House Resolution 190

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING PASTOR DR. JOE WILLIE MAY ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AS PASTOR OF ANDERSON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.

WHEREAS, Pastor Dr. Joe Willie May began his ministerial service to the Ecclesiastical order of the living gospel in 1978, and since that time, he has exceptionally fulfilled his vision to spread the word, meet the needs of people and minister to those who are hurting; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Joe Willie May is a native of Waynesboro, Mississippi, and a graduate of Riverview High School, Rust College and Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, at an early age, Dr. May started his journey in the Christian ministry in the small town of Waynesboro, Mississippi, when he received his license to preach at the age of 16, and he assisted his pastor and occasionally preached in nearby local churches; and

WHEREAS, to further his educational training, Dr. May attended Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, where he served as a student pastor, and upon graduation, he was employed by his Alma Mater in the Admissions Office, but never losing sight of preparing himself for ministry, he entered Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, while attending Candler, he served as a student pastor at a local church in Newman, Georgia, and upon completing his theological education in 1978, he returned to Mississippi where he was ordained as a deacon in 1976, an elder in 1979 by The Mississippi Conference of The United Methodist Church and was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree from Rust College in 1995; and

WHEREAS, Dr. May has given distinguished service to the church as pastor, administrator and teacher, and his ministry has included rural churches, small town churches and city pastorates, beginning in 1978; and

WHEREAS, Dr. May's pastoral appointments in Mississippi include: Kosciusko Wesley Charge, Vincent Chapel United Methodist Church and St. Paul-Haven Chapel United Methodist Church in Meridian, Mississippi, and in addition to his pastoral appointments, he has served as Associate Director of North Mississippi Conference Council on Ministries; District Superintendent of the Cleveland District; Administrative Assistant to the Bishop, Director of the Office of Ministerial Services and Interim Director of Conference Connectional Ministries of the Mississippi Conference; and

WHEREAS, currently, Dr. May is the pastor of Anderson United Methodist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, a 4,000-membership church, which is a vibrant growing congregation with a commitment to making Disciples; and

WHEREAS, Dr. May's varied ministry has exposed him to many areas in the life of the church, and on the conference level, he has chaired The Committee on Episcopacy, The Committee on Equitable Compensation and served on The Board of Ordained Ministry and The Conference Council on Finance and Administration; and

WHEREAS, during the Beyond The Mississippi Annual Conference, he served on the Southeastern Jurisdictional Committee on Episcopacy, the General Board of Church and Society and The Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tennessee, and Dr. May was also a member of the Southeastern Jurisdictional Administrative Council from 1988 to 1992, and served on the Executive Committee for four years; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the conference, he served on the Board of Trustees of Millsaps College, Wood College and Rust College, and since 1978, he has served as a member of Candler School of Theology Alumni Executive Committee; and

WHEREAS, Dr. May has been a member of the faculty of the Mississippi Course of Study for part-time local pastors, and provided leadership in the area of stewardship, evangelism and leadership development, and he was elected reserve delegate to the 1988 General Conference, and a delegate to the 1988 Jurisdictional Conference, and since 1988, he has been elected delegate to every General and Jurisdictional Conference; and

WHEREAS, in 1996, Dr. May became the first African American to lead the Mississippi delegation and was the leader of the 2004 delegation, and on August 19, 2003, the Mississippi delegation for the 2004 General and Jurisdictional Conferences endorsed Joe W. May for the office of Bishop, making him the first clergy elected to the delegation at both the 2002 and 2004 sessions of The Mississippi Annual Conference; and

WHEREAS, Dr. May's appreciation for scouting began when he became a boy scout at an early age, and since then he has been a strong supporter of scouting at each congregation he has served; and

WHEREAS, as a leader, Dr. May does not call attention to himself, but becomes for others a sign of God's grace, and in every ministry setting he enters, he creates an open, hospitable space in which others can experience God's healing presence and know their own gifts will be affirmed, and he combines the heart of a pastor with the administrative skills necessary to continue to lead the church into the 21st century; and

WHEREAS, Dr. May is married to the former Suzette Donner of Dunbee, Mississippi, and they are the proud parents of three lovely children: April, Amber and James; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize such outstanding, godly leaders as Pastor Dr. Joe Willie May, who has dedicated his distinguished career to bringing many souls to know Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Pastor Dr. Joe Willie May on the occasion of his retirement as pastor of Anderson United Methodist Church, and extend heartiest wishes for God's continuous blessings and success in all his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Pastor Dr. Joe Willie May and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.