ENROLLED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 159
BY REPRESENTATIVE HARRISON
A RESOLUTION
To designate Tuesday, June 2, 2015, as Union Bethel A.M.E. Church Day in the Louisiana
House of Representatives.
WHEREAS, the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church was founded by
Richard Allen in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a connectional church; and
WHEREAS, the word "African" means that the church was organized by people of
African descent and heritage; it does not mean that the church was founded in Africa or that
it was for persons of African descent only; and
WHEREAS, the roots of A.M.E. churches are of the family of Methodist churches;
Methodism provides an orderly system of rules and regulations and places emphasis on a
plain and simple gospel; and
WHEREAS, "Episcopal" refers to the form of government under which the church
operates; the chief executive and administrative officers of the African Methodist Episcopal
denomination are the Bishops of the church; and
WHEREAS, the A.M.E. Church has more than one million members scattered across
the United States, Canada, South America, West Africa, South Africa, and the West Indies;
and
WHEREAS, Union Bethel A.M.E. Church of Amelia, Louisiana, St. Mary Parish,
was organized in 1865; the church structure was rebuilt at its current location in 1902; and
WHEREAS, Union Bethel A.M.E. Church of Amelia is celebrating its
sesquicentennial anniversary; and
WHEREAS, Union Bethel A.M.E. Church is located within the boundaries of the
Eighth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church and within the Alexandria-Thibodaux
Presiding Elder District.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate Tuesday, June 2, 2015, as Union Bethel
A.M.E. Church Day in the Louisiana House of Representatives.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be presented to the
Right Reverend Julius Harrison McAllister, Sr., Presiding Bishop of the Eighth Episcopal
District, and Reverend Lloyd Washington, Presiding Elder of the Alexandria-Thibodaux
District.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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