Honor Church’s 175th Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 1320 BY: Senator GAUGHRAN COMMEMORATING the 175th Anniversary of the West Hills United Methodist Church of Huntington Station, 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 175th Anniversary of the West Hills United Methodist Church of Huntington Station, New York, to be celebrated at a service on Sunday,

April 28, 2019; and WHEREAS, On September 9, 1844, a meeting was called for the purpose of electing a Board of Trustees to preside over what would become the Methodist Episcopal Church of West Hills; the first trustees were Elias Brush, Derrick Ireland, Walter B. Hill, David Valentine, and Israel Oakley; after this was recorded in the office of the Suffolk County Clerk on September 23, 1844, the Church was officially established; and WHEREAS, Following this, the congregation came together to build a place of worship, and land was acquired from Aaron Oakley for $25, upon which the church was built; the deed, signed in 1845, allowed for the purchasing of 1/2 acre, on which the trustees "shall not erect any dwelling ... except a house for Public Worship and horse sheds with the appurtenances..."; the single room building was erected at a cost of $600, which was a considerable sum at that time; and WHEREAS, In May of 1958, James Boyd became pastor, and his enthusiasm for redeveloping the church spread among his congregation; a Sunday School and a Membership and Evangelical committee were formed and a morning service was added to increase participation; and WHEREAS, Within 10 months, 62 individuals had joined the church, and expansion would soon be needed; a building committee was established, and on land provided by Harry Jones, the church was moved off of Jericho Turnpike to its present location; the sanctuary itself was enlarged by several feet, and two wings were added to the structure, providing offices and classrooms; a fellowship hall and kitchen were also added downstairs; and WHEREAS, In the early fall of 1960, the first sermon was preached in the new church which retained the same arched ceiling and wainscoting, and the identical altar and pews from the original building; eventually, additional pews were purchased from the East Meadow Methodist Church and new lighting fixtures from the Valley Stream Church; and WHEREAS, Many hours were spent by the members installing the basement tiles and the kitchen ceiling, and funds were raised by the Woman's Society of Christian Service through festivals, fairs, and other sales, with the money used to purchase kitchen appliances; and WHEREAS, Between 1961 and 1962, 99 people were received into the church; by 1964, the total church membership numbered 302, a gain of 293 since June of 1958; enrollment in the elementary school division topped

150; by 1968, total membership peaked at 442, and a full nursery school program was soon initiated; and WHEREAS, During the late 1970s and into the 1980s, the members of West Hills continued to forge ahead with ideas for a better church and community by hosting an outdoor Christmas Pageant and a Haunted House, and reestablishing the West Hills Vacation Bible School; and WHEREAS, The members of West Hills, whether they number nine, ninety nine, or three hundred and nine, have never been idle. Their hands are always working on some new idea, some new way of making the church a better place to worship the Lord together; and WHEREAS, For 175 years, the people of West Hills have gathered in a small white church to worship together in faith and fellowship; the congregation has come together, in good times and bad, times of peace and times of war, times of happiness and times of grief; and WHEREAS, The people of West Hills have brought new meanings to the words family, fellowship, kindness, and love; the West Hills United Methodist Church has both struggled and flourished, prospered and endured, yet no matter what, the church has stood as a beacon of light, shining its message of hope and love into the darkness of the world; and WHEREAS, Under the luminous leadership of Pastor Melanie Ollett, the West Hills United Methodist 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 175th Anniversary of the West Hills United Methodist Church, 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 Melanie Ollett, Pastor, West Hills United Methodist Church.