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St. Louis City Resolution Number 195 November 13, 2009 |
| Resolutions adopted during the 2009 session by the St. Louis City
Board of Aldermen have been converted to electronic format by the staff of the St. Louis
Public Library. This electronic version has been done for the interest and convenience of
the user. These are unofficial versions and should be used as unofficial copies. Official printed copies of St. Louis City Ordinances may be obtained from the Register's Office at the St. Louis City Hall. |
WHEREAS, we have been apprised that the Holy Trinity Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church is celebrating its 100 year anniversary; and
WHEREAS, in the late 1880's, the St. Louis Serbs lived in three separate enclaves according to the provinces from which they had come: one group on North Broadway, the second on Chouteau Avenue, and the third in the southern part of the city; and
WHEREAS, the idea and movement for establishing a church-school congregation as a need originated in the ranks of the then existing singing society "Gusle" which was organized in 1908. The all-Serbian meeting was held August 1, 1909. The assembly voted unanimously to form a congregation under the name "Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church-School Congregation 'Holy Trinity' of St. Louis, Missouri;" and
WHEREAS, the first concern of the newly organized congregation was the opening of a Serbian school and the purchasing of a building. At the following meeting a special committee reported the purchase of a building on the corner of 8th and Barry Street. On March 10, 1912, the St. Louis congregation selected Milutin Jankovich from Cincinnati as their first parish priest. Father Jankovich served his first service in the hall on Palm Sunday, March 31, 1912; and
WHEREAS, on April 25, 1926 a general meeting was held at which was unanimously decided to build a church and to proceed with fund-raising at once. The most suitable location was at Geyer and McNair. The ground was dedicated on October 23, 1927 and the cornerstone laid on June 2, 1928; and
WHEREAS, with the outbreak of World War II the St. Louis Serbian community rallied to its patriotic duty by sending over 160 members to serve in the armed forces of our country. The various church organizations participated actively in many patriotic programs, benefits and drives, selling approximately $150,000.00 in War Bonds. In 1949 the first group of Serbian refugees from Europe began to arrive in St. Louis. A special committee, with the priest as chairman, was organized to receive and find employment for the new arrivals. The group completed this patriotic and humane mission with great understanding and kindness and helped approximately 10,000 Serbs to come to this country in the years 1949-1951; and
WHEREAS, due to a shrinking and aging membership, Holy Trinity began looking for a new and innovative ways to financially sustain it. The two largest ventures answering to that need included the establishment of a yearly festival, affectionately called "SerbFest" and the church also began catering services which has helped to financially support the parish. The St. Louis Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church-School Congregation, as it moves into the 21st century, will be led by and congregated with the great grandchildren, grandchildren and children of the men and women who, through the love for their Orthodoxy and Serbian heritage, decided to form a "spiritual home" for themselves 100 years ago.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Louis that we pause in our deliberations to recognize the 100th Anniversary of the Holy Trinity Serbian Eastern Orthodox Church and we direct the Clerk of this Board to spread a copy of this Resolution across the minutes of these proceedings and to further prepare a commemorative copy to the end that it may be presented to our honorees at a time and place deemed appropriate by the Sponsor.
Introduced on the 13th day of November, 2009 by:
Honorable Phyllis Young, Alderwoman 7th Ward
Honorable Lewis E. Reed, President of the Board of AldermenAdopted this the 13th day of November, 2009 as attested by:
_____________________
David W. Sweeney
Clerk, Board of Aldermen____________________________
Lewis E. Reed
President, Board of Aldermen