H.C.R. No. 135
                              HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, On April 30, 1995, the Reverend Neal Thomas Jones,
    1-2  Sr., will retire as pastor of Columbia Baptist Church in Falls
    1-3  Church, Virginia, drawing to a close 46 years of faithful service
    1-4  to the spiritual needs of others; and
    1-5        WHEREAS, The son of Thomas R. and Lucille Yann Jones, Pastor
    1-6  Jones was born May 3, 1926, in Beuchel, Kentucky; he was graduated
    1-7  from Texas Christian University before going on to earn a divinity
    1-8  degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1952; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Well regarded by his colleagues throughout the
   1-10  ministry, he later was bestowed with honorary degrees from
   1-11  Bluefield Baptist College and the University of Richmond and most
   1-12  recently was awarded an honorary doctorate in humane letters by
   1-13  Baptist College and Seminary of Washington; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, Pastor Jones was ordained to the ministry by First
   1-15  Baptist Church in Dallas in 1949 and began his pastorage at the
   1-16  community's Cockrell Hill Baptist Church in the following year; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, He went on to offer spiritual guidance at churches
   1-18  in Greenville and Vernon and at Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church in
   1-19  Dallas before settling in Falls Church, Virginia, where he has
   1-20  ministered to the flock at Columbia Baptist Church since 1969; and
   1-21        WHEREAS, Reverend Jones has continually worked for the
   1-22  benefit of the religious community through his outstanding service
   1-23  to his community and denomination; early in his career, he served
   1-24  on the State Missions Commission in Texas and was a trustee at
    2-1  Howard Payne College in Brownwood, and recently he offered wise and
    2-2  thoughtful guidance as president of the Virginia Baptist General
    2-3  Board and as chairman of the Virginia Baptist Denominational
    2-4  Affairs Committee; and
    2-5        WHEREAS, He also has sought to spread his Christian ministry
    2-6  abroad; after preaching in Japan as part of the Japanese New Life
    2-7  Movement, he traveled throughout Eastern and Southern Africa with
    2-8  the Southern Baptist Convention's Foreign Mission Board and visited
    2-9  Russia with the Baptist World Alliance; and
   2-10        WHEREAS, A man of boundless devotion and compassion, he
   2-11  currently serves with distinction as an esteemed member of the
   2-12  Prison Fellowship Executive Board and the Board of Regents at
   2-13  Baylor University; and
   2-14        WHEREAS, Reverend Jones also is a devoted family member who
   2-15  has been married to Betty Adams Jones since 1949; the loving couple
   2-16  are the proud parents of four children, all of whom are graduates
   2-17  of Baylor University: Neal Thomas Jones, Jr., Betsy Jones
   2-18  McElmurray, Jeffrey David Jones, and Caroline Adams Jones; and
   2-19        WHEREAS, For nearly half a century, Pastor Jones's
   2-20  outstanding spiritual leadership, understanding guidance, and
   2-21  strong faith have been a tremendous source of inspiration to many
   2-22  people in his church and community, and he is most worthy of
   2-23  special recognition on the occasion of his retirement from the
   2-24  active ministry; now, therefore, be it
   2-25        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   2-26  hereby commend Pastor Neal Thomas Jones, Sr., on his exemplary
   2-27  service as a minister and extend to him warmest best wishes for a
    3-1  happy and fulfilling retirement; and, be it further
    3-2        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
    3-3  prepared for Pastor Jones as an expression of high regard by the
    3-4  Legislature of the State of Texas.