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HAGERSTOWN - Almost 189 years ago Bishop Francis Asbury visited John Wesley UMC and was unhappy to see that African-Americans were relegated to one section of the sanctuary. He did something about it. Asbury gave black members a chance to start their own church, now called Asbury UMC. It is 200 yards from John Wesley UMC.

As membership has aged and declined in both churches, they began looking at ways to come together for the first time. In July, the Rev. Brenda Mack became the pastor of Asbury and the associate pastor at John Wesley, where she is the first female and first black minister.

'If I love people on both sides of this equation, they?ll trust me on both sides and will come together in ways that grow us,' Mack told the Baltimore Sun.

The two churches held a joint service at John Wesley to celebrate their new ties. White families sat next to black families, many realizing they already knew each other from work or the community. The choirs from both joined together to sing 'Precious Lord Take My Hand.'

Though there is no discussion of merger of the two congregations, most congregants are pleased with the pastor-sharing arrangement.