WHEREAS Haywood Dail Holderness, Jr. was called to be the pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church on January 1, 1974 and remained more than 32 years until his retirement on June 30, 2006; and WHEREAS during his pastorate our congregation has more than doubled and our church campus expanded by the addition of land, the building of our present sanctuary, and the Calhoon Cabin and by major renovations and expansions to the Mission Center and Calhoon Cabin; and WHEREAS from the beginning of his ministry here, Haywood has been a civic leader, in our city and beyond, serving in leadership capacities in more than 25 nonprofit or government human services organizations, including: the Durham Presbyterian Council, Durham Congregations in Action, Urban Ministries, Community Shelter for HOPE, CROP walk, Phoenix House, Housing for New Hope, the Durham Library, Chamber of Commerce, Pearsontown School, Durham United Negro College Fund, American Field Services of Jordan High School, Energy Information Board, Oakleigh Advisory Board, Durham Habitat for Humanity, Communities in Schools, Durham Meals on Wheels, United Way, Department of Social Services, Cub Scouts, Foundation for Better Health, NC Boys Choir, Greater Triangle Community Foundation, Food Bank of North Carolina, Durham Roundtable, End Poverty in Durham Group; and WHEREAS he has organized and supported mission work and disaster relief in eastern North Carolina, the Gulf Coast, Mexico, Zambia, Haiti and Turkey; and WHEREAS during this time, Haywood has worked tirelessly spreading the Gospel, teaching polity at Duke Divinity School, training our church officers, teaching all inquirers, working in many capacities with the presbyteries of Orange and New Hope and serving as trustee at Saint Andrews Presbyterian College; and WHEREAS his contributions and accomplishments have been recognized by numerous awards and honors, including: Father of the Year by The Durham Herald, the Carlie B. Sessoms Community Service Award by the City Human Relations Council, Governor’s Special Volunteer Award by NC Governors Jim Hunt and Jim Martin, JC Penney Golden Rule Award, Leadership Durham Award by the Durham Chamber of Commerce, the first Elna B. Spaulding Community Service Award by Women in Action for the Prevention of Violence and its Causes, Service to Mankind Award by Sertoma Club, Founders Award by Durham Habitat for Humanity, Servant Award by Durham Congregations in Action, Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award by NC Maritime Museum, Community Leadership Award by the local Islamic Mosque, Masjid Ar-Razzaq, and Outstanding Community Service of a non-Rotarian by Durham Rotary Club; and WHEREAS he has with great dedication fed the hungry, clothed the naked, sheltered the homeless, comforted the sick, consoled the grief-stricken, championed people with mental illness, supported minorities, and befriended the lonely; and because of these things, of him it can be said that he has done justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with God; and WHEREAS as our pastor, Haywood has ever loved us, led us, taught us, married us, baptized our children, buried our dead, comforted us, encouraged us to share more, inspired us to work harder for the less fortunate; and all the while he has stimulated our intellect, shared our joys, delighted at our successes, grieved at our sorrows and touched our lives; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SESSION OF WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, on behalf of the congregation and all its prior members, that we express our thanks to God and our appreciation to HAYWOOD DAIL HOLDERNESS, JR. for his ministry and that, as an expression of our gratitude and to acknowledge that his long and devoted ministry will forever be a treasured and inspiring part of the heritage of this church, henceforth, from July 1, 2006, the Mission Center will be named the HOLDERNESS MISSION CENTER. This resolution shall be spread upon the Minutes of the Session and made a permanent part of the record. Adopted unanimously by the Session, this the _____ day of June, 2006. _____ ____________________ _______________________________ Dailey J. Derr, Clerk Paul D. Ransford, Acting Moderator
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