By:  Brimer                                            H.R. No. 248
       73R4400 PFG-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Three months after a fire severely damaged the
    1-2  Pleasant Ridge Church of Christ, the congregation was happily able
    1-3  to return to the church to worship in February, thanks to the hard
    1-4  work of its members and the support of the Fort Worth community,
    1-5  and this remarkable achievement will surely endure as a testament
    1-6  to the power of faith and perseverance; and
    1-7        WHEREAS, The five-alarm fire on November 9, 1992, destroyed
    1-8  classrooms and offices at the church's education building on
    1-9  Pleasant Ridge Road and left in its wake water and smoke-ruined
   1-10  pews and carpeting in the sanctuary and an estimated $2.5 million
   1-11  in structural damage; the enormity of the fire required the efforts
   1-12  of 71 fire fighters from several local fire departments to
   1-13  extinguish it; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, Within days of the massive fire, volunteers were
   1-15  working to refurbish the damaged sanctuary and rebuild the
   1-16  destroyed education facility under the dedicated leadership of the
   1-17  church's urgency committee, which acted swiftly and decisively in
   1-18  the weeks that followed; headed by minister Pat Malone, the
   1-19  nine-member committee met at 7:00 each weekday morning to plan the
   1-20  rebuilding effort, devoting countless hours to the vital project;
   1-21  and
   1-22        WHEREAS, The 1,200 members of the church responded generously
   1-23  in the aftermath of the tragedy, volunteering their time and energy
   1-24  to the undertaking and raising contributions in an amount that
    2-1  quickly surpassed all expectations; the church also received many
    2-2  deeply appreciated donations from caring citizens in the community;
    2-3  and
    2-4        WHEREAS, Undaunted by the recent difficulties, this dedicated
    2-5  congregation has carried on with its normal activities during the
    2-6  church's repair, conducting services and Bible classes at local
    2-7  schools and homes; despite the inconvenience, attendance remained
    2-8  high at Sunday services, and the church has welcomed 12 new
    2-9  families to the congregation since November; and
   2-10        WHEREAS, Transforming a negative event into a positive
   2-11  opportunity, the congregation looks forward to completing the new
   2-12  larger facility and a family life center in time for Christmas; and
   2-13        WHEREAS, One member compared the church's remarkable recovery
   2-14  to the natural forces that form a diamond, just as that brilliant
   2-15  gem is forged from great pressure, so too has this faithful
   2-16  congregation emerged from adversity stronger and brighter than
   2-17  ever; the congregation's recent efforts to overcome significant
   2-18  hardship are indeed commendable and deserving of legislative
   2-19  recognition; now, therefore, be it
   2-20        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
   2-21  Legislature honor the many dedicated members of the Pleasant Ridge
   2-22  Church of Christ and the generous citizens of the Fort Worth
   2-23  community who joined together to rebuild this valued house of
   2-24  worship; and, be it further
   2-25        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-26  prepared for the members of this outstanding congregation as an
   2-27  expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.