Senate Resolution No. 1119

BY: Senator COMRIE

COMMEMORATING the 100th Anniversary of Victoria
Congregational Church of Briarwood, New York, to be
celebrated on June 18, 2017

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
100th Anniversary of Victoria Congregational Church of Briarwood, New
York, to be feted at a Celebration Mass on Sunday, June 18, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Victoria Congregational Church prides itself as one of the
most culturally and ethnically diverse United Churches of Christ in the
New York Metropolitan Association of the New York Conference of the
United Church of Christ; the congregation includes persons from
Columbia, China, Ecuador, England, Finland, Guyana, Germany, Haiti,
India, Italy, Jamaica, Korea, Lithuania, Mexico, Pakistan, Panama, the
Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, St. Croix, Scotland, Sweden
and Trinidad, along with persons of African American descent; and

WHEREAS, Beginning as the Victoria Congregational Sunday School on
January 16, 1916, a vote was taken among the Sunday School and its 45
members to become the Victoria Congregational Church on June 17, 1917;
and

WHEREAS, Under the management of Reverend Egbert C. Macklin, a
graduate of Union Theological Seminary, the church structure was built
in 1922 on the corner of Victoria Street and DeGrauw Avenue in Jamaica,
New York; it was officially dedicated on March 18, 1923; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the last century, Victoria Congregational Church
has provided numerous invaluable benefits for its members, including
health and hospital services, family court and developed the adult
center while working with community councils, church federations and
other institutions; and

WHEREAS, Additionally, the Church became a multi-cultural church
while working with the Refugee and Resettlement agency of the United
Church of Christ, offering support to those in desperate need from
Bosnia, Cuba, Pakistan or elsewhere; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, Reverend Mark E. Marsh became the Senior Minister;
in this capacity, he initiated numerous renovations of the church,
including the restoring of the restrooms, refinishing of the sanctuary
wooden floors, replacement of the sanctuary carpet, retiling the stairs
from the sanctuary to the fellowship hall and adding chairlifts to make
the fellowship area more accessible; he also led the congregation in
participation of the New Sanctuary Movement of New York City; and


WHEREAS, Victoria Congregational 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 Victoria Congregational Church to be observed on June
18, 2017, 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 Reverend Mark E. Marsh, Pastor, Victoria Congregational
Church, Briarwood, New York.