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Wesley AME Zion Church
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| Location: | 1500 Lombard St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Area: | 0.2 acres (0.081 ha) |
| Built: | 1926 |
| Architectural style: | Gothic |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: | 78002461[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | December 01, 1978 |
Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church (also known as Big Wesley) is a historic church at 1500 Lombard Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
It was founded June 6, 1820 and began worshipping in a Carpenter's Shed at 521-527 Lombard Street while a brick building for that purpose was built.
In 1885, the congregation purchased an existing building and moved west to its current location at 1500 Lombard Street. The church later commisissioned a larger structure to accommodate a growing congregation. Designed by Architect George Savage, the building is made in the Gothic Revival style with a corner bell tower, spire and pointed arch windows with tracery. The main level is accessed via triple-portal doors which open to a foyer flanked on both sides by grand staircases. The church sanctuary is located on the second floor and contains a large "U" shaped balcony and is brightly lit by stained glass windows on all sides.
"Big Wesley" has been a historical leader in the development of the A.M.E. Zion denomination and influential in civil rights and social reforms in the 1950's and 1960's.
The church continues to hold weekly worship service, bible study, and outreach ministry activities. The current pastor is Rev. Michael A. King.
The church was added to the to the National Register in 1978. It also appears in the Philadelphia Register of Historic places and the Pennsylvania State Historic Resource survey
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