LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 230th Anniversary of New Paltz
United Methodist Church of New Paltz, 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 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
230th Anniversary of New Paltz United Methodist Church of New Paltz, New
York, to be celebrated in 2016 with a number of events and activities
observing this momentous milestone; and
WHEREAS, In the late 18th Century, New Paltz United Methodist Church
began as a stop on the preaching circuit of Ezekiel Cooper, only 20
years after the Methodist Church first came to America; and
WHEREAS, The itinerant preacher began making the rounds of what was
then called the East Jersey Circuit in 1786, and may have visited New
Paltz at that time; therefore, the local congregation officially dates
its establishment as of 1786; and
WHEREAS, From its humble beginnings as informal meetings in private
homes, the congregation established its first building at the corner of
Main and Church Streets; in 1878, they moved the building down the block
and then built an addition; and
WHEREAS, By the early 1900s, the Methodist Church was serving as a
"mission church" to young women as the New Paltz Normal School; unfortu-
nately, the odors from the next door livery stable led the pastor at the
time to write to the regional Methodist conference pleading for monies
to build a new church; eventually, the congregation's wish was granted,
and in 1929, it was relocated to its present site on Grove Street; and
WHEREAS, In the 1960s, an education wing was annexed to the Church,
and more recent remodeling has modernized the building and made it hand-
icapped accessible; and
WHEREAS, Under the luminous leadership of Reverend Bette Sohm, the
Pastor of New Paltz United Methodist Church is marking the Church's
anniversary by organizing a busy calendar of guest pastor visits,
lectures, musical presentations and other activities; the majority of
activities revolve around the Church's history; and
WHEREAS, Each month, a guest pastor will be invited to speak to the
faithful members of the New Paltz United Methodist Church who is either
a former Church pastor, former member of the congregation, child of a
congregation member, or has some past association with the Church; and
WHEREAS, The year-long celebration began in December of 2015 with a
visit from Bishop Jane Allen Middleton of the Regional United Methodist
Church Conference who spoke about the Church's history; after the pres-
entation, members gathered at a pot luck dinner which featured dishes
that appeared in recipe books published by the Church at fundraising
events going back to the 1950s; and
WHEREAS, The second guest preacher, Reverend Kevan Hitch, who served
as Pastor of the New Paltz United Methodist Church in the early 2000s,
conducted the worship service on Sunday, March 6, 2016; and
WHEREAS, The first of four musical events, a concert by several past
Church Organists, will be presented in May of 2016; the series will wind
up in October of 2016 with Sweet Singer, a one-man biographical perform-
ance by baritone Steve Kimbrough of the life of Charles Wesley, brother
of New Paltz Methodist Church founder, John Wesley, and author of more
than 6,000 hymns; and

WHEREAS, In addition, New Paltz Methodist Church has kicked off a
lecture series named in honor of recently deceased congregation member
and Pulitzer Prize winning historian, Carleton Mabee; and
WHEREAS, In January of 2016, Anna Bates of Empire State College, was
featured as the series' first lecturer; currently, she is compiling a
"social history" of the New Paltz United Methodist Church by distribut-
ing questionnaires to congregants seeking stories of how they and their
families became connected with the religious institution; and
WHEREAS, In March of 2016, Lee Pritchard, Director of the Camerata
Chorale and long-time Professor of Music at The State University of New
York at New Paltz, spoke about the "seven streams" of Methodist hymnody
and led the congregation in a participatory hymn sing; the next lecturer
was Doctor Morris Davis of Drew University, who spoke on the topic of
"The Evolution of Methodist Theology"; and
WHEREAS, The Carleton Mabee Lectures will continue on April 17, 2016,
when Bill Rhoads, a popular lecturer on local architecture, will present
one of his talks combined with a walking tour that traces the sites that
have been home to New Paltz United Methodist Church since the 18th
Century; and
WHEREAS, The New Paltz United Methodist Church of New Paltz, New York,
stands on the threshold of tomorrow, prepared to meet the challenges of
the coming decades while retaining that spiritual resolve which charac-
terizes 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 230th Anniversary of New Paltz United Methodist Church
of New Paltz, New York, fully confident 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 tran-
smitted to New Paltz United Methodist Church of New Paltz, New York.