Morning Chapel CME Church honors the past and looks forward to the future
The old weather beaten wood frame church on Bowen Road has withstood more than chipped paint, broken windows and frozen plumbing.  It has lived through an era of slavery, discrimination and even today?s church burning in the 1990s.  Morning Chapel?s Christian Methodist Episcopal Church was formed in the late 1800?s out of the dedication and sacrifice of slaves who worshipped in barns with only a candle to see.  In the midst of the struggles and adversity they went on to form three churches in the new colored community of Van Alstyne, the Samaria Baptist Church, the Church of Christ and Morning Chapel CME Church on Bowen Rd.  All three churches still stand and serve as the spiritual backbone of this very close knit black community in Van Alstyne. On February 16, 1997, Morning Chapel will celebrate 113 years of service by honoring one of the forerunners of the CME church, Bishop John Wesley McKinney (see photo below).  Bishop McKinney was a direct descendent of the slaves that came over with Mr. Collin McKinney and his family from Mantua in 1846.  (see his information below on this page.)
John Wesley McKinney, the 16th Bishop elected in the colored Methodist Episcopal Church, was born in Van Alstyne, Texas in 1871.  He was a graduate of Prairie View College in 1877.  He joined the church in 1877 and began preaching in 1888.  He pastured many of the changes, was presiding elder for years and served the church as Secretary of the Church Extension.  Most of his work was done in the West Texas Conference.  For more than 50 years he was Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge.  He was elected to the highest office of the church in May, 1922, in St. Louis, Missouri.  He retired during the General Conference in Chicago in May of 1942 after serving the church as Bishop for 20 years.  He died August, 28, 1946 and was buried in Sherman, Texas.
Rev. Fred L. Jones, Pastor of Morning Chapel CME, would like to invite you to come and share in this historical moment.  Bishop Marshall Gilmore, Presiding Prelate of the Eigth Episcopal district of the CME Church, will bring the message for the day.  The Honorable Mayor Teddy Ann Salmon will be presenting a proclamation to Bishop Gilmore declaring February 16 Bishop John W. McKinney Day.  ?We should look back not to stay back, but to look back to move forward,? said Rev. Fred L. Jones.

SOURCE : Genealogy Section, Newspaper Clippings, Van Alstyne Public Library, Van Alstyne, Texas.

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Death Certificate
Name: John W. Mckinney
Negro, male, widowed
s/o Archie McKinney & Jane Black
Birth Date: 22 July 1864, Texas
Death Date: 24 Aug 1946, Grayson Co., Texas
Cause of Death: Parkinson's Disease
Death Age: 82 years, 1 month, 2 days
Estimated Birth Date: 1864  
Occupation: Minister
Place of Residence: 505 E. Pecan, Sherman Texas
Cemetery: West Hill
Burial Place: Sherman
Burial Date: 28 August 1946
Informant: Wm. F. McKinney

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William Henry Miles
1828 - 1892
First Bishop
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

Genealogy: Newspaper clippings
Van Alstyne Public Library, Van Alstyne, Texas 

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Isaac Lane
1834 - 1937


Bishop and Mrs. Frank Lane  1934
100th Birthday of Bishop Lane

Genealogy: Newspaper clippings
Van Alstyne Public Library, Van Alstyne, Texas

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