WHEREAS, Bishop Curtis Eugene Edmonds, Sr., a respected church leader who has provided spiritual guidance to countless people at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Portsmouth, celebrated his 25th pastoral anniversary in 2017; and
WHEREAS, a Portsmouth native, Bishop Edmonds attended I.C. Norcom High School and served his country in the United States Air Force, completing a tour of duty in Vietnam; following his honorable discharge from the Air Force, he worked at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard while earning his academic degrees; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Edmonds earned a bachelor's degree from Norfolk State University, a master's degree from Virginia Union University School of Theology, and a doctor of ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio; and
WHEREAS, since 1992, Bishop Edmonds has served as pastor of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Portsmouth; under his able leadership, St. Mark has created dozens of new ministries, grown from 350 to 2,400 members, and moved to a state-of-the-art, 52,200 square-foot church facility; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Edmonds' dedication, spiritual wisdom, and kind, gentle demeanor have earned him the love and respect of both his congregation and the Portsmouth community; in 2007, St. Mark consecrated him as the first bishop in the church's 115-year history; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Edmonds is a past president of the Tidewater Metro Baptist Ministers' Conference and has been involved with a variety of religious organizations, including the Sharon Missionary Baptist Association, the Baptist General Convention, the Lott Carey Foundation, the Hampton Ministers' Conference, the National Baptist Convention, and the Congress of Christian Education; and
WHEREAS, a member of the Portsmouth City Council from 2010 to 2016, Bishop Edmonds has also been spiritual advisor to the Portsmouth NAACP and a member of the transition team for Governor Mark Warner; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Edmonds' numerous awards and honors include being named the 2002 Man of the Year for the Mercer Foundation and a 2003 Implement the King Dream Honoree; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Edmonds is married to his high school sweetheart, Evelyn, and is the father of two sons, Curtis, Jr., and Kelton; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Bishop Curtis Eugene Edmonds, Sr., hereby be commended for his 25 years of exceptional service to St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church and the residents of Portsmouth; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Bishop Curtis Eugene Edmonds, Sr., as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for his many achievements and best wishes for the future.