1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1019 1-3 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to 1-4 recognize the Reverend Raphael C. Smith, who is retiring after 1-5 27 years of exceptional service to Mount Olive Baptist Church and 1-6 to the Austin community; and 1-7 WHEREAS, During his 27 years as pastor, Reverend Smith 1-8 has worked hard to extend services and support to Mount Olive's 1-9 congregation; he established an Under Shepherd Program whose 1-10 function is to keep in contact with and assist in meeting members' 1-11 needs; he also implemented a Transportation Ministry to assist 1-12 members in attending church; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Reverend Smith's tenure saw the establishment of 1-14 an Educational Committee, where members work to develop a unified 1-15 church education program and to award scholarships to the church's 1-16 graduating seniors; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Pastor Smith has addressed the needs of young 1-18 people in his congregation; he instituted a Children's Church for 1-19 three-to-12-year olds; and, in 1981, he began the church's annual 1-20 youth weekend, "Harvest Festival," as well as "Family Night," an 1-21 evening to honor the accomplishments of youth membership; and 2-1 WHEREAS, Over the almost three decades that Reverend Smith 2-2 has led Mount Olive, the church has experienced prodigious growth; 2-3 to meet the expanding congregation's needs, Reverend Smith presided 2-4 over the construction of new facilities while ensuring the church's 2-5 fiscal well-being; the congregation saw the burning of its first 2-6 mortgage of $38,000 in five years and the burning of its second 2-7 mortgage in only nine years; and 2-8 WHEREAS, In addition to tending to his congregation's needs, 2-9 Reverend Smith has managed to serve the Austin community as well; 2-10 he has been President of Saint John Sunday School and the BTU 2-11 Congress; he has served as Co-chair of Austin Interfaith Sponsoring 2-12 Committee and as a member of the Austin Planning Commission; he 2-13 also served as a board member of Austin Meals on Wheels; 2-14 Reverend Smith is a past president of the Baptist Minister's Union 2-15 of Austin, as well as President of the Central East Austin Care 2-16 Givers; and 2-17 WHEREAS, His many hours of selfless civic service and 2-18 spiritual guidance have earned Reverend Smith such honors as 2-19 the Austin Legend Award from Austin's Villager newspaper and an 2-20 Honorary Doctorate from Huston-Tillotson College; and 2-21 WHEREAS, Reverend Smith is a loving husband to Blondell Smith 2-22 and a devoted father to Raneza and Raette Smith; and 2-23 WHEREAS, As Reverend Smith is a native of Loveland, Ohio, 2-24 the Texas Senate is pleased to have this distinguished gentleman 3-1 among its citizenry; he has earned the love and respect of his 3-2 family and community; for his years of spiritual guidance, his 3-3 magnanimous spirit, and his kind heart, the congregation of 3-4 Mount Olive Baptist Church is thankful; now, therefore, be it 3-5 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 3-6 76th Legislature, hereby commend and honor Reverend Raphael C. Smith 3-7 for his many years of outstanding service to his congregation and 3-8 to Austin; and, be it further 3-9 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared 3-10 for Reverend Smith as an expression of high regard from the 3-11 Texas Senate. 3-12 Barrientos 3-13 ______________________________________ 3-14 President of the Senate 3-15 I hereby certify that the above 3-16 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 3-17 on May 19, 1999. 3-18 ______________________________________ 3-19 Secretary of the Senate 3-20 ______________________________________ 3-21 Member, Texas Senate