WHEREAS, for more than 50 years, New Creation United Methodist Church has provided spiritual guidance, opportunities for joyful worship, and generous outreach programs to the Hampton Roads community; and

WHEREAS, originally known as Aldersgate United Methodist Church, New Creation United Methodist Church moved into its current building at 4320 Bruce Road in Chesapeake in 1969; and

WHEREAS, New Creation United Methodist Church offers three worship services every Sunday to meet the needs of its 2,000-member congregation; and

WHEREAS, New Creation United Methodist Church is home to an active youth ministry; a Vacation Bible Camp; and KinderPrep, a licensed preschool program that serves 140 children and their families; the church also supports Boy Scouts of America Troop 212; and

WHEREAS, New Creation United Methodist Church's United Methodist Women Circles support Edmarc Hospice for Children and H.E.R. Shelters in Portsmouth and Chesapeake; and

WHEREAS, among its many community outreach programs, New Creation United Methodist Church has hosted blood drives that have collected more than 6,800 units of blood since the year 2000; and

WHEREAS, New Creation United Methodist Church's food pantry supplies groceries and basic toiletries to 40 local families twice each month, and members of the congregation serve food to the homeless at Oasis Social Ministry's soup kitchen in Portsmouth; and

WHEREAS, members of New Creation United Methodist Church volunteer their time and leadership to the Faith Works Coalition, United Methodist Committee on Relief, Hands of God, Wesley Community Center, Red Bird Mission, and the Salvation Army; outside of the Commonwealth, members of the church have participated in mission trips to Honduras, Haiti, and Ukraine; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That New Creation United Methodist Church hereby be commended for its decades of service and spiritual leadership; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to New Creation United Methodist Church as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the church's legacy of contributions to the Hampton Roads community.