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--- version:As Introduced
+++ version:Current version
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-H. C. R. No.   11     *HR26/R256* ~ OFFICIAL ~  N1/2
-26/HR26/R256
-PAGE 1 (OM\KW)
+MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
 
-To:  Rules
-MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE                        REGULAR SESSION 2026
+2026 Regular Session
 
-By:  Representative Creekmore IV
+To: Rules
 
-HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.   11
+By: Representative Creekmore IV
 
- A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE OF  1
-BISHOP WILLIAM THOMAS (BILL) MCALILLY TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI 2
-AND THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. 3
- WHEREAS, Bishop William T.(Bill) McAlilly, a former and 4
-renowned bishop of the United Methodist Church who retired on 5
-September 1, 2024, has provided outstanding pastoral leadership, 6
-denominational service and visionary ministry that has positively 7
-impacted the United Methodist Church; and  8
- WHEREAS, Bishop McAlilly, a native of Mississippi, earned his 9
-bachelor of arts in religion, in 1978, from Millsaps College, 10
-where he is a member of the Millsaps Athletic Hall of Fame, and in 11
-1981, he earned a Masters of Divinity from the Candler School of 12
-Theology, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and due to his 13
-outstanding leadership, he also received an honorary Doctor of 14
-Divinity from Rust College in 2017; and  15
- WHEREAS, having been ordained a deacon in the United 16
-Methodist Church in 1979 and ordained an elder in 1982, Bishop 17
-McAlilly was elected to the episcopacy at the Southeastern 18
-H. C. R. No.   11     *HR26/R256* ~ OFFICIAL ~
-26/HR26/R256
-PAGE 2 (OM\KW)
+House Concurrent Resolution 11
 
-Jurisdictional Conference in 2012, and after becoming a bishop, he 19
-was given the task of merging two conferences to form the  20
-Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist 21
-Church, and he was successful due to the merge being adopted 22
-overwhelmingly on December 4, 2021; and 23
- WHEREAS, furthermore, under Bishop McAlilly's leadership, the 24
-Nashville Episcopal Area helped establish in the Democratic 25
-Republic of Congo, The Mama Lynn Center, which is named after his 26
-wife, Lynn, of 47 years and serves as a sanctuary for women 27
-seeking healing and restoration, and this center fittingly 28
-reflects the wonderful couple's shared commitment to compassion 29
-and justice; and 30
- WHEREAS, Bishop McAlilly's belief of compassion for the least  31
-and last has also been exhibited in Mexico, Nicaragua as well as 32
-locally in the communities he has served and continues to serve; 33
-and 34
- WHEREAS, in addition to his global leadership, Bishop 35
-McAlilly has served in various ministry settings in Georgia and  36
-the Magnolia State, some of which include:  a small membership 37
-church, a new congregation, a county seat church, a newly 38
-organized congregation and a large membership church, and he has 39
-served in a variety of roles such as youth minister, associate 40
-minister and lead pastor, which is a testament of his ability to 41
-effectively serve in any role; and 42
-H. C. R. No.   11     *HR26/R256* ~ OFFICIAL ~
-26/HR26/R256
-PAGE 3 (OM\KW)
+(As Adopted by House and Senate)
 
- WHEREAS, in 2006, due to his strong leadership skills, Bishop 43
-McAlilly was appointed to serve as the District Superintendent of 44
-the Seashore District of the Mississippi Conference in the 45
-aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and he worked closely with 46
-Disaster Response and United Methodist Committee on Relief 47
-(UMCOR); and 48
- WHEREAS, furthermore, Bishop McAlilly has served in various 49
-capacities in the Mississippi Annual Conference, including:  the 50
-Board of Directors of United Methodist Senior Services, Millsaps 51
-College, Mississippi Methodist Foundation, Board of Ordained 52
-Ministry, Design Team for the Residency in Ministry Program and 53
-the Development of the Transitions Seminar for Moving Pastors, and 54
-he has served as a delegate to four jurisdictional conferences and 55
-three general conferences; and  56
- WHEREAS, for the 2016-2020 quadrennium, Bishop McAlilly  57
-served on the Connectional Table as president of the Board of 58
-Directors for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, 59
-and he has also served as co-chair of the Endorsing Committee and  60
-served on the Council of Bishops' Leadership Teams on Leadership 61
-Development and on Leadership Discernment, and he served on the 62
-Just Peace Board of Directors and as a chair of the Quadrennial 63
-Orientation for New Bishops Committee; and  64
- WHEREAS, notably, during 2016-2017, Bishop McAlilly served as 65
-president of the Southeastern Jurisdiction College of Bishops, and 66
-served on the Southeastern Jurisdiction Committee on Coordination 67
-H. C. R. No.   11     *HR26/R256* ~ OFFICIAL ~
-26/HR26/R256
-PAGE 4 (OM\KW)
+A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
+OF� BISHOP WILLIAM THOMAS (BILL) MCALILLY TO THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI AND THE
+UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.
 
