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A RESOLUTION recognizing and congratulating Reverend Willis Polk on his 1
retirement after 50 years of ministry and service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 2
WHEREAS, Reverend Willis Polk began his ministry in April of 1974 at First 3
Baptist Church of Versailles, Kentucky; and 4
WHEREAS, Reverend Polk prepared for a life working in ministry by studying 5
religion and theology at Georgetown College, the Lexington Theological Seminary, and 6
historically Black Simmons Bible College in Louisville; and 7
WHEREAS, Reverend Polk has led several different congregations across central 8
Kentucky, including First Baptist Church of Versailles, Antioch Baptist Church of 9
Lexington, and Imani Baptist Church of Lexington; and 10
WHEREAS, in addition to his pastoral work, Reverend Polk contributed to the 11
spiritual well-being of his community by serving as both the Historian and an instructor 12
in the Congress of Christian Education within the Progressive National Baptist 13
Convention, as well as working as Director of Personal Needs for Warnke International 14
Ministry; and 15
WHEREAS, Reverend Polk’s service to his community has extended beyond his 16
work in ministry, demonstrating his commitment to servant leadership; and 17
WHEREAS, Reverend Polk has served in a variety of positions in both academia 18
and public service, including President of the Woodford County NAACP; member of the 19
Kentucky State University Council for Agriculture, Research, Extension, and Teaching; 20
member of the Woodford County Planning and Zoning Commission; task force member 21
for the Kentucky’s Child and Adolescent Service System Program; coordinator for 22
Project Asset, a federally funded project with the Kentucky Office of Vocational 23
Rehabilitation; board member of a five county area board for Bluegrass Community 24
Action Agency; and member of an advisory committee for the National Youth Summer 25
Athletic Program at Kentucky State University; and 26
WHEREAS, Reverend Polk has received distinguished honors for his work in 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2076
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ministry, education, and public service, including the 1982 Outstanding Young Men of 1
America Award and being named a Kentucky Colonel by Governors Martha Layne 2
Collins and John Y. Brown; and 3
WHEREAS, Reverend Polk has chosen to retire after a long and storied career in 4
which he affected a strong positive impact on the spiritual, civic, and academic life of 5
central Kentucky; 6
NOW, THEREFORE, 7
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 8
Kentucky: 9
Section 1. The Senate hereby recognizes and congratulates Reverend Willis 10
Polk on his retirement after 50 years of ministry and service to the Commonwealth of 11
Kentucky. 12
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 13
Resolution to Senator Reginald Thomas for presentation. 14