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Felicity United Methodist
Church
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City
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New Orleans
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Address
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1816 Chestnut
St.
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2003 Membership
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17
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Date Founded
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1850
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Due to the effects of Hurricane Katrina, Felicity UMC was closed in 2007. |
The first pastor assigned
to the church was Rev. H.N. McTyeire in 1848. The church at the corner
of Felicity Street and Chestnut was dedicated on Christmas Day, 1850.
The Felicity Church arose from the merger of Steele Chapel, Andrew Chapel,
and St. Mary's in the 1840's. St. Mary’s (Lafayette Church) began
in 1830/31. The Magazine Church, known as Flatboat Church because
it was built from broken-up flatboats, began in the early 1840s and was
renamed the Elijah Steele Chapel. The First German Mission began
in 1841 and became the Dryades Street Church (which merged with Felicity
in 1906).
The original church burned down
in 1887. It was rebuilt on the same site in 1888. Electric
lights were installed, probably making it one of the first churches to
have electricity. The hand-carved pulpit is from the original church.
The pipe organ installed at that time is still in use. Many of the
church’s historical artifacts dating back to that time period are on display
in the church’s vestibule.
The first Epworth League (predecessor
to today’s UMY) in Louisiana was organized at Felicity in January 1891.
The roof and tower were later
damaged by a September 1915 hurricane.
The galley, used by African-Americans
originally, has been restored. Copies of the original cathedral stained
glass windows behind the pipe organ have been installed. The fellowship
hall and chapel have also been restored. The white congregation of
this formerly Methodist Episcopal Church, South was pastored by African-American
Rev. Marva L. Mitchell at the time of this writing.
The church has been served
by three pastors that went on to become bishops: Rev. McTyeire, Rev. Linus
Parker, and Rev. John Christian Keener. |
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How to Get There:
From 1-10 East, take split that reads 90-234A Business/West Bank. Exit
at St. Charles Ave. and Carondelet.; pass light at Carondelet to St. Charles
Ave. Make a right turn on the St. Charles Ave., continue on until you come
to Felicity St. pass Felicity St., go one block and make a left U-turn
back to Felicity Street, turn right. Go three blocks towards the Mississippi
River to the corner of Felicity and Chestnut Streets. Felicity is located
on the corner.
From 1-10 West take the split 90W Business District to exit 234C
at Carondelet St. and St. Charles Ave., turn right than follow the same
directions as above. |
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