[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 107 (Wednesday, September 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1470-E1471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE 300TH ANNIVERSARIES OF ST. DAVID'S CHURCH AND ST. PETER'S 
                       CHURCH IN THE GREAT VALLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. CURT WELDON

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 13, 2000

  Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the 
parishioners of St. David's Church, Wayne and St. Peter's Church in the 
Great Valley, near Paoli, Pennsylvania for celebrating their 300th 
anniversaries. This historic milestone was reached on September 2, 
2000.
  It is often said of Pennsylvania that ``America starts here.'' This 
is particularly true for the greater Philadelphia region, where so many 
of our Founders came together to deliberate, where the Declaration of 
Independence was signed, and in whose fields and valleys so many cruel 
and bitter battles were fought during our Revolution. During this time 
of remembrance it is fitting to recall the people who settled Chester 
County, lived in its towns, educated its young, built its businesses, 
reached out to its needy, fought its wars and ultimately returned to 
its soil. A prominent role in the development of Chester County was 
played by St. David's Church in Wayne and St. Peter's Church in the 
Valley.
  As we reflect 300 years later on this rich history, it is my honor 
and privilege to congratulate the two current rectors, The Rev. John G. 
Tampa of St. Peter's and The Rev. W. Frank Allen of St. David's, who 
have the honor to serve their parishioners during this momentous time 
of celebration. Continuing a walk in faith begun over three centuries 
ago, they provide the leadership and vision that have made St. David's 
Church and St. Peter's Church in the Great Valley a cornerstone of 
spiritual leadership as well as a source of inspirational outreach and 
service. These churches remain to this day vibrant members of their 
community providing food, education, health care, shelter, training and 
countless other services to people in need.
  The two parishes were established in 1700 as missions of the historic 
Christ Church, Philadelphia, serving what was then the frontier regions 
of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Christ Church is familiar to students 
of our history, for it was the site where our Founders met to discuss 
and later to proclaim our country and its unique form of government.
  From the moment of their founding, St. David's Church and St. Peter's 
Church in the Great Valley have played a prominent role in the history 
of Pennsylvania, and indeed of the nation. The first services were held 
in small log cabins, were tended by a circuit-riding clergyman and drew 
only a handful of Welsh pioneers. Today, the combined congregations of 
St. Peter's and St. David's exceed 3,000 parishioners, and they 
continue to grow.
  It is interesting to note that it was from St. David's Church that 
General Anthony Wayne, whom some regard as the real founder of the 
American Army, went off to fight with General Washington. It was to St. 
David's Church that his body was returned years later. Not 
surprisingly, St. David's and its graveyard have been designated as 
National Historic Landmarks.
  St. Peter's Church in the Great Valley, another National Historic 
Landmark, served as a

[[Page E1471]]

field hospital for soldiers wounded in the Brandywine campaign of 1777 
and later at Valley Forge. Its graveyard contains the remains of both 
American and British soldiers killed during the Revolution. Its 
beautiful grounds, a wildlife conservatory, were selected by Governor 
Tom Ridge as the site for the signing of Pennsylvania's innovative 
conservation measure, the ``Grow Greener'' bill.
  Mr. Speaker, St. David's Church and St. Peter's Church in the Great 
Valley have much to celebrate together as they mark their 300th 
anniversary. I congratulate everyone associated with these worship 
communities and wish them continued growth, happiness and success as 
they recall their journey: the road, the people, the vision and the 
faith, which brought them to this milestone.

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