AL
Alabama Senate Bill SJR78

Alabama 2022 Regular Session

Alabama Senate Bill SJR78 Compare Versions

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11 1 SJR78
2-2 217746-6
2+2 217746-4
33 3 By Senators Roberts, Albritton, Allen, Barfoot, Beasley,
44 4 Butler, Chambliss, Chesteen, Coleman-Madison, Dunn, Elliott,
55 5 Figures, Givhan, Gudger, Hatcher, Holley, Jones, Livingston,
66 6 Marsh, McClendon, Melson, Orr, Price, Reed, Sanders-Fortier,
77 7 Scofield, Sessions, Shelnutt, Singleton, Smitherman, Stutts,
88 8 Waggoner, Weaver, Whatley and Williams
99 9 RFD:
1010 10 First Read: 15-MAR-22
1111
12-Page 0 SJR78
13-1 SJR78
12+Page 0 1 217746-4:n:03/14/2022:AR/ma LSA2022-678
1413 2
1514 3
16-4 ENROLLED, SJR78,
17-5 CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF DR. FRANK MOREHEAD BARKER,
18-6 JR.
15+4
16+5
17+6
1918 7
20-8 WHEREAS, it is with profound sorrow that we note the
21-9 death on December 27, 2021, of Dr. Frank Morehead Barker, Jr.,
22-10 at the age of 89; and
23-11 WHEREAS, his passing leaves a void in the lives of
24-12 his loving family, many friends, and the entire community,
25-13 where he was highly regarded; and
26-14 WHEREAS, Dr. Barker was born on January 31, 1932, to
27-15 Frank M. Barker, Sr. and Annie Lee Barker; and
28-16 WHEREAS, upon graduating from Ramsay High School in
29-17 1949, Dr. Barker attended Auburn University on a Naval Reserve
30-18 Officers' Training Corps Scholarship, where he played on the
31-19 tennis team; after graduating college with an engineering
32-20 degree, he became a Navy Jet Fighter Pilot and served during
33-21 the Korean War; during his time in the Navy, he also flew with
34-22 the Blue Angels as their official photographer; after a few
35-23 close calls while flying off of aircraft carriers, Dr. Barker
36-24 believed that God was trying to get his attention; in an
37-25 effort to amend his ways, he decided to attend seminary,
38-Page 1 SJR78
39-1 during which time he began pastoring a small church in Oxford,
40-2 Alabama, and for the first time, he began to question what it
41-3 truly meant to be a Christian; after an Air Force chaplain
42-4 explained that salvation was by grace, Dr. Barker's life was
43-5 completely transformed, and from that day forward, he lived to
44-6 share that news with others; to those who knew him, he
45-7 exemplified the life of a "dead man walking"; and
46-8 WHEREAS, in 1960, Dr. Barker returned to Birmingham,
47-9 Alabama, to start Briarwood Church in a storefront in Cahaba
48-10 Heights; in 1961, he and Barbara Brown Barker were married in
49-11 the storefront; over the next 39 years, Dr. Barker and his
50-12 wife served side by side, watching God multiply their church
51-13 and magnify Himself through their ministry; fueled by the
52-14 vision of "reaching Birmingham to reach the world for Christ,"
53-15 Dr. Barker oversaw the foundation of Briarwood Christian
54-16 School, Birmingham Theological Seminary, Campus Outreach,
55-17 Briarwood Ballet, Camp Briarwood, and numerous ministries for
56-18 business and medical professionals; in 1973, he was
57-19 instrumental in the formation of a new denomination, the
58-20 Presbyterian Church in America, a conservative break from the
59-21 mainline Presbyterian Church of the United States of America;
60-22 until his final breath, Dr. Barker faithfully served the Lord
61-23 and taught His Word; and
62-24 WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his parents;
63-25 and his sister, Minnie Lee Barker Livingston; and
64-Page 2 SJR78
65-1 WHEREAS, Dr. Barker is survived by his children,
19+8 CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF DR. FRANK MOREHEAD BARKER,
20+9 JR.
21+10
22+11 WHEREAS, it is with profound sorrow that we note the
23+12 death on December 27, 2021, of Dr. Frank Morehead Barker, Jr.,
24+13 at the age of 89; and
25+14 WHEREAS, his passing leaves a void in the lives of
26+15 his loving family, many friends, and the entire community,
