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RESOLUTION NO. 3 5 3 9- O o
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<br />A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, PUBLICLY
<br />COMMENDING THE CONGREGATION OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN HONOR OF ITS
<br />175' ANNIVERSARY AND PUBLICLY NOTING ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AS THE OLDEST
<br />CHURCH IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
<br />C~1~eaa, the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, is proud to recognize that First
<br />United Methodist Church located at 333 North Main Street in downtown South Bend is the oldest church in our
<br />city; noting that back in 1831 Reverend Nehemiah B. Griffith traveled to this azea seeking members; and
<br />c~l~eaa, the South Bend Common Council recognizes that on January 19, 1833, Samuel Martin,
<br />Francis R. Tuft, Simeon Mason, Samuel Good and William Stanfield were elected to be the Trustees of the
<br />Methodist Episcopal Church in the town of South Bend and later in July of 1835 a small frame church (35' x
<br />45' with a 14' ceiling) was built on Main Street between LaSalle and Colfax Avenues; and
<br />i'l~~ii~, in January of 1861, a committee was appointed to secure a college with the first classes being
<br />held in the basement of First Methodist Episcopal Church, and the first college was dedicated on January 10,
<br />1867 as the Northern Indiana College; and on May 28, 1894 the Women's Home Missionary Society and
<br />members of the Methodist churches met and adopted the name of Epworth Hospital and Training School which
<br />later became known as Memorial Hospital of South Bend; and
<br />~~~~, based on this rich history and under the motto "Downtown for Good", First United Methodist
<br />is marking its 175th year, and continues to daily carry out its vision of social ministries with their soup kitchen
<br />located in the church basement serving over 300 meals per week and reaching out to more than 525,000 persons
<br />since this program began; with their Upper Room ministry providing shelter for those who have nowhere else to
<br />sleep and also serving as a halfway house for recovering alcoholics; with the establishment of a food pantry
<br />which serves over 750 households annually; with church members and staff becoming actively involved with
<br />Habitat for Humanity, natural disaster relief and establishing a nursing program where a nurse comes to the
<br />soup kitchen to check vitals and makes referrals to free health clinics and other programs.
<br />~o~, C~~~e~~e, lse cCxeao~e{z; by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows:
<br />Section I. On behalf of all'of the citizens of the City of South Bend, Indiana, the Common Council
<br />hereby congratulates and commends the members and staff of First United Methodist Church in marking its
<br />175th anniversary and recognizes. it as the oldest church located in downtown South Bend, and further
<br />recognizes First United Methodist Church for its vision as a church located in the heart of our city which
<br />provides so many needed and vital outreach programs and services.
<br />Section II. The South Bend Common Council encourages all members of our community to participate
<br />in the upcoming activities at First United Methodist Church which include a dance on October 27th and a
<br />Church Reunion Weekend on October 27 through October 29, 2006; and commends Rev. Dan Berger, Senior
<br />Pastor; Rev. Bob Dungy, Pastoral Counselor; Dr. Wishart Bell, Director of Music; Diana Green, Coordinator of
<br />Children's Ministries, Cazl Reed, Director of the Upper Room; Dr. Betty Woodland, Organist; Gayle Wilson,
<br />Administrative Assistant, Dave Skalski, Building Manager; Patti McCready, Financial Manager; Pat Kyle,
<br />Director of the Soup Kitchen; John & Kendra Endright of the Missionaries to the Democratic Republic of the
<br />Congo, and all of the congregation members in the many services provided for men, women, youth, Scouts, and
<br />visitors to our community and hope that the next 175 years will be just as rewazding and beneficial.
<br />Section III . This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the Common
<br />uncil this 2 th da of Sept tuber , 2006, and approval by the Mayor.
<br />•ek D. 'eter, 1St istr' t Ervin spa, /~ ~istrict
<br />to D. P eifer,, is Al "Buddy" Kirs' s, At Lar e
<br />R d Kelly, istrict Ti . Rou , At Large
<br />zell 4 D' ct Kazen L. White, At Large
<br />avid arner, 5 District -f~ ~- `-~ ~--~ l ~ ~ ~--~
<br />KathleenCekanski-Farrand,Council Attorney
<br />John oorde, City Clerk Stephen J. Lu e, Mayor of South Bend
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