H.R. No. 77
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS,  As the international presiding bishop and chief
    1-2  executive officer of the Church of God in Christ, Bishop Louis
    1-3  Henry Ford has provided outstanding spiritual leadership and
    1-4  attended to the practical concerns of this flourishing church,
    1-5  which numbers more than four million members worldwide; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, A native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, this humble
    1-7  servant of God was called to the ministry at an early age;
    1-8  displaying superb organizational skill and management ability, he
    1-9  quickly rose to prominence in the Church of God in Christ, filling
   1-10  key leadership positions and spreading his inspirational message as
   1-11  a talented preacher; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, Bishop Ford is the founding pastor of St. Paul
   1-13  Church of God in Christ in Chicago, Illinois, where he has seen to
   1-14  the needs of his congregation for the past 58 years, lending
   1-15  spiritual guidance and moral support to countless individuals
   1-16  during that span; and
   1-17        WHEREAS, Before being elected to his current positions in
   1-18  1990, he had served an extraordinary tenure as the assistant
   1-19  presiding bishop for 18 years and gained widespread recognition in
   1-20  that capacity for his devotion to religious principles and to the
   1-21  needs of the church; and
   1-22        WHEREAS, In his current role, Bishop Ford is directing work
   1-23  on a number of important church projects, including the remodeling
   1-24  of the church-owned Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, and the
    2-1  reopening of Saints College in Lexington, Mississippi; and
    2-2        WHEREAS,  This dedicated and forward-looking man of God also
    2-3  envisions a dynamic role for his church at the forefront of
    2-4  institutions helping senior citizens, youth, and the disabled, and
    2-5  addressing problems such as homelessness and drug abuse that plague
    2-6  our society; and
    2-7        WHEREAS, Widely respected and admired by all who know him,
    2-8  Bishop Louis Henry Ford has touched the lives of many people
    2-9  throughout his ministry and has united the faithful worldwide with
   2-10  his vision and initiative; in light of his many contributions, he
   2-11  is indeed deserving of special legislative recognition; now,
   2-12  therefore, be it
   2-13        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-14  Legislature hereby commend Bishop Louis Henry Ford for his
   2-15  exemplary service and extend to him sincere best wishes for his
   2-16  continued success and happiness in the years to come; and, be it
   2-17  further
   2-18        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-19  prepared for Bishop Ford as an expression of highest regard by the
   2-20  Texas House of Representatives.