Bill Text: NY J01999 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of St. George's Episcopal Church of Brooklyn, New York
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-06-18 - ADOPTED [J01999 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-J01999-Introduced.html
Senate Resolution No. 1999 BY: Senator MONTGOMERY COMMEMORATING the 150th Anniversary of St. George's Episcopal Church of Brooklyn, New York WHEREAS, Religious institutions, and the many spiritual, social and educational benefits they confer, play a vital role in the development of the moral fabric of a responsible citizenry; and WHEREAS, It is the tradition of this State and this Nation to pay tribute to those institutions and individuals who have contributed to the ethical and spiritual values of their communities; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body takes pleasure in commemorating the 150th Anniversary of St. George's Episcopal Church of Brooklyn, New York; and WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion will be celebrated at its Annual Dinner Dance on Friday, October 18, 2019, at Russo's on the Bay in Howard Beach, New York, followed by an Anniversary Sung Holy Eucharist Service at the Church on Sunday, October 20, 2019; and WHEREAS, St. George's Episcopal Church is centrally located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, which consists of a diverse population of Afro-American, Caribbean, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans and Caucasians; and WHEREAS, St. George's Church was formally organized in October of 1869; 18 months prior, services were conducted by Mr. Guion, founder of the Church, in a small frame building on Clifton Place near Marcy Avenue; this building later became a school and at the time Mr. Guion began his work, was used during the week as a carpenter shop; and WHEREAS, In this place a very small congregation met weekly from the Spring of 1869, until the Fall of the same year, when a mission Sunday-school building on the corner of Monroe and Marcy Avenues was obtained rent free, not 300 feet from the present church; here, the congregation worshipped until the basement of their new church was ready for occupancy; and WHEREAS, The parish's second church building was located on Greene Avenue between Marcy Avenue and Tompkins Avenue, and the first service was held on February 27, 1870, only four months after the cornerstone was laid; and WHEREAS, This building was where the first Communion of the parish was celebrated on the third Sunday of occupancy, and in May of 1870, the first Confirmation Service was held, at which time four persons were confirmed; and WHEREAS, As the congregation continued to grow, an application was made for admission to union with the newly formed Diocese of Long Island in 1873, and the Church was officially named St. George's Church of the City of Brooklyn; and WHEREAS, By 1885, the parish had outgrown the size of the church located on Greene Avenue and worked to raise funds for the erection of a new church; plans were drawn by R. M. Upjohn in the Fall of 1886, and on June 24, 1887, the cornerstone of the church at the corner of Marcy and Gates Avenues was laid by the Bishop of the Diocese of Long Island; and WHEREAS, St. George's Episcopal Church was opened for worship on the first Sunday after Epiphany in January of 1888; two years later, the parish house was built, and it held society meetings and Sunday School classes; and WHEREAS, After a terrible fire in January of 1900, the congregation persevered and rebuilt the Church; through the next six years, improvements were made to the buildings, the mortgage on the previously existing structure was completely paid, and the Church blossomed and prospered and became a leader in its community; and WHEREAS, During the World War I era, the Church became a church for everyone; in 1949, Reverend Henry B. Hucles, III became the Rector, to later become The Right Reverend Henry B. Hucles, III, Suffragan Bishop, Diocese of Long Island; and WHEREAS, By 1950, the church's membership had increased to more than 1,700, and church organizations such as the Episcopal Churchwomen, the Altar Guild, St. Luke's Guild, the Rector's Guild, the Willing Workers, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, the Episcopal Young Churchmen and two excellent choirs flourished; and WHEREAS, In 1969, an adjacent four-stored building on 454 Gates Avenue was acquired and renovated, providing needed space for the Church School and doubled the capacity of the parish hall; presently, the annex houses the offices of the Rector, Curate, Parish Administrator, the church offices, a well-appointed meeting room for the Vestry and space for the Church School; and WHEREAS, In the Spring of 1972, the pipe organ was replaced by a Saville 67-Stop Organ, at the time, the finest in electronic equipment; in January of 1977, St. George's Episcopal Church was designated a Brooklyn Landmark by the Landmarks Preservation Commission of the City of New York; and WHEREAS, Under the helm of Reverend C. David Williams, the Church leased the plot of land at 804 Marcy Avenue from the City of New York; the Church acquired the land in the mid-1990s, and purchased the property to the immediate right of the leased land, 806 Marcy Avenue; today, these two plots combine to form the present parking lot; and WHEREAS, During this time, the Church also obtained an abandoned building adjacent to the renovated four-stored building, 452 Gates Avenue; and WHEREAS, Since January 1, 2002, The Very Reverend Canon Dr. Glenworth Dalmane Miles has served as the 14th Rector of St. George's Episcopal Church; in this capacity, he was the driving force in the completion of 452 Gates Avenue and the procurement of a Certificate of Occupancy; and WHEREAS, The Very Reverend Canon Dr. Glenworth Dalmane Miles was instrumental in setting up an endowment fund to ensure the future of St. George's Episcopal Church; implemented the Capital Campaign; purchased a 23-seat church bus and a Johannus American Classic-V Digital Organ; established the first Community Breakfast Program and Food Pantry; instituted a strong Stewardship Program, installed a new granite floor in the parish hall, a computer training lab for the community and parishioners, state of the art sound system, air-cooling system in the Sanctuary and air conditioning in the Parish Hall; paved the parking lot; and installed a security system; and encouraged parishioners to donate stained glass windows; and WHEREAS, St. George's Episcopal Church stands on the threshold of tomorrow, prepared to meet the challenges of the coming decades while retaining that spiritual resolve which characterizes its past; and WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to take note of enduring religious institutions and to bring such institutions to the attention of the people of this Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of St. George's Episcopal Church of Brooklyn, New York, fully confident that this commemoration reflects the belief in those values which enhance the dignity and purpose of life; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Very Reverend Canon Dr. Glenworth D. Miles, Rector, St. George's Episcopal Church.