2025 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 194
Commending Bethany Presbyterian Church.
Agreed to by the Senate, January 16, 2025
WHEREAS, for 100 years, Bethany Presbyterian Church has provided spiritual guidance, generous outreach, and opportunities for joyful worship and community fellowship to the residents of Zuni in Isle of Wight County; and
WHEREAS, Bethany Presbyterian Church traces its roots to the early 1920s, when the Norfolk Presbytery sent the Reverend S.K. Emurian into the rural communities of Hampton Roads to expand the Presbyterian denomination; and
WHEREAS, on September 25, 1924, more than 900 people attended a ceremony to commemorate the laying of a cornerstone for Bethany Presbyterian Church, and construction of the church was completed just under a year later on September 20, 1925; and
WHEREAS, Bethany Presbyterian Church has been a focal point of life in Zuni for decades and has played an integral role in the community as both a house of worship and a local gathering place; and
WHEREAS, Bethany Presbyterian Church has witnessed significant growth and change in the Zuni community over the course of its history; in the church's early years, Zuni remained a major stop for the Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad, and the church predates the establishment of the nearby U.S. Route 460 highway; and
WHEREAS, in 1999, Bethany Presbyterian Church was one of the few structures in Zuni that did not sustain major damage from torrential rainfall and flooding caused by Hurricane Floyd; and
WHEREAS, Bethany Presbyterian Church has organized numerous beneficial ministries and conducted vital outreach throughout the wider community; the Zuni Ruritan Club was formed primarily with members of the congregation; and
WHEREAS, Bethany Presbyterian Church held its 100th anniversary celebration over the weekend of September 21, 2024, with a dinner, special music, and memories program on Saturday, followed by Sunday school activities, a worship service, and a catered lunch on Sunday; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Bethany Presbyterian Church hereby be commended on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Reverend Pete Atkinson, pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church, as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the church's long history and legacy of service to the residents of Zuni.