-and Accountability and has served on the Board of Trustees of 68
-Emory University, and he is currently serving as vice president of 69
-the Board of Trustees of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, the 70
-Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare Board in Memphis, Tennessee, and 71
-the Board of Trustees of Martin College in Pulaski, Tennessee; and 72
- WHEREAS, in retirement, Bishop McAlilly was appointed as 73
-Bishop in Residence of The Vanderbilt Divinity School, and in 74
-September of 2025, he was welcomed back to his beloved alma mater, 75
-Millsaps College, to serve as the college's Bishop in Residence 76
-due to his pastoral leadership and service and invaluable 77
-experience - all of which help provide vital resources to clergy 78
-navigating today's challenges in ministry; and  79
- WHEREAS, Bishop McAlilly has been lovingly supported 80
-throughout his endeavors by his lovely wife of 47 years, Lynn, 81
-their children, Chris McAlilly and Laura McAlilly Paulk, and five 82
-wonderful grandchildren; and  83
- WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize a 84
-remarkable religious leader such as Bishop McAlilly whose  85
-compassion for the least and last, as well as his leadership and 86
-legacy, which continues to serve as an inspiration for others as 87
-he remains committed to justice, compassion and service not only 88
-in the great State of Mississippi but globally: 89
- NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 90
-REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING 91
-THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Bishop William 92
-H. C. R. No.   11     *HR26/R256* ~ OFFICIAL ~
-26/HR26/R256
-PAGE 5 (OM\KW)
-ST:  Bishop William Thomas (Bill) McAllilly;
-commend on service to the state and visionary
-ministry.
-T.(Bill) McAlilly upon his pastoral leadership, denominational 93
-service and visionary ministry, and wish him continued success in 94
-all his future endeavors.  95
- BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 96
-furnished to Bishop William Thomas (Bill) McAlilly and to the 97
-members of the Capitol Press Corps. 98
+���� WHEREAS, Bishop William
+T.(Bill) McAlilly, a former and renowned bishop of the United Methodist Church
+who retired on September 1, 2024, has provided outstanding pastoral leadership,
+denominational service and visionary ministry that has positively impacted the
+United Methodist Church; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, Bishop McAlilly, a
+native of Mississippi, earned his bachelor of arts in religion, in 1978, from
+Millsaps College, where he is a member of the Millsaps Athletic Hall of Fame,
+and in 1981, he earned a Masters of Divinity from the Candler School of
+Theology, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and due to his outstanding
+leadership, he also received an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Rust College
+in 2017; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, having been
+ordained a deacon in the United Methodist Church in 1979 and ordained an elder
+in 1982, Bishop McAlilly was elected to the episcopacy at the Southeastern
+Jurisdictional Conference in 2012, and after becoming a bishop, he was given
+the task of merging two conferences to form the� Tennessee-Western Kentucky
+Conference of the United Methodist Church, and he was successful due to the
+merge being adopted overwhelmingly on December 4, 2021; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, furthermore, under
+Bishop McAlilly's leadership, the Nashville Episcopal Area helped establish in
+the Democratic Republic of Congo, The Mama Lynn Center, which is named after
+his wife, Lynn, of 47 years and serves as a sanctuary for women seeking healing
+and restoration, and this center fittingly reflects the wonderful couple's
+shared commitment to compassion and justice; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, Bishop McAlilly's
+belief of compassion for the least� and last has also been exhibited in Mexico,
+Nicaragua as well as locally in the communities he has served and continues to
+serve; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, in addition to his
+global leadership, Bishop McAlilly has served in various ministry settings in
+Georgia and� the Magnolia State, some of which include:� a small membership
+church, a new congregation, a county seat church, a newly organized
+congregation and a large membership church, and he has served in a variety of
+roles such as youth minister, associate minister and lead pastor, which is a
+testament of his ability to effectively serve in any role; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, in 2006, due to his
+strong leadership skills, Bishop McAlilly was appointed to serve as the
+District Superintendent of the Seashore District of the Mississippi Conference
+in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and he worked closely with Disaster
+Response and United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR); and
+
+���� WHEREAS, furthermore, Bishop
+McAlilly has served in various capacities in the Mississippi Annual Conference,
+including:� the Board of Directors of United Methodist Senior Services,
+Millsaps College, Mississippi Methodist Foundation, Board of Ordained Ministry,
+Design Team for the Residency in Ministry Program and the Development of the
+Transitions Seminar for Moving Pastors, and he has served as a delegate to four
+jurisdictional conferences and three general conferences; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, for the 2016-2020
+quadrennium, Bishop McAlilly� served on the Connectional Table as president of
+the Board of Directors for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry,
+and he has also served as co-chair of the Endorsing Committee and� served on
+the Council of Bishops' Leadership Teams on Leadership Development and on
+Leadership Discernment, and he served on the Just Peace Board of Directors and
+as a chair of the Quadrennial Orientation for New Bishops Committee; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, notably, during
+2016-2017, Bishop McAlilly served as president of the Southeastern Jurisdiction
+College of Bishops, and served on the Southeastern Jurisdiction Committee on
+Coordination and Accountability and has served on the Board of Trustees of
+Emory University, and he is currently serving as vice president of the Board of
+Trustees of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, the Methodist Le Bonheur
+Healthcare Board in Memphis, Tennessee, and the Board of Trustees of Martin
+College in Pulaski, Tennessee; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, in retirement,
+Bishop McAlilly was appointed as Bishop in Residence of The Vanderbilt Divinity
+School, and in September of 2025, he was welcomed back to his beloved alma
+mater, Millsaps College, to serve as the college's Bishop in Residence due to
+his pastoral leadership and service and invaluable experience - all of which
+help provide vital resources to clergy navigating today's challenges in
+ministry; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, Bishop McAlilly has
+been lovingly supported throughout his endeavors by his lovely wife of 47
+years, Lynn, their children, Chris McAlilly and Laura McAlilly Paulk, and five
+wonderful grandchildren; and
+
+���� WHEREAS, it is the policy of
+this Legislature to recognize a remarkable religious leader such as Bishop
+McAlilly whose� compassion for the least and last, as well as his leadership
+and legacy, which continues to serve as an inspiration for others as he remains
+committed to justice, compassion and service not only in the great State of
+Mississippi but globally:
+
+���� NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
+RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE
+SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Bishop
+William T.(Bill) McAlilly upon his pastoral leadership, denominational service
+and visionary ministry, and wish him continued success in all his future
+endeavors.
+
+���� BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That
+copies of this resolution be furnished to Bishop William Thomas (Bill) McAlilly
+and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.