Key points:
- The Rev. Fred Day, former top executive of the denomination’s Commission on Archives and History, died Oct. 29 after a short illness.
- From 2005 to 2014, Day led Historic St. George’s United Methodist Church in Philadelphia, one of the oldest Methodist congregations in America.
- Day also was a vocal supporter of the Rev. Beth Stroud when she came out as a member of the LGBTQ community.
The Rev. Alfred T. “Fred” Day is being remembered as a believer in using history to mold the future and being a valuable mentor to the younger generation of United Methodist leaders. He died on Oct. 29 at age 75 after a short illness.
Over his long career, Day excelled as a preacher, historian and church leader. Colleagues also recalled the native Philadelphian for his large presence and rabid loyalty to local sports teams, especially the Eagles and Phillies.
“While he faithfully pastored the congregations to which he was appointed, his ministry extended far beyond church walls into the communities he served,” said retired Bishop John Schol, now president of Centenary University in New Jersey. “He loved people generously, and people loved him in return.
“His warm smile, infectious laugh, genuine concern for others and joyful spirit drew people to him wherever he went.”
Born on June 15, 1951, in Philadelphia, Day was profoundly shaped by the city and his home church, St. James United Methodist Church, Schol said. “It was there that his faith was formed, his gifts recognized, and his call to ministry encouraged and affirmed.”
Day led several churches, including Historic St. George’s United Methodist Church in Philadelphia, one of the oldest Methodist congregations in America.
“A spiritual guidepost, Fred helped to form me into the pastor I am today through his leadership and mentorship,” said the Rev. Dawn Taylor-Storm, director of Connectional Ministry for the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference.
From 1995 to 2001, Day served as a district superintendent in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, guiding more than 80 congregations and their clergy.
He was appointed to the position by now retired Bishop Susan Morrison.
“Fred was deeply rooted in the traditions of the church while possessing a remarkable gift for making history and faith come alive for each new generation,” Morrison said.
Day pursued reconciliation with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which suffered because of racism, legal property battles and attempts to seize control of Black pulpits by the Methodist Episcopal Church, a predecessor of The United Methodist Church.
He coordinated reunion and commemorative services in tribute to Black Methodist churches, including Mother Bethel AME Church, African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas and Mother African Zoar United Methodist Church, all in Philadelphia.
Day led the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History from 2014 to 2020.
“He was a big presence,” said Ashley Boggan, who worked for him at Archives and History and succeeded him as its leader. “We would always joke that you knew when Fred was in the building because he just had a big voice. He was incredibly kind and gentle and smart, and good Lord, a good preacher.”
Day’s tenure at Archives and History included the COVID-19 era, when only one person was allowed in the Archives and History office once a week to “check mail and make sure the servers were still up and running,” Boggan said.
“He found ways to pivot to doing webinars online and leaning into that promotion piece of what we do,” she said. “I started to get excited about the possibility of this being an option for me professionally because I was seeing how Fred was able to take it out to the public and really lean into the teaching role that Archives and History has.”
The Rev. Beth Stroud, who worked with Day at First United Methodist Church of Germantown in Philadelphia in the early aughts, publicly came out as gay in 2003, which led to her credentials being revoked after a church trial.
Stroud counted Day and the Rev. Melody Porter, also at First United Methodist at the time, as people she could lean on during that exceptionally hard period.
“He was the person who very consistently said, ‘You know, I’m here for you and we’ll walk through this with you,’” said Stroud, who now teaches at Methodist Theological School in Ohio. “The whole congregation was so supportive, and I think he did so much to set that tone … and following my lead because I was doing something so personal.”
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Stroud got her credentials back shortly after the 2024 General Conference, where bans against LGBTQ people were eliminated from the Book of Discipline.
Stroud also recalled Day’s enthusiasm for Philadelphia’s sports teams, especially the NFL franchise Philadelphia Eagles.
“For the first time in my life when I was working with Fred, I had to pay very close attention to the Eagles,” Stroud said. “It was the only way I could understand what kind of week I was going to have.”
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Linda; his two daughters and sons-in-law, Carly and Sean, and Claire and Steve; grandchildren Hadley, Marlowe, Jackson and Charley; and brother John Day.
A celebration of life is scheduled for 11 a.m. U.S. Eastern time Nov. 6 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Lewes, Delaware. Clergy who attend are encouraged to wear their vestments and participate in the procession.
Patterson is a reporter for UM News. Contact him at 615-742-5470 or [email protected]. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.
