H 5237  Resolution, By Howard, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, 
Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bennett, Bernstein, Blackwell, Bradley, Brawley, 
Brittain, Bryant, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Carter, Caskey, Chumley, Clyburn, 
Cobb-Hunter, Cogswell, Collins, B.Cox, W.Cox, Crawford, Dabney, Daning, Davis, 
Dillard, Elliott, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrest, Fry, Gagnon, Garvin, 
Gatch, Gilliam, Gilliard, Govan, Haddon, Hardee, Hart, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, 
Henegan, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hill, Hiott, Hixon, Hosey, Huggins, Hyde, 
Jefferson, J.E.Johnson, J.L.Johnson, K.O.Johnson, Jones, Jordan, King, Kirby, 
Ligon, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Magnuson, Matthews, May, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, 
McGarry, McGinnis, McKnight, J.Moore, T.Moore, Morgan, D.C.Moss, V.S.Moss, 
Murphy, Murray, B.Newton, W.Newton, Nutt, Oremus, Ott, Parks, Pendarvis, 
Pope, Rivers, Robinson, Rose, Rutherford, Sandifer, Simrill, G.M.Smith, G.R.Smith, 
M.M.Smith, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Tedder, Thayer, Thigpen, Trantham, Weeks, 
West, Wetmore, Wheeler, White, Whitmire, R.Williams, S.Williams, Willis, 
Wooten and Yow
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR REVEREND LEWIS GUNTER, SENIOR PASTOR
 AT GUNTER'S CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AFTER
 FORTY-SIX YEARS OF FAITHFUL MINISTRY, AND TO WISH HIM CONTINUED SUCCESS AND
 HAPPINESS IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

   04/19/22  House  Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 204)

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR REVEREND LEWIS GUNTER, SENIOR PASTOR AT GUNTER'S CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AFTER FORTY-SIX YEARS OF FAITHFUL MINISTRY, AND TO WISH HIM CONTINUED SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that Reverend Lewis Gunter will be feted at a celebration in his honor on April 22, 2022, as he begins a well-deserved retirement after more than four and a half decades as a minister of the Gospel, the last years of which have been as the highly-regarded senior pastor at Gunter's Chapel Baptist Church in Columbia; and

Whereas, a native of Lexington County, Lewis Gunter is the son of the late Cellus and Beulah Gunter, the youngest of their three children, and obtained his early Christian growth in Hall Hill Baptist Church in Pelion; and

Whereas, he graduated from Schofield High School in Aiken and earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Benedict College; and

Whereas, in the patriotic tradition of the sons of the Palmetto State, Pastor Gunter served his country in the United States Navy for four years, and he retired from the United States Postal Service; and

Whereas, devoted to his community, he served as an elected Soil and Water District commissioner for Richland County for six years, as the minority advisor for the Department of Agriculture for Calhoun and Richland counties, and as the state chaplain for the South Carolina Soil and Water Conservation, as well as a counselor and volunteer for various services; and

Whereas, Reverend Gunter has pastored several churches in Richland County: Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Gadsden where he made his recording "Hear Ye the Word of the Lord," Gill Creek Baptist Church in Columbia, and Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hopkins. In 1976, he founded Gunter's Chapel Baptist Church where he currently serves as the senior pastor and will be celebrating his forty-sixth pastoral anniversary in April 2022; and

Whereas, together with his beloved wife, First Lady Lue E. Pearson Gunter, he raised a fine son, who has blessed his parents with the affection of three loving grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; and

Whereas, a dedicated leader with visions of tomorrow to become more equipped for the Kingdom, Pastor Gunter has conducted revivals throughout the country and has faithfully preached the Word of God with adherence to his motto from II Timothy 4:2: "Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season: reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine."

Whereas, he plans to spend many happy hours of retirement enjoying his favorite hobbies of reading, hunting, fishing, and farming; and

Whereas, grateful for his many years of outstanding ministry in the Palmetto State and beyond, the South Carolina House of Representatives takes great pleasure in extending best wishes to Lewis Gunter as he transitions to a richly deserved retirement and the unhurried pace of the days ahead. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Reverend Lewis Gunter, Senior Pastor at Gunter's Chapel Baptist Church, upon the occasion of his retirement after forty-six years of faithful ministry, and wish him continued success and happiness in all his future endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Reverend Lewis Gunter.