--- title: HR 1932. Copeland, Rev. Dr. Rufus; occasion of his 40th pastoral anniversary; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1932 cite_as: HR 1932, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1932 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1932.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1932/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74480 date: 2026-03-25 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1931.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1933.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 134 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1932.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1932 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-25 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Brian Prince - Karlton Howard - L.C. Myles text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1932/2025 upstream_id: 2138411 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - ceremonial resolution - Augusta community - religious leadership - House recognition --- # HR 1932. Copeland, Rev. Dr. Rufus; occasion of his 40th pastoral anniversary; recognize ## Text House Resolution 1932 By: Representatives Prince of the 132nd, Howard of the 129th, and Myles of the 126th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland on the occasion of his 40th pastoral anniversary; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland has demonstrated his commitment to teaching the Gospel, witnessing Christ through word and deed, and addressing the physical, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual needs of others; and WHEREAS, Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland was called by the Lord 40 years ago to lead the congregation of Gardner Grove Baptist Church, and he has since contributed greatly to the spiritual enrichment of the Augusta community as a preacher, counselor, teacher, humanitarian, and confidant; and WHEREAS, his vision and direction have helped Gardner Grove Baptist Church grow in size and influence, uplifting the community like the light of Bethlehem and serving as a spiritual leader and place for fellowship; and WHEREAS, over the past four decades leading Gardner Grove Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland has established numerous programs and workshops which have improved the spiritual and educational growth of the church and the surrounding community; and WHEREAS, whether the task is preparing a sermon, visiting the sick, counseling the troubled, baptizing a new believer, or acting as a theologian, educator, administrator, or humanitarian, Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland has shown the energy, devotion, and commitment truly reflective of divine guidance; and WHEREAS, the unmatched spiritual assistance offered by Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland is a source of strength and direction for persons in all walks of life; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper to recognize the outstanding accomplishments and dynamic Christian ministry of this devout and pious man. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize and commend Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland on the wonderful occasion of his 40th pastoral anniversary and extend best wishes for many more years of successful fellowship and leadership. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution honors Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland of Augusta for 40 years as pastor of Gardner Grove Baptist Church, marking his ministry and community contributions. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia House of Representatives recognizing Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland on the 40th anniversary of his pastorate at Gardner Grove Baptist Church in Augusta. It describes his work as a preacher, counselor, teacher, humanitarian, and confidant to his congregation and community over four decades. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply states the House's recognition of Copeland's service and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare an official copy of the resolution for distribution to him. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland for 40 years of pastoral leadership at Gardner Grove Baptist Church in Augusta. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute an official copy of the resolution to Copeland. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement, serving only as a ceremonial statement of praise. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Rev. Dr. Rufus Copeland and the congregation of Gardner Grove Baptist Church in Augusta. It has no legal effect on any broader group of Georgians, businesses, or government agencies. ### Why it matters This is a symbolic honor rather than a policy change. Its practical effect is limited to publicly acknowledging Copeland's decades of community and religious service and providing him with an official keepsake copy of the resolution. ### Key provisions - States the House's recognition of Copeland's 40 years leading Gardner Grove Baptist Church and his contributions to the Augusta community. - Extends best wishes for continued fellowship and leadership. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make an official copy available for distribution to Copeland. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-25) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-25) - Sponsors: Brian Prince, Karlton Howard, L.C. Myles - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74480 > The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1932.md?full=1