TITLE: Honoring Bishop Ronnie Elijah Brailsford Sr. for his outstanding contributions as a spiritual leader.

SUMMARY: Honoring Bishop Ronnie Elijah Brailsford Sr. for his outstanding contributions as a spiritual leader.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Bishop Ronnie Elijah Brailsford Sr. has inspired and uplifted countless people through his lifetime of service in the ministry and the African Methodist Episcopal Church; and WHEREAS, Ronnie Brailsford was elected and consecrated as the 136th bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church during the 50th Quadrennial General Conference held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in July 2016; he has since distinguished himself through his tenure as president of the AME Church's Council of Bishops, and since August 2024, he has proudly served as the presiding prelate of the 10th Episcopal District of the AME Church in Texas; and WHEREAS, Over the years, Bishop Brailsford has upheld and advanced the humanitarian mission of the AME Church; he previously served the 19th and 20th Episcopal Districts, which together encompass more than 77,000 members in South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique; he has visited hundreds of churches and dozens of AME schools in Africa, and he has helped oversee a number of fundraisers, medical mission trips, and disaster relief efforts that have provided aid to thousands of people; and WHEREAS, A native of South Carolina, Bishop Brailsford graduated from the University of South Carolina and earned his master of divinity degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was a Benjamin E. Mays Fellow and a John Middleton Scholar; he received his doctor of ministry degree from United Theological Seminary, and he has been recognized with many academic, professional, and community accolades, as well as an honorary doctor of divinity degree from the African Methodist Episcopal University in Monrovia, Liberia; and WHEREAS, Licensed to preach at the Historic Liberty Hill AME Church in Summerton, South Carolina, in 1980, Bishop Brailsford went on to pastor at churches in South Carolina and Georgia before assuming the pulpit of Bethel AME Church in Columbia, South Carolina, and guiding the congregation from 1992 to 2016; during that time, his leadership brought about significant growth in the church's membership and financial standing; and WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Bishop Brailsford has enjoyed the love and support of his wife of more than 40 years, Carolyn Brailsford, as well as their three children and seven grandchildren; and WHEREAS, This esteemed clergyman has demonstrated a wholehearted commitment to his church and his wider community of faith, and his many good works have earned him the respect and admiration of all who know him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby honor Bishop Ronnie Elijah Brailsford Sr. for his outstanding contributions as a spiritual leader and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Bishop Brailsford as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Reynolds Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 592 was adopted by the House on April 17, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 128, Nays 12, 2 present, not voting. Chief Clerk of the House