and generosity of its church members and the support of the Summit community, the Church has weathered storms, provided solace and persevered for 10 decades.

The Church has also been a significant contributor to our community. The Church provided its Fellowship Hall to the City of Summit as a temporary Youth Center in the summer of 1998 and provided temporary space for Zadie’s Nurturing Den Childcare Center when it needed a temporary home. The Church leaders have also made the historic place of worship available to other local worshipers when the Chapel was made available to small Assembly of God Latino congregations, Ministerio Monte Santo and Charisma Ministries from 2009 to 2019.

The Church’s leader, Reverend Dr. Denison D. Harrield, a graduate of Howard University, and among other honors has an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Livingstone College in North Carolina, has exemplified the Church’s importance to Summit. In 2021, Mayor Nora Radest presented the annual Summit Volunteer of the Year Award to Reverend Harrield, who she called “the conscience of our community.” He has promoted and worked for building low-income, affordable housing in Summit. Representing the Church, Pastor Harrield served as President of the Summit Interfaith Council; President of the New Jersey Council of Churches; a member of the Board of Directors of Morris Habitat for Humanity; Trustee of Sage Eldercare; Housing Authority Commissioner; Summit Police Chaplain; current member of Summit’s Affordable Housing Committee; Palliative Care Committee at Overlook Medical Center; Shaping Summit Together (SST); other Boards and Committees; and a Rotarian.

Like places of worship everywhere, Wallace Chapel suffered setbacks caused by Covid-19. Although the Church adapted to the dire circumstance with the use of technology, the challenges posed by the pandemic affect the Church to this day.

With a smaller, aging congregation and a physical structure in need of attention (e.g., $30,000 is needed to repair the steeple and make other needed repairs), the Church needs the community’s help.

The Wallace Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church needs to raise $75,000. Please consider donating to this vital organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

Sponsored by Community Friends of Wallace Chapel