Honor St. James AME Church

Senate Resolution No. 2348 BY: Senator GRIFFO COMMEMORATING the 50th Anniversary of St. James AME Church in New York Mills, New York, which was celebrated December 14-15, 2019; and 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 is justly proud to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of St. James AME Church of New York Mills, New York, which was celebrated with an open house, offering tours of the building and its stained-glass windows on December 14-15, 2019; and WHEREAS, The African Methodist Episcopal church cites its founding to Richard Allen, Absalom Jones, and others in 1787; and WHEREAS, After much adversity, the AME congregation founded its own independent places to worship; and WHEREAS, With significant roots in African-American history, Bridge Street AME in Brooklyn served as a stop on the Underground Railroad; and WHEREAS, The New York Mills congregation was first created by Edward Bass, President of the Oneida County NAACP, and Pauline Bass; St. James AME Church first used the chapel located in the Utica YMCA for worship; prior to purchasing a church on Main Street in New York Mills, there were three other locations the church called home; and WHEREAS, Founded in 1969, St. James AME 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 great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of St. James AME Church in New York Mills, 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 St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church.