By Hodge                                               H.R. No. 752

         75R12951 SAJ-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, On September 9, 1997, members of Dallas's Pilgrim

 1-2     Rest Baptist Church will celebrate 62 years of faithful service to

 1-3     the spiritual needs of their community; and

 1-4           WHEREAS, The church was organized in 1935 by the Reverend S.

 1-5     G. Gooden, Sr., and the congregation first gathered for services at

 1-6     a home rented by the church, where industrious members fashioned an

 1-7     apple box into a pulpit and used a soda bottle filled with oil as a

 1-8     torch; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, Inspired leadership and an active membership have

1-10     helped the church to thrive through the years, and it outgrew its

1-11     edifice on three occasions as more individuals came to worship at

1-12     this renowned house of God; and

1-13           WHEREAS, In testament to the devotion of its clergy, Pilgrim

1-14     Rest Baptist Church has had only three pastors since its founding;

1-15     Reverend Gooden served the congregation for more than 20 years

1-16     before Reverend G. B. Prince, Jr., began his three-decade-long

1-17     tenure, which came to a close in 1989, and the church's current

1-18     minister, Reverend Curtis W. Wallace, has faithfully led the

1-19     congregation for the past seven years; and

1-20           WHEREAS, An ardent and dynamic servant of the Lord, Reverend

1-21     Wallace has developed and enhanced many church programs to better

1-22     meet the diverse needs of the community; in addition to expanding

1-23     the Pilgrim Rest Overcomers Program, he initiated several

1-24     ministries, organized scouting troops, and worked with the

 2-1     community's Adopt-A-School Program to form a partnership with J. W.

 2-2     Ray Elementary School; and

 2-3           WHEREAS, Throughout its proud history, Pilgrim Rest Baptist

 2-4     Church has provided outstanding spiritual leadership and moral

 2-5     guidance to its congregation; the church stands today as a tribute

 2-6     to the dedication and hard work of its members, past and present,

 2-7     who have devoted their time, energy, and resources to ensure its

 2-8     continued existence as a house of God; now, therefore, be it

 2-9           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-10     Legislature hereby honor Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church on the

2-11     occasion of its 62nd anniversary and commend the Reverend Curtis W.

2-12     Wallace and his congregation for the many significant contributions

2-13     they have made to the betterment of their community; and, be it

2-14     further

2-15           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-16     prepared for Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church as an expression of high

2-17     regard by the Texas House of Representatives.