| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 233 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize Bishop John Drew Sheard, who is hosting the National |
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| 4 | 4 | | Leadership Conference at the Church Of God In Christ in Dallas on |
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| 5 | 5 | | January 16 through 19, 2023; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The National Leadership Conference provides an |
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| 7 | 7 | | opportunity for members of the Church Of God In Christ to come |
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| 8 | 8 | | together from all over the state to honor their leaders, invest |
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| 9 | 9 | | in their faith, and learn the value of discipleship; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, The Church Of God In Christ was founded in 1907 by |
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| 11 | 11 | | Bishop Charles Harrison Mason; Mason inherited his faith from his |
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| 12 | 12 | | parents, Jerry and Eliza Mason, who were members of a missionary |
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| 13 | 13 | | Baptist church in Memphis, Tennessee, during the era of slavery; |
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| 14 | 14 | | since its existence, the church has evangelized to diverse |
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| 15 | 15 | | nations and has more than 6.5 million members globally, with |
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| 16 | 16 | | congregations in 63 countries; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Bishop J. Drew Sheard is the international bishop |
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| 18 | 18 | | and chief apostle of the church, the largest African American |
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| 19 | 19 | | Pentecostal denomination in the Holiness-Pentecostal tradition |
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| 20 | 20 | | in the United States; a beloved shepherd to his church, Bishop |
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| 21 | 21 | | Sheard was elected to the general board in 2012; he was reelected |
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| 22 | 22 | | to the board in 2016 and 2021 and was subsequently elected as |
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| 23 | 23 | | chief apostle to the Office of the Presiding Bishop; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Under Bishop Sheard's outstanding leadership, the |
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| 25 | 25 | | church has provided enlightenment, hope, and support to |
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| 26 | 26 | | innumerable Christians; a blessing to his family and a pillar to |
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| 27 | 27 | | his community, Bishop Sheard is a man of spiritual depth and |
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| 28 | 28 | | devotion; it is truly fitting that he receive honor for his |
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| 29 | 29 | | lifetime of dedicated ministry; now, therefore, be it |
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| 30 | 30 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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| 31 | 31 | | Legislature, hereby congratulate Bishop J. Drew Sheard for |
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| 32 | 32 | | hosting the 2023 National Leadership Conference of the Church Of |
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| 33 | 33 | | God In Christ; and, be it further |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 35 | 35 | | him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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| 36 | 36 | | West |
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| 37 | 37 | | ________________________________ |
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| 38 | 38 | | President of the Senate |
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| 39 | 39 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 40 | 40 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 41 | 41 | | the Senate on February 28, 2023. |
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| 42 | 42 | | ________________________________ |
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| 43 | 43 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 44 | 44 | | ________________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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