H*4924 Concurrent Resolution, By D.E. Martin, Anderson, J. Brown and 
D. Williams
 A Concurrent Resolution requesting the 44th Quadrennial Session of the General
 Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church meeting in July in
 Orlando, Florida, to find the way to return Bishop Fred C. James for the
 period 1992-1996 to serve as presiding Bishop of the African Methodist
 Episcopal Church in the State of South Carolina.

   06/03/92  House  Introduced, adopted, sent to Senate HJ-56
   06/04/92  Senate Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence SJ-10

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

REQUESTING THE 44TH QUADRENNIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH MEETING IN JULY IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA, TO FIND THE WAY TO RETURN BISHOP FRED C. JAMES FOR THE PERIOD 1992-1996 TO SERVE AS PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, Bishop Fred C. James is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Allen University; and

Whereas, Allen University is, today, at a critical stage in the process of accreditation and development; and

Whereas, Allen University is of major significance to this State and region in the area of religious impact, educational expertise, and political leadership; and

Whereas, Bishop Fred C. James has made available Allen University as headquarters for the Statewide Reapportionment Advisory Commission and for the sophisticated equipment necessary to execute the advisory reapportionment mission; and

Whereas, Bishop James, acclaimed by the latest leadership survey as one of the ten most influential leaders of the State of South Carolina, is presently engaged in black/white leadership initiatives which have great consequential promise for all South Carolinians in terms of economic, educational, and political advancement; and

Whereas, Bishop James, the founder and chairman of the South Carolina Coalition of Black Church Leaders, Inc., has entered into an unprecedented contractual relationship with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to provide at black church sites in South Carolina services which will enhance the lifestyles and healthstyles of tens of thousands of South Carolinians; and

Whereas, Bishop James, as chairman of the Statewide Reapportionment Advisory Commission, is deeply engaged in the process of creating an electable black congressional district and many additional electable black Senate and House districts in South Carolina; and

Whereas, Bishop James is one of two major parties in the recent South Carolina Reapportionment Circuit Court Ruling Appeal to the United States Supreme Court in pursuit of a black congressional district and additional black House and Senate seats in South Carolina; and

Whereas, Bishop James, as a black member of the corporate board of the National Bank of South Carolina (NBSC) and as chairman of the Community Reinvestment Committee of the National Bank of South Carolina is in the crucial position to enhance the business needs of minority South Carolinians; and

Whereas, Bishop James, the founder and chairman of the Board of Project ADAM, a major anti-drug abuse movement in South Carolina, which has been recognized by the White House and rated nationally, serves on the Governor's Commission on Law Enforcement and Drug Abuse and has in effect a funded program of anti-drug abuse education, motivation, and referral in hundreds of black churches including The Reid Centers of Charleston, South Carolina; and

Whereas, Bishop James, one of the most effective leaders of South Carolina, is today in touch with powerful decision-makers who affect the future of South Carolinians. Now, therefore,

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

That the members of the General Assembly respectfully request the 44th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church meeting in July in Orlando, Florida, to find the way to return Bishop Fred C. James for the period 1992-1996 to serve as Presiding Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the State of South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Presiding Bishop of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and to Bishop Fred C. James.