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.