A house RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATE AND HONOR REVEREND DR. DERRICK SCOTT UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AS AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH PRESIDING ELDER OF THE ABBEVILLE-GREENWOOD DISTRICT AFTER YEARS OF DEVOTED SERVICE, AND TO WISH HIM CONTINUED SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS IN ALL HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives has learned that Reverend Dr. Derrick Scott will begin a well-deserved retirement as the presiding elder of the Abbeville-Greenwood District of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church; and

Whereas, a native of Greenwood, he is the son of Ulysses Scott and Gracie Coward and graduated from Greenwood High School in 1982. In the proud tradition of the sons of the Palmetto State, he served in the United States Army, retiring at the rank of staff sergeant. He participated in the 1984 Olympics in boxing and was a member of the All-Army Boxing Team of the United States Army. He won the Golden Glove Award as well as the All-European Boxing Award; and

Whereas, Reverend Scott's church home is Mount Zion AME in the Promised Land Community, where he accepted a call to become a disciple of Christ and later in 1998 a preacher of the Gospel. Before entering the ministry, he served as a steward, church school teacher, and member of the Lay Organization. He preached his initial sermon in 1998 and was ordained an itinerant elder in 2000; and

Whereas, he earned a bachelor's degree cum laude from Limestone College in 2000, a Master of Divinity from Erskine Theological Seminary in 2003, and a Doctor of Ministry from Louisville Presbyterian Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2007; and

Whereas, Reverend Scott's first pastoral appointment was to Tranquil AME Church in Troy, where he served for seven years and led the congregation in building a new edifice. In 2005, he transferred to the 13th Episcopal District, serving as pastor of Greater Saint James AME Church in Louisville. In 2007, he transferred back to the 7th Episcopal District, serving as supply pastor of Saint Mary AME Church in Mount Carmel. In 2007, he was appointed to serve Saint Paul AME Church in Irmo and supervised the addition of a new 1.8 million-dollar sanctuary and the remodeling of the fellowship hall. He founded New Generation Outreach Ministry in Greenwood and Taking Highways Under God's Supervision, a faith-based community ministry developed to assist the elderly and those in need; and

Whereas, in 2018, Reverend Scott returned to serve the Church in his home area as presiding elder over thirty-five churches of the Abbeville-Greenwood District in the Piedmont Annual Conference. He has initiated a community leadership march to stop violence and to bridge the gap between the community and the police. He currently serves as a pre-intervention consultant with GLEAMS Head Start; and

Whereas, he is a member of Progressive Lodge #403 Masons, C.C. Johnson Consistory #136, Cairo Temple #125 Shriners, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He was a professor at Benedict College and currently serves on the board of Allen University. He has served on the board of Greenwood Food Bank. He coached youth for twenty-five years with the park and recreation department and has coached in McCormick and Greenwood schools; and

Whereas, together with his beloved wife of thirty-nine years, Twanna Michelle Childs Scott, he reared three fine sons: Gerome, Kendrick, and Rameen. They are blessed with seven grandchildren; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives takes great pleasure in extending best wishes to Reverend Dr. Derrick Scott as he transitions to a richly deserved retirement and the unhurried pace of the days ahead, and the members wish him many years of enjoyment in his well-earned retirement. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate and honor Reverend Dr. Derrick Scott upon the occasion of his retirement as African Methodist Episcopal Church presiding elder of the Abbeville-Greenwood District after years of devoted service, and wish him continued success and happiness in all his future endeavors.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Reverend Dr. Derrick Scott.

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