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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
21-267
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
September 20, 2016
To recognize and honor Mt. Zion United Methodist Church on the occasion of its 200th anniversary.
WHEREAS, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church (“Mt. Zion”) is celebrating the journey to 200 years of ministry with community events, service, and worship, themed “Footprints of the Past -Forming Blueprints of the Future”;
WHEREAS, Mt. Zion has been an integral and vital part of Georgetown and has served the religious, educational, and social needs of a significant portion of the Washington, D.C. community since its establishment 200 years ago;
WHEREAS, the founders of Mt. Zion, along with other free and enslaved black Methodists worshipped at the Montgomery Street Church (now Dumbarton United Methodist Church), founded in 1772;
WHEREAS, dissatisfied with the segregation they faced, some 15 black parishioners left the Montgomery Street Church and in 1816 founded their own congregation, which operated under the supervision of the Montgomery Street Church;
WHEREAS, until the abolition of slavery, Mt. Zion served as one of the stations on the Underground Railroad and in 1864 the Reverend John H. Brice was appointed as Mt. Zion’s first black minister;
WHEREAS, Reverend Johnnie W. Cogman serves as Mt. Zion’s Pastor and is the first African American female pastor of this historic church;
WHEREAS, Mt. Zion continues a 15-year tradition of service to the Georgetown community and Greater Washington by serving as the home for the weekly Georgetown Saturday Suppers that serve hot meals to our shelter-challenged friends in the District of Columbia; and
WHEREAS, Mt. Zion also has a partnership with a neighborhood middle school and its parishioners serve as trained mentors in the District of Columbia Department of Human Services’ “One Congregation, One Family” program.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Mt. Zion United Methodist Church Recognition Resolution of 2016”.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes Mt. Zion United Methodist Church and its celebration of 200 years of ministry and tradition of service.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first day of publication in the District of Columbia Register.
