A house RESOLUTION

TO CELEBRATE THE JOYOUS OCCASION OF THE HISTORIC ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAINT BEULAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH AND TO CONGRATULATE AND COMMEND THE REVEREND TERRENCE L. WASHINGTON AND THE CONGREGATION FOR THEIR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THEIR GOD AND TO THE FLORENCE COMMUNITY.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to learn that Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church of Florence County is celebrating its centennial anniversary; and

Whereas, the church traces its roots to an 1893 deed for property purchased from the Jeffries Creek Free Will Baptist Association in 1925, along with a "Saint" Beulah congregation present in Florence County in 1891; and

Whereas, Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church was formed when the old St Beulah Missionary Baptist Church known as the Ditch Bank Church and pastored by Reverend Johnny Mack and the Jeffries Creek Free Will Baptist Church known as the Bush Shelter pastored by Reverend Frank Johnson joined as one; and

Whereas, the leaders of the two churches thought it to be in the best interest of both communities to purchase the land on which the Old St. Beulah Missionary Baptist Church was located from Steve Taylor on December 27, 1924, for one hundred fifty dollars.  The land was deeded on January 3, 1925, and construction began on the new church as members donated their time and work for free; and

Whereas, from the late 1930s until 1950 Saint Beulah operated a school for grades up through the eighth grade; and

Whereas, over the past one hundred years Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church has had several pastors who helped to add many members, auxiliaries, upgrades, and accomplishments to make Saint Beulah the thriving church it is today.  Currently the church is under the leadership of Reverend Terrence L. Washington and his ministerial staff; and

Whereas, in 2020, a worldwide pandemic forced the Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church and many houses of worship to shut the doors to worship services to which they were accustomed; however, the leadership of Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church came together and used twenty-first century technology to implement use of social media outlets and conference calling to hold worship services.  This opened up a new era of worship experiences for Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church members and others; and

Whereas, the members of St. Beulah Missionary Baptist Church are proud of their glorious past and look to God for a long and prosperous future, thanking God for their many blessings over the past one hundred years; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives wish to join in celebrating this momentous centennial anniversary of Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church with Reverend Terrence L. Washington, the congregation, and their friends and families in the Florence community. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, celebrate the joyous occasion of the historic one hundredth anniversary of Saint Beulah Missionary Baptist Church and congratulate and commend the Reverend Terrence L. Washington and the congregation for their years of dedicated service to their God and to the Florence community.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Reverend Terrence L. Washington.

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