| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 765 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize Grace Methodist Church in Hearne on the grand occasion |
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| 4 | 4 | | of its 150th anniversary; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, Church members are gathering to commemorate this |
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| 6 | 6 | | historic event with a special celebration in 2020; and |
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| 7 | 7 | | WHEREAS, The church's history begins in 1870 with Horace |
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| 8 | 8 | | Bishop, a Methodist minister, who came to Hearne and rented a |
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| 9 | 9 | | room at the hotel; the following day he was visited by three |
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| 10 | 10 | | sisters, Mrs. Wash Hearne, Mrs. Charles Lewis, and Aunt Rhoda, |
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| 11 | 11 | | who were former Methodists; although the ladies were not |
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| 12 | 12 | | optimistic about building a Methodist church in the town, a |
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| 13 | 13 | | congregation was started on the second floor of Joe Lambert's |
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| 14 | 14 | | saloon with the help of two gentlemen, Jonathon Gideon Wilkerson |
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| 15 | 15 | | and Nathan Kilgore; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, The members of the congregation built a church |
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| 17 | 17 | | building of their own in 1885, but they soon had to rebuild after |
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| 18 | 18 | | a devastating fire, and they also contended with a storm that |
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| 19 | 19 | | moved the church off its foundations; new pillars were put under |
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| 20 | 20 | | the building where it stood after the storm, three feet to the |
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| 21 | 21 | | south of its original location, and First Methodist Episcopal |
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| 22 | 22 | | Church South was allowed to remain on that spot; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, As the church membership grew, changes were made |
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| 24 | 24 | | to the original structure; the present sanctuary was built in |
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| 25 | 25 | | 1929, and the Memorial Building was erected in 1976; the name of |
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| 26 | 26 | | the church was changed in 1948 to Grace United Methodist Church |
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| 27 | 27 | | and again, in 1968, to Grace Methodist Church; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, The rich heritage of Grace Methodist Church |
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| 29 | 29 | | reflects the dedication by its members of their talents, vision, |
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| 30 | 30 | | wisdom, and selfless service to others; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Grace Methodist Church has provided a place of |
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| 32 | 32 | | worship for generations of faithful Christians and has played a |
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| 33 | 33 | | significant role in the continuing growth and development of the |
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| 34 | 34 | | city; now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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| 36 | 36 | | Legislature, hereby commend the congregation of Grace Methodist |
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| 37 | 37 | | Church in Hearne and extend best wishes for a joyful celebration |
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| 38 | 38 | | of the church's 150th anniversary. |
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| 39 | 39 | | Schwertner |
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| 40 | 40 | | ________________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | President of the Senate |
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| 42 | 42 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 43 | 43 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 44 | 44 | | the Senate on May 17, 2019. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ________________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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