House Resolution 73

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MORGANTOWN CHURCH OF GOD UPON THE OCCASION OF ITS ANNIVERSARY AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE CELEBRATION OF 100 YEARS OF DEVOUT FAITH AND SPIRITUAL EXCELLENCE.

WHEREAS, in the year 2015, Morgantown Church of God is celebrating its 100th year anniversary of faithful and devout ministry; and

WHEREAS, in 1915, Warren E. Evans, Sr., and his wife, Nancy Beard Evans, returned from Florida to Morgantown, Marion County, Mississippi, as evangelists with the Church of God, and upon their return Morgantown became the birthplace of the Church of God in southern Mississippi and the Pentecostal Movement in Marion County; and

WHEREAS, the first services of the new Church of God in Morgantown were simply held as prayer meetings in local homes and later took place under a brush arbor along Joe Beard Creek; and

WHEREAS, in August 1916, through their faithful ministry efforts, Warren and Nancy Evans were able to organize a local church in the Morgantown Schoolhouse, with the congregation consisting of residents of both The Morgantown and Darbun communities; and

WHEREAS, within months of the organization of the local church, its membership increased exponentially and both the Morgantown and Darbun communities were able to reorganize their own local churches, with Darbun organizing in January followed by Morgantown on February 17th, which consisted of 17 charter members; and

WHEREAS, being chosen by God and the people of Morgantown, Reverend Robert Price was appointed as the first pastor of Morgantown Church because of his profound faith and unyielding willingness to serve his community; and

WHEREAS, in 1918, Morgantown Church of God, through its progressive faithfulness to kingdom ministry, was able to move into a newly constructed edifice of worship in Morgantown on property donated by B.J. and Effie Morgan; and

WHEREAS, in 1919, while serving as pastor of Morgantown Church, J.T. Priest became the first bishop ordained in the Church of God in Mississippi, and while at the same time his wife, Clara Allison Priest, served as an evangelist, who answered the Ecclesiastical call to service and had been helping bring people to the Lord since 1909; and

WHEREAS, Morgantown served as State Headquarters for the Church of God in Mississippi longer than any other place save one, the current location near Jackson, and many state administrative bishops resided in the local community, during which time the local church hosted numerous state conventions and camp meetings; and

WHEREAS, in addition to its ministry at home, Morgantown Church of God has focused on international educational efforts of the Church of God denomination; and

WHEREAS, Professor R.R. Walker, who was set forth into ministry at Morgantown Church in May 1933, was the denomination's first minister with an earned college degree, which he received at Mississippi College, and he later served as an international leader of the denomination and as a professor at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee; and

WHEREAS, Opal Morgan, who taught at the Church of God International Preparatory Institute, served in short-term mission efforts abroad in order to educate other cultures about the Church of God, and she was so well respected that there is currently a library named in her memory at Discipleship College in Eldoret, Kenya; and

WHEREAS, while living in Morgantown, Reverend Annie Heath served as the first State Discipleship Director for the Church of God in Mississippi, during which time she organized Mississippi's first statewide events for both the youth and female constituency of the denomination and also served as pianist for the denomination's annual International General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, in 1945, the first brick sanctuary for the Church of God in Mississippi was constructed in Morgantown, following a 9-week revival, which reached into surrounding communities and resulted in the organization of other congregations throughout Marion County; and

WHEREAS, local church ministers have served as evangelists, pastors and church visionaries and seeders throughout Mississippi and Louisiana, and have significantly contributed to the global missions efforts of the denomination, being recognized throughout the denomination for support of missions and benevolence ministries, educational impact and emphasis on spiritual renewal; and

WHEREAS, there have been several Morgantown ministers who were noted for their devout leadership and far reaching impact, their numbers including: Annie Bell Alexander, Ralph and Helen Boyles, Nellie Dunaway, Darrel Easterling, W.W. "Bill" Hammond, Mava Morgan McCoy, William R. Messer, B.J. Morgan, Hettie Pearson, Robert Price, W. Fount Sharp, J.R. Smith, Leon Thornhill, R.R. Walker and G.G. and Mamie Williams; and

WHEREAS, currently under the pastoral leadership of Reverend Cory Odom and his wife, Kayla, who together lead a devout congregation of 300 souls, Morgantown Church of God outnumbers even the population of the local community and is a testament to their powerful expository delivery of God's Word; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the church completed the construction of a new sanctuary in order to accomodate its growing congregation, and continues to be the leading congregation in the Church of God in Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend outstanding and contributory religious institutions such as Morgantown Church of God, which continues to be a cornerstone of Marion County and the Morgantown community as it continuously strives to promote the spread and growth of the Church of God denomination:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the diligence of the pastors and members of Morgantown Church of God on the occasion of the church's 100th year anniversary and extend warmest wishes for continued prosperity, spiritual growth and success.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Morgantown Church of God and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.