HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-04-2014 - 6mPROPOSED ADDITION TO THE AGENDA — PROPOSED ITEM�66"'&(
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: September 4, 2014
Action Agenda
Item No.
SUBJECT: A Resolution Commemorating Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church
on the 150th Anniversary of its Founding
DEPARTMENT: County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No
ATTACHMENT (S):
Resolution
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Commissioner Price
Donna Baker, 245 -2130
Clerk to the Board
PURPOSE: The Board will consider a Resolution Commemorating Saint Paul African Methodist
Episcopal Church on the 150th Anniversary of its Founding.
BACKGROUND: In 1864, during the Civil War, Kenny Brooks, Green Cordal, Charles Craig, J.
Craig, Charles H. Johnson, C.E.H. Johnson, Green Merritt and William Thompson, under the
leadership of Jerry Hargraves and Edwin Allen, organized a Black Methodist Church. On
December 29, 1864, men and women of African and Native American descent assembled
under a grape arbor to worship freely as free people on the very same site where the present
church building stands on Merritt Mill Road in Chapel Hill.
In 1870, Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal
Episcopal Church system, headquartered in PI
the church was purchased for the sum of
December 1892.
Church was inducted into the African Methodist
iladelphia; and on April 15, 1878, the land for
55, and the church building was erected in
The Saint Paul AME Church building stands as an historical landmark of the local Chapel
Hill /Orange County community and of the State of North Carolina.
In 2002, Saint Paul AME Church formed a non - profit organization, the Grape Arbor
Development Corporation, targeting services to Orange County youth in grades K -8 and Saint
Paul AME Church recently purchased 20.4 acres of land for the building of a new and expanded
worship center, and additional community amenities in the near future.
RECOMMENDATION (S): The Manager recommends the Board consider this resolution.
Res. 2014 -057
ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
A RESOLUION COMMEMORATING SAINT PAUL AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
ON THE 150TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF ITS FOUNDING
WHEREAS, in 1864, during the perilous times of the Civil War, Kenny Brooks, Green Cordal,
Charles Craig, J. Craig, Charles H. Johnson, C.E.H. Johnson, Green Merritt and William
Thompson, under the leadership of Jerry Hargraves and Edwin Allen, organized a Black
Methodist Church; and
WHEREAS, on December 29, 1864, men and women of African and Native American descent
assembled under a grape arbor to worship freely on the very same site where the present church
building stands on Merritt Mill Road in Chapel Hill; and
WHEREAS, in 1870, Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church was inducted into the
African Methodist Episcopal Church system, headquartered in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, on April 15, 1878, the land for the church was purchased for the sum of $55, and
the church building was erected in December 1892; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul AME Church building stands as an historical landmark of the local
Chapel Hill/Orange County community and of the State of North Carolina; and
WHEREAS, in 2002, Saint Paul AME Church formed a non -profit organization, the Grape
Arbor Development Corporation, targeting services to Orange County youth in grades K -8; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul AME Church recently purchased 20.4 acres of land for the building of a
new and expanded worship center, and additional community amenities in the near future;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County
Commissioners commends the services and achievements of the members, past and present, of
the Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church over the past 150 years; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners
congratulates the members of Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on their
Sesquicentennial Anniversary, with Reverend Thomas O. Nixon presiding; and
BE IT MOREOVER RESOLVED that Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church is
hereby recognized by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners as a pillar in the
community, that has served, and may continue to serve, as a beacon of hope, progress, revival and
freedom for all.
This the 4`h day of September 2014.
Barry Jacobs, Chair
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