Senate Resolution 22

(As Adopted by Senate)

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING BISHOP JAMES EDWARD SWANSON, SR., ON HIS TENURE AS THE RESIDENT BISHOP OF THE MISSISSIPPI CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOR HIS SPIRITUAL AND CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AND AS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO LEAD THE MISSISSIPPI UNITED METHODIST DENOMINATION.

WHEREAS, we join the membership of the Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church in honoring the service of Resident Bishop James Edward Swanson, Sr., who is completing his tenure as Resident Bishop of the Mississippi Conference. His tenure began September 1, 2012, with his appointment as the first African American to lead The Mississippi United Methodist denomination; and

WHEREAS, with more than 12 million members worldwide, the United Methodist Church is governed by a General Conference that meets every four years. The annual and central conferences elect delegates to the General Conference. The Resident Bishop is the presiding officer of the annual conference. The Mississippi Conference is divided into 11 districts, and each district is administered by a district superintendent in consultation with the Bishop. The Mississippi Conference meets annually, usually in June, for its regular business session. An equal number of clergy members and lay members from the conference meet together to worship, celebrate the previous year's ministries and set a course for the coming year. At the conclusion of each conference, the Bishop announces the clergy appointments or assignments: number of churches in Mississippi: 942 apportioned as of July 1, 2021; memberships in Mississippi: 150,506 as of July 1, 2021; total number of clergy in Mississippi: 870 as of July 1, 2021; and number of active appointed clergy in Mississippi: approximately 870 as of July 1, 2021; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Swanson was elected a Bishop of The United Methodist Church during the 2004 Southeastern Jurisdiction Conference. He was assigned to the Holston Conference, where the Episcopal office is located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Bishop Swanson served the Holston Conference for eight years. Under his leadership, the Sudan Mission was initiated. The number of United Methodist Congregations in Sudan grew from three to 30 between 2006 and 2012. A residential home for Sudan's District Superintendent was built and used as a training site for Clergy and Laity of South Sudan. Plans were laid for Holston to raise funds for the campaign, "Imagine No Malaria" to prevent and treat the deadly malaria disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. The campaign resulted in $1.2 Million; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Swanson's tenure as Resident Bishop began September 1, 2012, with his first public appearance one day earlier to the conference's Seashore District. He went there to be with those affected by Hurricane Isaac. The hurricane made landfall on August 28, 2012, causing additional devastation to Mississippi coastal communities recovering from Hurricane Katrina seven years earlier. Bishop Swanson listened to the people of Mississippi and discovered values deep within their hearts - love, generosity, justice and apprenticeship - thus becoming the Core Four Values of the Mississippi Conference; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Swanson is currently completing his second quadrennium (2016-2020) as the President of the General Commission of United Methodist Men. Bishop Swanson is a member of the International Association of Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Emory University, Gammon Theological Seminary, Rust College and Millsaps College; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Swanson's contagious spirit of hospitality, a determination to excel and spirited preaching has helped bring life, laughter and light to congregations in the Mississippi Conference and beyond; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Swanson has preached, lectured and led workshops in over 20 nations worldwide and throughout the United States. He and his wife, Delphine Ramsey Swanson, have six children and 23 grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Swanson is an example to others of how to live your convictions with courage, and it is with great pride that we join the Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church in honoring a Christian gentleman:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize and commend Bishop James Edward Swanson, Sr., on his tenure as the Resident Bishop of the Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church for his spiritual and charitable contributions to the State of Mississippi and as the first African American to lead The Mississippi United Methodist denomination, and extend the best wishes of the Mississippi Senate to Bishop Swanson and his family on the occasion of his retirement.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Bishop Swanson and his family, forwarded to the Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.