27+16 where he was highly regarded; and
28+17 WHEREAS, Dr. Barker was born on January 31, 1932, to
29+18 Frank M. Barker, Sr. and Annie Lee Barker; and
30+19 WHEREAS, upon graduating from Ramsay High School in
31+20 1949, Dr. Barker attended Auburn University on a Naval Reserve
32+21 Officers' Training Corps Scholarship, where he played on the
33+22 tennis team; after graduating college with an engineering
34+23 degree, he became a Navy Jet Fighter Pilot and served during
35+24 the Korean War; during his time in the Navy, he also flew with
36+25 the Blue Angels as their official photographer; after a few
37+26 close calls while flying off of aircraft carriers, Dr. Barker
38+27 believed that God was trying to get his attention; in an
39+Page 1 1 effort to amend his ways, he decided to attend seminary,
40+2 during which time he began pastoring a small church in Oxford,
41+3 Alabama, and for the first time, he began to question what it
42+4 truly meant to be a Christian; after an Air Force chaplain
43+5 explained that salvation was by grace, Dr. Barker's life was
44+6 completely transformed, and from that day forward, he lived to
45+7 share that news with others; to those who knew him, he
46+8 exemplified the life of a "dead man walking"; and
47+9 WHEREAS, in 1960, Dr. Barker returned to Birmingham,
48+10 Alabama, to start Briarwood Church in a storefront in Cahaba
49+11 Heights; in 1961, he and Barbara Brown Barker were married in
50+12 the storefront; over the next 39 years, Dr. Barker and his
51+13 wife served side by side, watching God multiply their church
52+14 and magnify Himself through their ministry; fueled by the
53+15 vision of "reaching Birmingham to reach the world for Christ,"
54+16 Dr. Barker oversaw the foundation of Briarwood Christian
55+17 School, Birmingham Theological Seminary, Campus Outreach,
56+18 Briarwood Ballet, Camp Briarwood, and numerous ministries for
57+19 business and medical professionals; in 1973, he was
58+20 instrumental in the formation of a new denomination, the
59+21 Presbyterian Church in America, a conservative break from the
60+22 mainline Presbyterian Church of the United States of America;
61+23 until his final breath, Dr. Barker faithfully served the Lord
62+24 and taught His Word; and
63+25 WHEREAS, he was preceded in death by his parents;
64+26 and his sister, Minnie Lee Barker Livingston; and
65+Page 2 1 WHEREAS, Dr. Barker is survived by his children,
6666 2 Anita Barnes (Billy), Frank Barker, III (Pam), and Peggy
6767 3 Townes (Tim); 14 grandchildren; nine, plus two on the way,
6868 4 great-grandchildren; and the thousands of people who know
6969 5 Jesus because of his life; and
7070 6 WHEREAS, although his presence will be greatly
7171 7 missed, the memory of Dr. Barker will be cherished in the
7272 8 hearts of all who knew and loved him; now therefore,
73-9 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH
74-10 HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That the death of Dr. Frank
75-11 Morehead Barker, Jr. is recorded with deep sadness, and this
76-12 resolution is offered in tribute to his life, along with
77-13 heartfelt sympathy to his family, whose grief is shared by
78-14 many.
79-Page 3 SJR78
80-1
81-2
82-3
83-4
84-President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
85-
86-5
87-6 Speaker of the House of Representatives
88-SJR787
89-8 Senate 15-MAR-22
90-9 I hereby certify that the within Senate Joint Resolution
91-10 originated in and was adopted by the Senate.
92-11
93-12 Patrick Harris,
94-13 Secretary.
95-14
96-15
97-16
98-17 House of Representatives
99-18 Adopted: 31-MAR-22
100-19
101-20
102-21 By: Senator Roberts
103-Page 4
73+9 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE LEGISLATURE OF
74+10 ALABAMA, That the death of Dr. Frank Morehead Barker, Jr. is
75+11 recorded with deep sadness, and this resolution is offered in
76+12 tribute to his life, along with heartfelt sympathy to his
77+13 family, whose grief is shared by many.
78+Page 3