A senate RESOLUTION

TO HONOR THE REVEREND GEORGE P. WINDLEY, SR., PASTOR OF EBENEZER MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN MANNING, FOR HIS FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF GOSPEL MINISTRY AT EBENEZER, TO CONGRATULATE HIM ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RECENT RETIREMENT, AND TO WISH HIM THE LORD'S RICHEST BLESSINGS IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

Whereas, it is entirely appropriate to honor those individuals who give selflessly of themselves to nurture the souls of men. The Reverend George P. Windley, Sr., pastor of Manning's Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church, stands high as an outstanding minister of the gospel, one greatly respected by his colleagues, congregation, and community; and

Whereas, born in Conway, George Windley holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Divinity from Morris College. He pursued further studies at Colgate Divinity School in New York and completed five units of clinical pastoral education. He has served as an instructor at Morris College School of Religion and as director of the Men's Residence Hall at Morris College. In addition, this patriotic American served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam conflict (1969-1971); and

Whereas, in 1987, he founded Manhood/Womanhood Training, through which more than two thousand young people have received vital training. Moreover, he served as a commissioner for the National Baptist Convention of America USA Inc. Prison Ministry; and

Whereas, the first African American to be named senior chaplain with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Pastor Windley also has served as president of the Kingston Lake Congress of Christian Education, founder and former president of Clarendon County Ministerial Alliance, and president of Morris College Alumni Association's Clarendon County branch. He is a member of the Baptist E&M Convention of South Carolina, where he serves as coordinator of prison ministry, and is the immediate past moderator of the Black River Missionary Baptist Association (2017-2022); and

Whereas, in addition to his service as pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church (1978-2023), he served as pastor of Pilgrimford Baptist Church (Yemassee), Saint Elizabeth Baptist (Aynor), and Saint Peter Baptist Church (Burgess); and

Whereas, in recognition of his spirit of excellence and dedicated service to the people of South Carolina, Pastor Windley has been granted various honors, among them an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Morris College. He also has been named an Outstanding Young Man of America, Burgess Community Man of the Year, and Turbeville Correctional Institution Employee of the Year; and

Whereas, Pastor Windley considers it one of the greatest triumphs of his life that he was able to persuade the lovely Linda Windley to become his wife. They are the proud parents of George, Jr., Belinda, and Mark. The senior Windleys have been further blessed with five grandchildren; and

Whereas, to recognize Reverend Windley for his many decades of ministerial service to the Lord, the congregation of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church will host a banquet in his honor on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at which time he will be honored with the title of pastor emeritus; and

Whereas, cognizant of his many years of spiritual shepherding of the people of this great State, the Senate takes great pleasure in expressing grateful thanks to Reverend Windley and in wishing him God's best as he continues to run the race the Lord has set before him. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, honor the Reverend George P. Windley, Sr., pastor of Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Manning, for his forty-four years of gospel ministry at Ebenezer, congratulate him on the occasion of his recent retirement, and wish him the Lord's richest blessings in the days ahead.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Reverend George P. Windley, Sr.

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