Meet Our Bishop
Bishop Silvester Scott Beaman
Rev. Dr. Silvester Scott Beaman is a native of Niagara Falls, New York. He is a B.S. graduate of Wilberforce University and a Masters of Divinity degree graduate of Boston University. He was awarded the Doctor of Divinity Degree for Meritorious Achievement in Christian Ministry and Public Service by Richard Wright Theological Seminary in Evanston, South Africa. In June 2012, he was the first to receive a Doctorate of Ministry degree from Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio and Bakke Graduate University, Seattle, Washington joint seminary program.
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Dr. Beaman's pastoral career began at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Lackawanna, New York, in 1985. In 1986, he was appointed to the historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Hamilton, Bermuda. During his administration at St. Paul, the church's 1.3-million-dollar debt was reduced significantly, new ministries were created, youth programming was further developed and the Fairhaven Christian Drug Rehabilitation live-in program for women was built. On May 30, 1993, he was appointed to Bethel A.M.E. Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Since that time, he has taken in over 2,700 new members.
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Under his administration, renovations to the church were completed, consisting of a New South Wing with office space, full capacity elevator, newly equipped industrial-size kitchen, the church balcony, installation of air conditioning in the Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary. Most recently, the sanctuary technology was upgraded as part of a $500,000 renovation program. The indebtedness of the church was also paid off. Over 50 new ministries, such as the AIDS Task Force, men & women's ministries, mentoring programs for youth, senior citizen ministries, youth suicide crisis prevention, and a community evangelism outreach program were established. Since 2001, the Beautiful Gate Outreach Center, a full-service HIV/AIDS testing, medical, outreach, and educational program, has been serving the community, assisting thousands of Delawareans annually. It has received national and international recognition as a model faith-based HIV Ministry and continues to this day to serve the Delaware community.
Dr. Beaman has served as the Director on several community boards, organizations, governmental task force, and commissions. He is the past President of the Interdenominational Ministerial Action Council of Wilmington, Delaware. He has been inducted into the Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a 20-year member of the General Board of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, serving as Chairman of the Nominating Committee and delegates to the World Methodist Council. He is also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and Prince Hall Mason Star of the East Lodge #1. He is one of a few clergypersons in the nation that has offered the prayer in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
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Dr. Beaman was honored to be asked by President Joseph Biden to offer the benediction on January 20, 2021, Presidential Inauguration of Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The Beaman and Biden families have been friends for close to thirty years.
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(CLICK TO PLAY 2021 INAUGURAL BENEDICTION)
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On July 11, 2021, during the General Conference, Dr. Beaman was elected and consecrated as the 139th Bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Orlando, Florida. He has been assigned to serve the 15th AME Episcopal District (Namibia, Angola, Boland, Eastern Cape, Queenstown, Cape, and Kalahari Annual Conferences) of South Africa.
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During his farewell as the Pastor of Bethel AME Church, Wilmington, Delaware, Governor John Carney awarded Dr. Beaman with the highest honor as a Delaware citizen, with the “First Order of the State Award.”
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He is married to his childhood sweetheart and best friend, Renée Palmore Beaman, RN. Renée currently serves as the Governor-appointed Director of the Delaware Division of State Service Centers, which oversees Delaware's fifteen social service centers, the State Office of Volunteerism, and the Office of Community Services. They are the blessed parents of two adult daughters, Asaiah (Gregory Fisher) and Kori (Walter Cheatham), and grandchildren, Maliah, Gabriella, Gregory Mason, and Kai.
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