Honor Church’s 190th Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 321 BY: Senator BRESLIN COMMEMORATING the 190th Anniversary of the Israel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Albany, 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 190th Anniversary of the Israel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Albany, to be celebrated with a myriad of events beginning Sunday,

January 27, 2019, and continuing through Sunday, February 24, 2019; and WHEREAS, For 190 years, the Israel African Methodist Episcopal Church has strived to maintain a standard of Christian living within the Capital District through the Proclamation of the Word, Stewardship, Evangelism, Worship, Study of the Word and Prayer; and WHEREAS, Founded in 1828, the Israel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is steeped in a rich history, being the oldest African American Church in the Albany area; through the years, the Church has been rebuilt and renovated several times, however, it has always remained true to the mission of the AME Church to minister to the social, spiritual, and physical development of all people; and WHEREAS, The Church enabled so many new beginnings by providing safe transport as part of the Underground Railroad, giving refuge to Freedom Fighters like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass; it was also a place where African American recruits trained before leaving to join the Massachusetts 54th to help fight in the Civil War, and was the site where the first local chapter of the NAACP was started; and WHEREAS, Today, under the luminous leadership of Reverend Craig Thomas Robinson, Jr., the Israel AME Church continues to care for its community by providing services such as childcare, tutoring, feeding the hungry, aiding the homeless and seniors through the food pantry, supporting the public schools, and voter registration assistance; and WHEREAS, Reverend Craig Thomas Robinson, Jr., earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Morehouse College; he furthered his education by obtaining both his Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees from Yale Divinity School; and WHEREAS, Prior to joining the Israel AME Church, Reverend Craig Thomas Robinson, Jr., was awarded Merseck and Daggit prizes in preaching, published several sermons, spent two years as Pastoral Resident at the historic Charles Street AME Church in Boston, Massachusetts, trained in hospital chaplaincy through the Lutheran Social Services Alliance Clinical Pastoral Education Friends (CPE), and held a pastoral appointment with AME Church in Bay Shore, New York; and WHEREAS, The Israel African Methodist Episcopal 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 190th Anniversary of the Israel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Albany, 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 The Reverend Craig Thomas Robinson, Jr., Pastor, Israel African Methodist Episcopal Church.