Simpson Memorial Chapel

Located on the first floor of the United Methodist Building and across from the U.S. Supreme Court, the Simpson Memorial Chapel is a place of prayer, worship, ecumenical gathering, and hospitality on Capitol Hill.

The unique space is characterized by its tall windows, simple altar space, and flexible seating arrangement, offering a light filled, airy space for reflection, prayer, and community.

A History of the Chapel

First constructed in 1929, the chapel is named in honor of Bishop Matthew Simpson (1811-1884) and his wife Ellen Holmes Verner Simpson (1837-1897) of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their two daughters Ida and Sarah Simpson funded the planning and construction of the chapel.

Known as a persuasive orator and a longtime friend of Abraham Lincoln, Bishop Simpson supported women’s suffrage and saw slavery as a sin against God. However, at the same time, he promulgated Christian nationalist ideology and benefited financially from the exploitation of Indian lands. He also came to the defense of his friend Governor John Evans after the report of Congress’ Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War recommended Evans be removed from office due to his role in the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre in Colorado.

Mrs. Simpson oversaw the household raising seven children. In addition to raising her children, Mrs. Simpson was one of the founding mothers of a Methodist Home for the Aged and Infirm in Philadelphia, PA. She served as the Board of Managers until her death in 1897. The organization Simpson Senior Services is still in operation today; the chapel at the facility features a stained glass window in memory of Ellen Holmes Verner Simpson.

A Place for Worship and Legacy of Justice

Simpson Memorial Chapel has served as place of worship since 1929, and has enjoyed a legacy of hosting formative moments in the work of social justice. In 1983, when Congress passed the holiday bill commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a national observance, a celebration took place in the chapel with Mrs. Coretta Scott King and leaders of the civil rights movement. One hundred and fifty candles were lit during the service to express thanks.

The Simpson Memorial Chapel has also been a source of comfort and healing. In 2002, after a plane crash killed Sen. Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila, daughter Marcia, two Capitol Hill staff, and two crew members, a memorial service was held in Simpson Memorial Chapel. The service was so crowded that a second service was quickly organized for an hour later. Special community services were also held following the shooting of nine members at Mother Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015 and the killing of fifty people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando in 2016.

The Chapel also served as the gathering place for the Poor Peoples Campaign rallies on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court in 2025 and demonstration marches in 2024.