---
title: SR 10. Philadelphia Baptist Church; recognize and commend
collection: bills
id: 2026-special/sr10
cite_as: SR 10, 2026 Special Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr10
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr10.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr10/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74879
date: 2026-06-23
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/2026-special.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr9.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr11.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 94
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr10.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 10
session: 2026 Special Session
session_slug: 2026-special
chamber: Senate
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-06-23
last_action: Senate Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Gail Davenport
  - Donzella James
  - Michael Rhett
  - Jaha Howard
  - Randal Mangham
  - Emanuel Jones
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR10/2026/X1
upstream_id: 2154445
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - church anniversary
  - Senate resolution
  - community recognition
---

# SR 10. Philadelphia Baptist Church; recognize and commend

## Text

Senate Resolution 10EX
By: Senators Davenport of the 17th, James of the 28th, Rhett of the 33rd, Howard of the
35th, Mangham of the 55th and others
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and commending Philadelphia Baptist Church on the occasion of its 153rd
anniversary; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Philadelphia Baptist Church was founded by a small group of men who
gathered together in the fall of 1873 after harvesting their crops—with a great desire for the
spreading of Christianity, they went from home to home singing and praying and decided to
build a place to worship; and
WHEREAS, these men built a Brush Arbor with Rev. Hilliard Glass as the first pastor, and
after a short time, a wooden church structure was erected—before the new church building
was completed, Rev. Glass departed this life; and
WHEREAS, in 1901, the trustees of Philadelphia Baptist Church purchased one acre of land
for $15 to build a church; over the years, more property was purchased, and in 1969, the
church was bricked; and
WHEREAS, the line of pastors who contributed to the advancement of Philadelphia Baptist
Church were Rev. R.H. Holland, Rev. R.H. Elliott, Rev. G.W. Lowe, Rev. P.L. Sruggs, Rev.
Frank Strickland, Rev. Mose Aintney, Rev. I.S. Mack, Rev. Sammie Bryant, Rev. H.M.
Alexander, Rev. M.M. McKibbins, Rev. C. Carter., Rev. E. H. Johnson, Rev. A.L.
S. R. 10EX
Humphrey, Rev. J.M. Gates, Rev. H. Hutherson, Rev. A.M. Reeves, Rev. M.M. Solomon,
Rev. J.W. Fielder, Rev. J.W. Person, Rev. G.D. McDuffie, Rev. Willie C. Neal, and present
pastor Rev. Antionio Wyartt; and
WHEREAS, in 2007, under the leadership of Rev. Willie Neal, construction began on the
new edifice, and on October 14 , 2007, the members marched into the new church, giving all
praise and honor to our Lord and Savior JESUS CHRIST; and
WHEREAS, under the leadership of Rev. Antonio Wyartt, the debt was paid off for the new
sanctuary by February 2026, and a mortgage burning ceremony will be held on Sunday, June
28, 2026; and
WHEREAS, a strong deacon board and members have contributed to the success of the
church and led to purchasing property, church vans, and equipment—the members, both past
and present, labored continuously to "Give of their best to the Master," and they have
dedicated their services to the "BABY OF BETHLEMEN" and have erected their church
structure—"TO THAT DOESTH ALL THINGS WELL."
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body
recognize the rich history of Philadelphia Baptist Church, commend its 153 years of
dedicated service to the Lord and community, and extend their warmest best wishes for its
continued growth and success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Philadelphia
Baptist Church.
S. R. 10EX

## 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 Senate resolution recognizes and commends Philadelphia Baptist Church for its 153rd anniversary, honoring its history and service to its community.

### Plain-language summary

This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It recounts the history of Philadelphia Baptist Church, founded in 1873, including its early pastors, land purchases, building projects, and the recent payoff of debt on its sanctuary in 2026.
The resolution formally states that the Senate recognizes the church's history and commends its 153 years of service to the Lord and community, and wishes it continued success. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the church. It does not create any new rule, program, or funding.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes Philadelphia Baptist Church on the occasion of its 153rd anniversary.
- Commends the church for 153 years of service to the community and expresses wishes for its continued success.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute an official copy of the resolution to the church.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement, as it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a bill amending Georgia statutes.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names and honors Philadelphia Baptist Church, its pastors, deacon board, and congregation. It also involves the Secretary of the Senate, who is tasked with preparing a copy for the church.

### Why it matters

The resolution has no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally. Its practical significance is limited to providing formal, public recognition from the Georgia Senate to the church and its congregation for a community milestone.

### Key provisions

- The resolved clause states the Senate recognizes the church's history and commends its 153 years of dedicated service.
- A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to the church.
- The preamble (whereas clauses) recounts the church's founding in 1873, its pastors, land purchases, and the 2026 payoff of its sanctuary debt.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-06-23)
- Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-06-23)
- Sponsors: Gail Davenport, Donzella James, Michael Rhett, Jaha Howard, Randal Mangham, Emanuel Jones
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74879

> The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr10.md?full=1