Bethel, at its original location, was a Yup’ik village called Mamterillermiut, meaning “Smokehouse People,” after the nearby fish smokehouse. Bethel is located at the mouth of the Kuskokwim River, 40 miles inland from the Bering Sea. It lies in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, 400 air miles west of Anchorage. It was an Alaska Commercial Company trading post during the late 1800s.

There were 41 people in Bethel during the 1880 U.S. Census. At that time, it was an Alaska Commercial Company Trading Post. The Moravian Church established a mission in the area in 1884. The community was moved to its present location due to erosion at the prior site. A post office was opened in 1905. Before long, Bethel was serving as a trading, transportation and distribution center for the region, which attracted Natives from surrounding villages. Over time, federal and state agencies established regional offices in Bethel.

It had a population of 41 people in the 1880 U.S. Census. The Moravian Church established a mission in the area in 1885, under the leadership of Rev. John Henry Kilbuck, Jr. Kilbuck taught Yup’ik, which greatly enhanced his effectiveness as a missionary. Missionaries moved Bethel from Mamterillermiut to its present location on the west side of the Kuskokwim River. A United States Post Office was opened in 1905.The year is 1975. Bethel’s organization is down to 600 members. In May, Rev. John R. Bryant, at the age of 31, becomes the youngest pastor in Bethel’s history. His father, Bishop Harrison J. Bryant, had pastured there only 11 years before.

As a great gospel preacher and teacher, Rev. John R. Bryant is blessed with persuasive power in convincing people to give there lives to Christ. Under his leadership the congregation increased to 1,600 members in less than two years and over 3,000 members by the end of 1978. Rev. John R. Bryant became a bishop in 1988.

With so many members the church stays active seven days a week with self-help and spirit building programs. There is an Eating Together Program for senior citizens, food and energy co-ops and an Outreach Center that provides free clothing and food to the needy. There are ministries to married couples, singles, prisons, youth, men, women, new members, and new converts. In total there are 40 ministries at Bethel.

Continuing the Bethel tradition that stressed education, Bethel established a Christian day school for instruction from kindergarten to the 4th grade, a Bible Institute, and night school programs for adults. The adult Sunday school is just as important as the children Sunday school. The men of the church meet for 6:00 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study.

Community outreach is continued with the Word Ministry Bookstore, The Women’s Resource Center, a Sunday radio broadcast and a Sunday television broadcast on WNUV-TV54 and a Thursday television broadcast on black Entertainment Television (BET). There are tape recordings of Sunday services available. October 2, 1988 was Rev. Frank M. Reid, III’s first Sunday as Bethel’s pastor a great, spirit filled intellectual, and he became Bethel’s 53rd pastor in its long history. His father, Bishop Frank M. Reid, II, had pastured Bethel 24 years before.

During his tenure, Pastor Reid has made significant contributions to Bethel. Among other things, he has increased the membership and finances, placed special emphasis on establishment of administration and management systems to assure integrity, effectiveness and accountability in the operation of the church. In this regard, he has instituted a major review of church finances and instituted new budgetary and accounting systems. In addition, Pastor Reid has developed an effective ministry to men who now number forty percent of our early morning worshippers.

Currently, he is leading the church in a building campaign to acquire 256 acres of land for an expansion site in western Baltimore County where 50% of our members reside. The building process and strategic visioning are examples of his continuing excellence of ministry and preaching. Pastor Reid has allowed the Holy Spirit to use him mightily to reach out to substance abusers and to the unchurched. Praise God for a place called BETH-EL, The House of God, seen internationally in 123 countries of the world on the Armed Forces Television Station.

Alaska Natives in this area also have a long Christian history, in part from Russian Orthodox, Catholic and Moravian influence. As in many Alaskan villages, Christian tradition has become interwoven with its cultural history. On February 19, 1997, a school massacre attracted widespread media attention to Bethel when then-sixteen-year-old Evan Ramsey, a student at Bethel High School, shot and killed his principal and one student and wounded two others, for which he later received a 198-year prison sentence.