South Carolina General Assembly
116th Session, 2005-2006

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Bill 4260


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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

TO HONOR AND RECOGNIZE THE REVEREND DR. WILLIS S. HARRISON OF GREENWOOD COUNTY FOR HIS FAITHFUL SERVICE TO HIS CONGREGATION AND COMMITMENT TO HIS COMMUNITY UPON HIS THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY AS PASTOR OF MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH.

Whereas, the Reverend Dr. Willis S. Harrison of Greenwood County has spent the past thirty years inspiring the congregation of Macedonia Baptist Church with his unwavering faith, serving others tirelessly and bringing out the best in all with whom he comes in contact; and

Whereas, the son of farmers, he was born on June 1, 1932, in Greenwood County, and from an early age was determined to make something of himself, attending Greenwood County public schools and graduating from Brewer High School in 1952; and

Whereas, furthering his education, Dr. Harrison earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics in 1957 from Benedict College, a Masters Degree in Education from South Carolina State University, and a Masters of Divinity Degree in Theology from Erskine Theological Seminary. Lander University also conferred on him an Honorary Doctor of Humanities Degree; and

Whereas, he has worked as a schoolteacher, coach, counselor, and school administrator. He is a brick mason and carpenter and has served in a management position with the Social Security Administration; and

Whereas, Dr. Harrison was ordained in July, 1973, by his home church, Mt. Herman Baptist Church in Greenwood County. He is active in the various unions, associations, and convention of the Baptist Church. He has served as a trustee of Morris College and Benedict College; and

Whereas, before coming to Macedonia Baptist Church, he served as Pastor at Hopewell Baptist Church of Laurens and Pine Pleasant Baptist Church of Ninety-Six, pouring himself into the lives of the respective church communities; and

Whereas, extraordinarily politically and civically minded, Dr. Harrison was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's, and served as an organizer of the NAACP Greenwood/Ninety-Six Branch, the Greenwood Area Council on Human Rights, the Coalition of Critical Human Needs, and the Coalition of Concerned Organization; and

Whereas, he also served his greater community as a City Councilman for three separate terms, served as Mayor Pro Tempore, and has been a member of numerous governmental boards and foundations; and

Whereas, constantly willing to put the needs of others before his own, Dr. Harrison is known for leaving his home at any time, day or night, to respond to a call from a congregant, more than willing to lend a supportive ear or a shoulder to cry on in times of crisis and heartbreak; and

Whereas, a truly dynamic leader, he is a man of tremendous good will who exhibits great courage in attempting unconventional, innovative, and experimental measures to help his congregants and community members grow in their faith; and

Whereas, under his watchful eye during the past thirty years, Macedonia Baptist Church and the Community Center were renovated. Most of the money used in these projects was raised by Dr. Harrison. The center is a meeting place of several groups and used for various activities: child care, summer youth, computer training, and tutorial programs, food and clothing banks, and drug rehabilitation programs. The entire community has been redeveloped through a federal grant. Moreover, the spiritual growth of the church is a point of pride. Under his administration, lives have been changed, hearts touched, souls saved, marriages mended, burdens lifted, and hope inspired. More than four hundred members have joined and many other dry bones resurrected. He is an articulate communicator for Christ and community development; and

Whereas, Dr. Harrison has received numerous awards and citations as an outstanding citizen, teacher, lecturer, educator, religious leader, and humanitarian. He points with pride at some first-time occurrences: first in his family to get a college degree, first black elected to city council, first black to graduate from Erskine Theological Seminary, and first "Moderator of the Year" in South Carolina E & M Baptist Convention; and

Whereas, Dr. Harrison is a leader with the special gift of bringing out the best in everyone. He is a man of enormous good will and he brings diverse people together to find common ground to move on. His style is to work quietly in the background never seeking recognition for his many outstanding accomplishments. He is a man with the courage to be unconventional, innovative, and experimental. At personal risk he abandoned tradition and shattered the shell of custom and conventionality. He firmly believes that if you keep on doing the same old things, the same old way, you will get the same old results. He never concerns himself with trying to attract large crowds. Dr. Harrison's focus is on outgroup service or getting people out there where pain and need are. He firmly believes that growth will take place as the by-product of a ministry, which refuses to be self-centered and self-serving; and

Whereas, this honorable man who has dedicated his life so unselfishly to the glory of God is also the beloved husband of the former Sandra Waters of Geneva, New York; and

Whereas, Dr. Harrison stands as a veritable humanitarian, whose chief aim is to give service to all mankind, and it is with great pride that the South Carolina General Assembly publicly commends him for all he has done in furtherance of his church, his community, and for the State as a whole. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the members of the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, honor and recognize the Reverend Dr. Willis S. Harrison of Greenwood County for his faithful service to his congregation and commitment to his community upon his thirtieth anniversary as pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Reverend Dr. Willis S. Harrison of Greenwood County.

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