A senate RESOLUTION

TO CELEBRATE THE JOYOUS OCCASION OF THE ONE HUNDRED twenty-fifth ANNIVERSARY OF THE weeping mary baptist CHURCH AND TO COMMEND pastor Larry E. Floyd AND THE CONGREGATION FOR THEIR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE York county COMMUNITY.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina Senate are pleased to learn that Weeping Mary Baptist Church of York County celebrated its quasquicentennial anniversary on October 22, 2023; and

Whereas, founded by the late Alex Bouler, Mose Sanders, and Son Sanders in a brush harbor in the late 1800s, Weeping Mary Baptist Church is located in rural York County; and

Whereas, in 1898, another sanctuary for Weeping Mary was built on the property of Mr. John Black on Eastview Road, and at that time, the deacons in charge were Arthur Burns, George Richardson, Will Evans, Steve Wilson, and others; and

Whereas, after this church burned down, services were held in homes and other places for several years until the church purchased five acres of land from John and Lizzie Black in 1939, at twenty-three dollars per acre, to build another church, and paperwork was filed on record on June 12, 1941; and

Whereas, in 1965, under the leadership of Deacons Robert Leach, Sr., Robert Diary, Joe Woodard, Willie Wilson, and Steve Wilson, the church was remolded, replacing plank siding with a brick structure, and a basement, classrooms, and a dining hall were added; and

Whereas, the congregation celebrated Weeping Mary Baptist Church's one hundredth anniversary in 1998 with Reverend Paul Mosely as pastor and Sister Hattie Ruth Foster as assistant pastor; and

Whereas, in 1996, a design for a new church was developed by Morgan Construction Company, LLC.  The design was reviewed with a local financial institution, and a construction loan was approved; and

Whereas, in 1997, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for the construction of the new church, and in less than two years, final inspection of the new church was completed.  The fellowship moved into the new sanctuary in November 1999; and

Whereas, from 2001 until 2009, Reverend Albert Mickles served as the pastor of Weeping Mary Baptist Church, and in December of 2010, the congregation voted to call Reverend Larry E. Floyd, Master of Divinity (M. Div.), as pastor; and

Whereas, the Senate wishes to celebrate the joyous occasion of a century and a quarter of a century of Weeping Mary Baptist Church, and the members congratulate the congregation for their years of dedicated service to their community.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, celebrate the joyous occasion of the one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary of the Weeping Mary Baptist Church and commend Pastor Larry E. Floyd and the congregation for their years of dedicated service to the York County community.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Pastor Larry E. Floyd.

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