[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23491-23492]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           OAKLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: A LEGACY OF 150 YEARS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 29, 2008

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Oakland 
Presbyterian Church in the Cleveland community of North Carolina as it 
celebrates its 150th anniversary. Oakland Presbyterian Church is the 
oldest Presbyterian church in Johnston County, North Carolina, and is 
an important institution in the region.
  Local residents, Mr. John McLean and Mrs. Sarah Sanders, first 
gathered worshipers under an old brush shelter about a mile from the 
present location on land that was then known as Finch Place. On 
Saturday, August 7, 1858, Oakland was officially organized into a 
Presbyterian Church by representatives of Orange Presbytery with a 
congregation of six charter members. The very next day, the 
congregation elected John W. Hodges as its first elder and the Reverend 
T.B. Neal was installed as the first pastor on October 30, 1858.
  The land for the church was donated by Mrs. Sanders, and because the 
property was

[[Page 23492]]

shaded by a stand of oak trees, it seemed natural for the congregation 
to choose Oakland for its name. Despite expansion and renovation, 
Oakland Church continues to worship at its original site, across from 
the old Cleveland School building where I attended school. The Oakland 
grounds encompass the Oakland Church Cemetery, which was established 
with the church and continues to serve the community. While tradition 
is strong here, there are also new additions. In 1972, church members 
contributed stones to build the ``Cairn of Remembrance,'' ``in memory 
of all who worshiped at this hallowed place since its founding in 
1858,'' as its dedicatory plaque reads. The stone monument, common in 
the Scottish Highlands, connects Oakland to its Presbyterian spiritual 
roots in Scotland.
  The congregation has been blessed by outstanding pastoral leadership, 
which continues today with its current pastor, Dr. Stephen E. Aschmann, 
a native of Richmond, Virginia. Among the many notable church leaders 
was Dr. Drury Lacy II, former president of Davidson College, who 
performed the marriage ceremony for ``Stonewall'' Jackson and his bride 
Mary Anna Morrison. Another of the congregation's early ministers was 
Dr. Benjamin Rice Lacy, Jr., who was elected to serve as the Moderator 
of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United 
States, the most honored office in the denomination. Dr. Lacy also 
served for many years as president of Union Theological Seminary in 
Richmond, Virginia.
  From the beginning, Oakland has also been guided by strong and 
progressive lay leadership. In 1969, Mrs. Gladys E. Barber and Miss 
Elizabeth Talton made history when they became the first women to be 
elected and ordained as deacons. Later in 1975, Mrs. Barber was 
ordained as the congregation's first female elder.
  Oakland has a tradition of emphasizing service, mission, outreach, 
and education. In recent years the congregation has enjoyed widespread 
community support with its Harvest Day Sale and Golfing for Jessica 
Tournament. Oakland's annual Fourth of July Pancake Breakfast draws 
hundreds of local families and serves as the kick-off of the Celebrate 
Cleveland Independence Day Festivities.
  Today, the congregation offers a wide range of activities that 
minister to all ages. Members of the congregation lead the weekly 
Golden Circle Bible Study at the Brian Center nursing facility in 
Clayton. Two mission teams have been sent to New Orleans to help 
rebuild the community devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Ministries 
generously supported by the Oakland faith community include the Basic 
Needs Ministry, Harbor House, Operation Hope, the Relay for Life, 
Habitat for Humanity, wounded veterans and troops in foreign conflicts, 
local school teachers, and the Barium Springs Children's Home.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor Oakland Presbyterian Church as it 
celebrates 150 years of service to the community. I urge my colleagues 
to join me in commending this outstanding institution.

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