89R20927 HMR-D
By: Miles S.R. No. 325
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Congregants from Brentwood Baptist Church in
Houston are gathering in Austin on March 25, 2025, to visit the
State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, On June 17, 1965, Brentwood Baptist was founded by
12 members who held meetings at a local elementary school until a
parcel of land could be purchased; in its early years, the church
benefited from the leadership of pastors Dr. Donald Carroll and
Dr. Herbert Nash; the Reverend Dr. Joe Samuel Ratliff was elected
pastor of the congregation in 1980, and he has since guided it
through more than four decades of substantial growth; his wife,
Doris Ernestine Gardner Ratliff, serves alongside him as the first
lady of the church; and
WHEREAS, Under Reverend Ratliff's leadership, the church saw
the addition of several new buildings throughout the 1980s,
including a prayer chapel and a worship center, and in 1997, the
Brentwood Cottages were constructed to serve as transitional
housing for individuals living with HIV/AIDS; by 2000, the church's
membership had grown from 500 to 12,000, and it had acquired 105
additional acres of land; moreover, the Doris Gardner Ratliff
Center for Child Development was completed in 2000, and the
75,000-square-foot Joe Samuel Ratliff Lifelong Learning Center was
added in 2001; and
WHEREAS, This venerable religious institution has played a
vital role in the community, providing its members with myriad
opportunities for spiritual growth, fellowship, and outreach; its
75 ministries include the Brentwood Community Foundation, which
works to improve the quality of life of the greater Houston
community, and the church also has special programs for congregants
of all ages; and
WHEREAS, Countless Houston residents have looked to
Brentwood Baptist Church for spiritual guidance through the years,
and it is a pleasure to join in welcoming the congregation to the
State Capitol; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature
hereby honor Brentwood Baptist Church and extend to its members
sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay in Austin;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the church as an expression of high regard by the Texas
Senate.