HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommendation Congregation of First United Methodist Church in honor of its 175th Anniversary & Oldest Church in South BendRESOLUTION
3639-06
Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana
September 25, 06
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Attest:
City Clerk
_ President of Common Council
Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana
September 26, 06
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Approved and signed by me S e pt crib e r 2 7 , 20Q~
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City Clerk
RESOLUTION NO. 3 5 3 9- O o
A RESOLUTION OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, PUBLICLY
COMMENDING THE CONGREGATION OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN HONOR OF ITS
175' ANNIVERSARY AND PUBLICLY NOTING ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AS THE OLDEST
CHURCH IN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA
C~1~eaa, the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, is proud to recognize that First
United Methodist Church located at 333 North Main Street in downtown South Bend is the oldest church in our
city; noting that back in 1831 Reverend Nehemiah B. Griffith traveled to this azea seeking members; and
c~l~eaa, the South Bend Common Council recognizes that on January 19, 1833, Samuel Martin,
Francis R. Tuft, Simeon Mason, Samuel Good and William Stanfield were elected to be the Trustees of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in the town of South Bend and later in July of 1835 a small frame church (35' x
45' with a 14' ceiling) was built on Main Street between LaSalle and Colfax Avenues; and
i'l~~ii~, in January of 1861, a committee was appointed to secure a college with the first classes being
held in the basement of First Methodist Episcopal Church, and the first college was dedicated on January 10,
1867 as the Northern Indiana College; and on May 28, 1894 the Women's Home Missionary Society and
members of the Methodist churches met and adopted the name of Epworth Hospital and Training School which
later became known as Memorial Hospital of South Bend; and
~~~~, based on this rich history and under the motto "Downtown for Good", First United Methodist
is marking its 175th year, and continues to daily carry out its vision of social ministries with their soup kitchen
located in the church basement serving over 300 meals per week and reaching out to more than 525,000 persons
since this program began; with their Upper Room ministry providing shelter for those who have nowhere else to
sleep and also serving as a halfway house for recovering alcoholics; with the establishment of a food pantry
which serves over 750 households annually; with church members and staff becoming actively involved with
Habitat for Humanity, natural disaster relief and establishing a nursing program where a nurse comes to the
soup kitchen to check vitals and makes referrals to free health clinics and other programs.
~o~, C~~~e~~e, lse cCxeao~e{z; by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows:
Section I. On behalf of all'of the citizens of the City of South Bend, Indiana, the Common Council
hereby congratulates and commends the members and staff of First United Methodist Church in marking its
175th anniversary and recognizes. it as the oldest church located in downtown South Bend, and further
recognizes First United Methodist Church for its vision as a church located in the heart of our city which
provides so many needed and vital outreach programs and services.
Section II. The South Bend Common Council encourages all members of our community to participate
in the upcoming activities at First United Methodist Church which include a dance on October 27th and a
Church Reunion Weekend on October 27 through October 29, 2006; and commends Rev. Dan Berger, Senior
Pastor; Rev. Bob Dungy, Pastoral Counselor; Dr. Wishart Bell, Director of Music; Diana Green, Coordinator of
Children's Ministries, Cazl Reed, Director of the Upper Room; Dr. Betty Woodland, Organist; Gayle Wilson,
Administrative Assistant, Dave Skalski, Building Manager; Patti McCready, Financial Manager; Pat Kyle,
Director of the Soup Kitchen; John & Kendra Endright of the Missionaries to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, and all of the congregation members in the many services provided for men, women, youth, Scouts, and
visitors to our community and hope that the next 175 years will be just as rewazding and beneficial.
Section III . This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption by the Common
uncil this 2 th da of Sept tuber , 2006, and approval by the Mayor.
•ek D. 'eter, 1St istr' t Ervin spa, /~ ~istrict
to D. P eifer,, is Al "Buddy" Kirs' s, At Lar e
R d Kelly, istrict Ti . Rou , At Large
zell 4 D' ct Kazen L. White, At Large
avid arner, 5 District -f~ ~- `-~ ~--~ l ~ ~ ~--~
KathleenCekanski-Farrand,Council Attorney
John oorde, City Clerk Stephen J. Lu e, Mayor of South Bend