| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Suzii Paynter is retiring from the Baptist General |
|
|
Convention of Texas on March 1, 2013, following distinguished |
|
|
tenures as director of the Christian Life Commission and the |
|
|
Advocacy and Care Center; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Ms. Paynter joined the Christian Life Commission as |
|
|
director of public policy in 2001; she became director of the |
|
|
commission in 2006 and director of the Advocacy and Care Center in |
|
|
2011; as head of the CLC, she has led efforts to address a wide range |
|
|
of concerns: from food policy, hunger, and child and maternal |
|
|
nutrition to life issues, foster care, juvenile justice, predatory |
|
|
gambling, predatory lending practices, immigration, human |
|
|
trafficking, education, and energy; she has also overseen such |
|
|
far-reaching programs as the Texas Baptist Hunger Offering, which |
|
|
funds hundreds of hunger-relief projects both in Texas and around |
|
|
the world, and chaplaincy relations, which involves the work of 700 |
|
|
chaplains serving in the Advocacy and Care Center; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, In addition to her work with the Baptist General |
|
|
Convention of Texas, Ms. Paynter has been involved in interfaith |
|
|
efforts to shape public policy through her membership in the Bread |
|
|
for the World steering committee, her participation in the |
|
|
Evangelical Environmental Network, and her affiliation with the |
|
|
Religion and Foreign Policy network of the Council on Foreign |
|
|
Relations; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Before joining the BGCT, Ms. Paynter was engaged in |
|
|
promoting literacy for 25 years in a number of professional |
|
|
capacities, including as a literacy coordinator in the public |
|
|
schools, as a consultant, and as an educational publishing |
|
|
executive; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, The recipient of many well-deserved accolades, this |
|
|
esteemed Texan has been honored by the North American Association |
|
|
of Christians in Social Work, the Baptist Center for Ethics, the |
|
|
Criminal Justice Coalition, the AARP, the Sierra Club, Samaritan |
|
|
Counseling Centers, and Texans Standing Tall; in 2012, Dallas |
|
|
Baptist University conferred on her an honorary Doctor of |
|
|
Humanities degree; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Suzii Paynter has brought deeply caring, committed, |
|
|
and energetic leadership to bear on issues crucial to the |
|
|
well-being of all Texans, and her exceptional efforts will continue |
|
|
to resonate throughout the Lone Star State for years to come; now, |
|
|
therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby commend Suzii Paynter for her exemplary service |
|
|
with the Christian Life Commission and the Advocacy and Care Center |
|
|
of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and extend to her sincere |
|
|
best wishes for continued success in all of her endeavors; and, be |
|
|
it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for Ms. Paynter as an expression of high regard by the |
|
|
Texas House of Representatives. |