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H. 3653

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution
Sponsors: Rep. Anderson
Document Path: l:\council\bills\cc\15816sa21.docx

Introduced in the House on January 13, 2021
Adopted by the House on January 13, 2021

Summary: Reverend Effson Chester Bryant

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

     Date      Body   Action Description with journal page number
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   1/13/2021  House   Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 22)

View the latest legislative information at the website

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

1/13/2021

TO HONOR THE REVEREND EFFSON CHESTER BRYANT, PASTOR OF CUMBERLAND AME CHURCH IN SAMPIT, FOR HIS FORTY-FIVE YEARS OF GOSPEL MINISTRY AND TO EXTEND BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED BLESSING ON HIS SERVICE UNTO THE LORD.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives take great pleasure to honor those individuals who give tirelessly of themselves to nurture the souls of men. The Reverend Effson Chester Bryant, pastor of Cumberland AME Church in Sampit, ranks among this worthy band of servant-hearted individuals as an outstanding minister of the gospel, one much admired by pastoral colleagues, congregation, and the community at large alike; and

Whereas, this ordained minister is also a self-taught photographer, storyteller, historian, genealogist, writer, and decorated military veteran. He is a graduate of Allen University in Columbia and the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to attending various military schools, he served residencies in clinical pastoral education at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia; and

Whereas, as an ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church since 1983, Effson Bryant has served numerous churches in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas. Since November 2018, he has served as pastor of Cumberland AME Church of Sampit; and

Whereas, further, he served in the United States Air Force Chaplaincy Corps for nearly thirty years, during which he was deployed to more than ten different countries. In South Carolina, Reverend Bryant took up his duties with the Columbia VA Health Care System in June 2012. During his time in the military, he served veterans' spiritual needs in numerous ways. In providing exceptional chaplaincy care to veterans, their families, and medical center staff, he ministered in the Warriors Walk (hospice unit), pre-op and post-op units, and acute care unit and provided on-call duty rotation to ensure chaplaincy availability twenty-four hours a day, every day. Further, in several locations throughout South Carolina, he conducted Rural Clergy Training Outreach, a VA initiative that educates local churches about the dynamics of our veterans and how to steer the veteran to receive VA support. In March 2019, this outstanding chaplain retired from his dedicated labors at the VA, but he did not retire from serving the Lord; and

Whereas, because he believes strongly in active service to his community and beyond, Effson Bryant holds membership in various organizations. These include the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, South Carolina Historical Society, National Trust for Historic Preservation, South Carolina African American Heritage Commission, American Legion, National Veterans Administration Black Chaplain Association, Henry McNeal Turner African Methodist Episcopal Chaplain Association, African Methodist Episcopal Church Commission on Chaplains Committee, Allen University Alumni Association, NAACP, National Association of Veteran Affairs Chaplains, and International African American Museum in Charleston; and

Whereas, Reverend Bryant considers it one of the greatest triumphs of his life that he was able to persuade the lovely Queen Bryant to become his wife. The senior Bryants are the proud parents of two children, Brewington Eff and Zilcia Elizabeth; and

Whereas, for his longtime spiritual nourishment of the people of South Carolina, Reverend Bryant is due grateful thanks and wishes for God's best as he continues to run the race the Lord has set before him. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, honor the Reverend Effson Chester Bryant, pastor of Cumberland AME Church in Sampit, for his forty-five years of gospel ministry and to extend best wishes for continued blessing on his service unto the Lord.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the Reverend Effson Chester Bryant.

This web page was last updated on January 26, 2021 at 3:56 PM