To the Mayor and Council of the City of Phoenix
 
WHEREAS, The City of Phoenix has committed itself to researching, preserving, sharing and celebrating its Black history - including the preservation of historically significant properties,
 
WHEREAS, The City of Phoenix recognizes that the Church of God In Christ (COGIC) is a major and predominantly Black religious denomination with historical ties to the spiritual and social development of Black life in this city,
 
WHEREAS, The Mother Church (Church #1) organized by the COGIC (located at 1302 E. Madison Street) has been deemed to be historic/contributing property to local Black History and was identified in several cultural surveys - including those commissioned by the city, 
 
WHEREAS, The COGIC represents the largest Black religious organization in the city and has produced many civic and political leaders who, from the humble edifice COGIC Mother church (Church #1), improved life for all Phoenicians,
 
WHEREAS, The COGIC welcomed nationally known and historically significant Black Leaders and Luminaries to meet and convene and - most importantly - to worship with the local Black Community at COGIC Mother church (Church #1), 

WHEREAS, A developer has sought a permit from the city to DEMOLISH the COGIC Mother church (Church #1) and tear down the physical representation of a community’s sacrifice and faithfulness to God and their fellow man, 

WHEREAS, The church CAN be saved, IS structurally sound, and the community has the MEANS to do it without government assistance, 

WHEREAS, The City of Phoenix has the power to hault the demolition in the name of historic preservation AND facilitate talks between the developer and the community to save the church,

WHEREAS, It is in the best interests of the city’s Black community to save and encourage adaptive reuse of historical structures like the church, for the sake of softening the impact of gentrification as development expands in Black neighborhoods, 

WHEREAS, The church could easily be preserved and serve a new purpose as a community anchor within the vision of the coming new development,

WHEREAS, The community feels more time and resources should be committed to properly understand the incredible historical significance of the church and the people/area it has served,  

WHEREAS, The demolition HAS NOT yet occurred and the church structure remains as it was, 

Pursuant to Chapter IV, Section 22 of the Phoenix City Charter, WE THE UNDERSIGNED, citizens and residents of the City of Phoenix, hereby petition the City Council to consider and enact within fifteen (15) days a resolution, ordinance or measure to STOP or HALT the demolition or the issuance of a permit for demolition of the COGIC Mother Church (Church #1) and take immediate action to preserve the building or assist the community in facilitating meetings to that end with the developer seeking the demolition action.