The last Protestant Church

Brown Memorial UM Church has served Syracuse’s near west side community for 148 years and is now the last “mainline” Protestant Church in the community. Over time Brown changed from being a “self-sufficient” neighborhood church to a mission church in one of our nation’s poorest neighborhoods.

As the west side changed, three neighborhood churches— St. Paul’s Lutheran, Delaware St. Baptist and Brown—cooperated in Westside Ministries, providing a food pantry (St. Paul’s), a clothes’ closet (Brown) and life skills classes. With the closing of the other two churches, all three programs are now housed at Brown. Twelve years ago the Board of Directors applied for a Church and Community Worker [missionary] from our Board of Global Ministries and in October 2001 Donna Kay Campbell became the first CCW to serve the Brown community and parish for the next 8 years. Through her efforts and that of Pastor Betty Morey, Board members and a host of volunteers from the community & area churches the ministry has grown into what is now named the Syracuse Westside Urban Mission (SWUM). Brown Memorial’s building has been modified to include the St. Paul’s Pantry and the sanctuary shortened to create additional program space. Brown is also home to an A.A. group, a ‘Talk to a Lawyer’ Program sponsored by the County Bar Assn., Bilingual Bible Study, Adults and Youth Life Skills Program, Tutoring Program every Tuesdays and Thursdays, Sunday School for kids. During the summer we have the Terrific T’s summer program. Two years ago, a new Pastor-Project Director, the Rev. Marti Swords-Horrell, was appointed to Brown Memorial UMC. On July 1st, 2012 a new Church and Community Worker, Olga E. Gonzalez, native from Puerto Rico began her work as Program Coordinator of Syracuse Westside Urban Mission. 

We want to invite all the Latino community from the West side Syracuse area to come and participate in our programs, as well as to worship with us on Sundays at 11 a.m. You all are part of our community and we want you to benefit from what we offer at SWUM.

All the community is very welcome!!!

Any questions or donations please mail to: Syracuse Westside Urban Mission at Brown Memorial United Methodist Church 228 Davis Street, Syracuse New York 13204. You can also email us at swumccw@gmail.com or call 315-475-8996. Ask for Rev. Marti Swords-Horrell, Project Director or Olga E. Gonzalez, Church and Community Worker.