A house RESOLUTION

to congratulate the congregation and pastor of Live Oak African Methodist Episcopal Church upon their one hundred thirty-third anniversary and to wish them continued, meaningful worship and ministry in their community.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that Live Oak African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church of the Orangeburg District of the Central South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church is celebrating the church's one hundred thirty-third anniversary in Vance; and

Whereas, Live Oak ministry has sought to fulfill African Methodism goals to preach the gospel; feed the hungry; clothe the naked; house the homeless; cheer the fallen; find jobs for the jobless; meet the needs of ones in prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, mental institutions, and senior citizens' homes; care for the sick, the shut-in, the mentally disturbed; and encourage thrift and economic advancement; and

Whereas, from humble beginnings of Sunday worship under a bush harbor in the early 1860s, Live Oak  was formally organized in 1890 as an AME church by members of Shiloh AME Church of Elloree who wanted to worship God closer to their homes.  Reverend David Christen served as the first pastor; and

Whereas, in the early 1860s, the Rhames family donated two acres of land for the purpose of Christian worship and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Vance community.  The congregation built the first edifice, a small, frame building, in 1891, and another for worship was completed in 1911.  The congregation grew, and Live Oak bought three more acres for twenty-five dollars per acre in 1913, and Live Oak has reaped a legacy of perseverance and vision from those beginnings; and

Whereas, from 1950 to 1986, Live Oak partnered in ministry with Rock Hill AME Church in Vance, and the two churches served as the Live Oak Circuit within the AME Church and shared the same pastor and a parsonage located between the two churches.  In October 1986, the Live Oak Circuit was separated by the Central Annual Conference, and each church received its own pastor; and

Whereas, from 1890 to 2016, the pastors of Live Oak included the Reverends David Christen, Muffin, William David Chappelle, C. W. Dunlap, Walley, Pruitt, Benjamin F. Hildebrand, George Johnson, Gamble, John Scott, Sr., Samuel J. Johnson, C. V. Alston, Julius Steed, Saint Julian Snider, Melvin S. Williams, Willie H. Brown, Edward T. Jones, Dr. Obie Madison, and Richard Allen McKnight; and

Whereas, in the mid-1900s, upgrades were made to the church edifice while spiritual renewal continued through excellent preaching.  In the 1970s, the church was renovated with a new air conditioning and heating system, stained glass windows, a sound system for the sanctuary, and a conference room and pastor's study annex.  In the 1980s, new pews and an organ were installed; the music ministry was reorganized and new choirs established.  In the 1990s, a handicap ramp was installed, and the church was repainted.  The church later purchased a van, remodeled the kitchen, and established a Traffic Security Ministry, a Facebook Fan Page, and an annual Live Oak Fall Carnival for the community; and

Whereas, in 2016, the Reverend Wilson became the pastor.  Under his leadership the church completed building upgrades, established new prayer and military ministries, erected a storage building, launched an outreach to the community and an interactive website, and purchased software.  In 2018, the Irick family donated fourteen acres across from the current location for building a new worship facility; and

Whereas, in May 2020, Live Oak Cares, Inc., was founded by Pastor Wilson as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) social-service arm of Live Oak AME Church with a mission to identify and develop programs that will serve individuals, families, and communities in eastern Orangeburg County through partnerships to address needs of economic development, healthy living, and educational equity.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate the congregation and pastor of Live Oak African Methodist Episcopal Church upon their one hundred thirty-third anniversary and wish them continued, meaningful worship and ministry in their community.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Reverend Fedrick Allen Wilson.

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