Current Status Bill Number:1087 Type of Legislation:Concurrent Resolution CR Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19960131 Primary Sponsor:Passailaigue All Sponsors:Passailaigue Drafted Document Number:res9889.elp Date Bill Passed both Bodies:19960206 Subject:Grace Episcopal Church of Charleston
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________ Senate 19960206 Received from House House 19960201 Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence Senate 19960131 Introduced, adopted, sent to HouseView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
CONGRATULATING THE GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA ON THE OCCASION OF ITS ONE HUNDRED FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY, FEBRUARY 18, 1996.
Whereas, the Grace Episcopal Church of Charleston, South Carolina will celebrate its one hundred fiftieth anniversary on February 18, 1996; and
Whereas, the Grace Church was officially admitted as a parish of the Diocese of South Carolina on February 16, 1846, and consecrated by Bishop Christopher Edward Gadsden at a special service of Morning Prayer on November 9, 1848; and
Whereas, the vestry called the Reverend William Wallace Spear as first rector and the first worship service of the new parish was held on January 31, 1847 in the chapel at the College of Charleston where services were held until the church building was completed; and
Whereas, the membership of the church, since its inception, has continuously displayed their dedication and loyalty to Grace Church, seeing it through many struggles and crises: three national financial panics; a yellow fever epidemic in 1858, Civil War bombardment, the disastrous earthquake of 1886, and most recently Hurricane Hugo in 1989; and
Whereas, the complete restoration of the historical properties of Grace Church are a tremendous testimony to many years of dedicated and successful visions by the congregations of Grace Church as its Gothic sanctuary remains rich in its religious symbolism; and
Whereas, over the past 150 years, Grace Church has been served by only nine Rectors: The Reverends W. W. Spear, (1847-1855), Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1855-1898), E. L. Goodwin (1889-1899), J. W. Gresham (1900-1902), William Way (1902-1946), Ralph S. Meadowcroft (1946-1972), T. Stuart Matthews (1973-1976), Benjamin B. Smith (1977-1991), and the current Rector, the Reverend Donald S. McPhail, installed as Rector in September, 1992; and
Whereas, the members as well as the leaders of Grace Church have continuously recognized music as a very vital and important part of the church ministry with its forty-member concert Adult choir, two children's choirs, the Reuter Organ which has been modified numerous times and presently has fifty-six ranks (sixty-one pipes each), including an antiphonal organ with trompette-en-chamade; and
Whereas, the membership of the church remains today a congregation of faith and loyalty to God, and dedicated in their commitment to visions of growth in a complete program of worship, education, and service through the "Ministry of All...to All"; and
Whereas, the members of the General Assembly are greatly honored to have the opportunity to recognize the outstanding and loyal congregation of Grace Episcopal Church on this auspicious occasion. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, recognizes and congratulates the congregation of the Grace Episcopal Church of Charleston, South Carolina, for the inspiration of its past, its sensitivity to the opportunities of the present, and the hope and alertness to the challenges of a bright future on the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of its founding, February 18, 1996.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Rector and members of Grace Episcopal Church.