[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 28, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BALDWIN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CAROLYN McCARTHY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 28, 2001

  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, the First Presbyterian Church 
of Baldwin on St. Luke's Place will celebrate its 75th anniversary on 
Sunday, May 20, 2001. The church's history and the congregation's 
contributions to Baldwin and the Long Island community are remarkable 
and noteworthy.
  A new church became a necessity in November 1923. A development of 
nearly 300 homes had been built north of the railroad, but the five 
churches in Baldwin were located south of the railroad. The expanding 
community recognized the need for a new church, and they began to use 
the Fire Department on Baldwin Avenue for Sunday School and church 
worship services. On May 14th, the church was recognized by the 
Brooklyn-Nassau Presbytery with a charter membership of fifty-nine 
people.
  The congregation and church building went through many changes over 
the years. In 1926, the congregation held its first worship service in 
its own portable ``building,'' which had been moved from Queens to 
Baldwin. This became too crowded for the growing membership, and the 
cornerstone for a new church building was laid on November 30, 1930. 
The St. Luke's Place building was completed in 1931. Although badly 
damaged by a fire in 1940, it remains the central structure of the 
church to this day.
  By 1960, membership was nearing 900. An education building had been 
built 10 years earlier to accommodate the growing Sunday School. Many 
organized groups were founded for both adults and children, and church 
facilities were being used by community groups. A new sanctuary was 
added in 1961, and considerable renovations to the original building 
were made. A church member opened a full-time state licensed nursery 
school, now in the thirty-seventh year of operation.
  Today, the First Presbyterian Church of Baldwin at 717 Luke's Place 
is a mini-complex of buildings that serves the community not only as a 
Christian congregation, but as a meeting place for many non-religious 
groups such as the Girl and Boy Scouts, and Alcoholics and Gamblers 
Anonymous. The nursery school provides pre-school education for 
seventy-five three and four year olds.
  I congratulate the entire congregation, past and present, on their 
remarkable achievement and contribution to Long Island.

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