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2018 SPECIAL SESSION I

18200104D
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 565
Offered April 17, 2018
Commending Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church.
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Patron-- Price
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WHEREAS, for more than 125 years, Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church has provided spiritual leadership, generous outreach, and opportunities for joyful worship to the Newport News community; and

WHEREAS, Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church traces its roots to 1892 when a Sunday school class taught in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Archie B. McEachin was organized as a regular church body known as Antioch Presbyterian Church; and

WHEREAS, in 1898, the Reverend G. T. Jones became the first full-time pastor of Antioch Presbyterian Church and oversaw the completion of the congregation’s first church building and a parochial school; in 1902, Antioch Presbyterian Church was renamed as Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church to honor a donor whose generosity helped the church relocate to a new facility on 24th Street and Marshall Avenue; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Jones was succeeded by the Reverend C. A. Ward, who served the Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church community from 1915 to 1925, when the Reverend J. Metz Rollins, Sr., became pastor; and

WHEREAS, as the longest-serving pastor in Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church history, Reverend Rollins helped the church become the second-largest church in the Southern Virginia Presbytery and provided critical leadership to the community during the Civil Rights movement during his 44 years of leadership; and

WHEREAS, in 1972, the Reverend John B. Linton was installed as pastor of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church and focused on engaging with youths of the congregation and working with the Presbyterian Church at regional and national levels; he also established ongoing outreach programs that provide food and clothing to people in need; and

WHEREAS, the Reverend Floyd Chambers served as moderator of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church until the Reverend Brian Blount became pastor in 1982; during his tenure, Reverend Blount introduced several new ministries and initiated a building campaign for a new sanctuary; and

WHEREAS, the Reverend Walter Kennedy served as interim pastor for nearly a year until, in 1990, the Reverend Dr. Lawrence Levi Bethel became pastor and oversaw the move to Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church’s current location; Reverend Bethel earned a reputation as a bold champion for social justice who built many valuable partnerships with community organizations and other churches; and

WHEREAS, after Reverend Bethel’s death, Reverend Chambers again served as moderator, and the Reverend Leon Page served as interim pastor of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church in 1999; and

WHEREAS, in November 2000, the Reverend Lawrence L. Willis became the seventh pastor of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church and invigorated the congregation and the community with several new Bible study and outreach programs; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church hereby be commended on the occasion of its 125th anniversary in 2017; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Reverend Lawrence L. Willis, pastor of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church, as an expression of the House of Delegates’ admiration for the church’s long history and legacy of contributions to the Newport News community.