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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The members of Greater Saint Mark Ministries in Fort |
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Worth joined together on September 8, 2023, to honor Bishop |
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Dr. Mark D. Kirkland for his five decades in the ministry; and |
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WHEREAS, A spiritual leader from a young age, Dr. Kirkland |
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was ordained as a minister during his junior year of high school; he |
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became the third senior pastor of Greater Saint Mark Missionary |
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Baptist Church in February 1997, and under his able leadership, the |
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church became a nondenominational body known as Greater Saint Mark |
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Ministries; in 2006, he cofounded Rehoboth Fellowship |
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International, and he currently serves that organization as chief |
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presiding prelate; in addition, he received his Episcopal |
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ordination and consecration as a bishop on September 29, 2007; over |
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the years, he has participated in several missions to provide |
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supplies and financial aid to families and communities in African |
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countries; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Kirkland previously attended Southern Bible |
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Institute and Saint Leo College in Georgia; in 2010, he obtained a |
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doctoral degree in theology from Trinity International Seminary in |
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Dallas, where he also served as president for four years; he was |
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presented with an honorary doctor of divinity from Grace |
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International Seminary in Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, Answering his nation's call to duty, Dr. Kirkland |
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served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1983 to 2004; he has been |
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involved in a number of boards and civic organizations, including |
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the Genesis Way Foundation, the Young Ministers Coalition of |
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Greater Atlanta, the Fireball Express, Umoja, and the Dunbar Young |
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Men's Leadership Academy Site Base Management Team; moreover, he |
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has served as a chaplain for the Texas Department of Corrections, |
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and he has contributed to a wide range of community service |
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projects, events, and relief efforts; and |
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WHEREAS, Bishop Dr. Mark Kirkland has long set an inspiring |
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example of faith in action, and the members of his congregation have |
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greatly benefited from his wise counsel and spiritual guidance; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby congratulate Bishop |
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Dr. Mark D. Kirkland on his 50th anniversary in the ministry and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Kirkland as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |