SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 1485
By Lamar
A RESOLUTION to honor Dr. Keith Norman on the occasion of his twenty-fifty pastoral anniversary.
WHEREAS, the members of this General Assembly take great pleasure in recognizing a pastor who has served with dedication, vigor, and enthusiasm to perform the Lord's work while compassionately leading his flock; and WHEREAS, Dr. Keith Norman serves as the Senior Servant Leader of First Baptist Church Broad, located in the Binghampton community of Memphis, and will be celebrating twenty-five years of pastoral service there in December 2024; and WHEREAS, his ministry is dedicated to serving a predominantly African-American community in transition, one currently targeted for revitalization in housing, education, and crime prevention; under Dr. Norman's pastoral care, First Baptist Church Broad has grown from a congregation of less than 100 members to over 5,000 current members; and WHEREAS, Dr. Norman has led the church in raising more than fifteen million dollars to
fund capital projects that serve a wide range of societal needs, from education to homeless services to community development; and WHEREAS, in addition to his pastoral duties, Pastor Norman is Vice President of
Government Affairs for Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation; his primary responsibilities include establishing and maintaining relationships with government officials and strengthening Baptist's community outreach partnerships; and WHEREAS, Pastor Norman's service has been aimed toward promoting social justice,
reducing healthcare disparities, and increasing civic participation for underrepresented residents; and SJR1485
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WHEREAS, during his distinguished career, Dr. Noman has served on or led numerous boards and organizations across the region; he is a member of the Tennessee Historical Commission, National NAACP Foundation Board of Trustees, Board of Directors of
Tennesseans for Quality Early Education, Board of Directors of Seeding Success, and the Tennessee Business Roundtable, which he served as Chair in 2022 and Regional Vice President for West Tennessee in 2021; and WHEREAS, he formerly served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission, President of the NAACP, Memphis Chapter, Chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party, Board Chair of the Shelby County Health Care Corporation, and Board Chair of the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance; and WHEREAS, Dr. Norman's extensive community work has earned him many honors,
including being named White House "Champion of Change" as part of President Obama's Winning the Future Initiative and receiving Christian Brothers University's Bishop Carroll T.
Dozier Peace and Justice Award; and WHEREAS, a native Memphian born to Zella Cathey, Pastor Norman is a graduate of
Morehouse College and the Memphis Theological Seminary, where he earned his Doctorate in
Ministry with an emphasis in Leadership; and WHEREAS, his many accomplishments aside, Pastor Norman is most appreciative of
the love and support he shares with his wife, Alicia Yvette Norman; his children, Keith, KeAsia,
Keenan, and Kiara; and his grandchildren, Khalil and Noelle; and WHEREAS, Pastor Norman has demonstrated excellence in his calling as a man of
God; the members of his congregation are proud to call him their pastor, leader, and friend and look forward to his continued spiritual guidance for many years to come; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF
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REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, that we honor Dr. Keith Norman on the occasion of his twenty-fifth pastoral anniversary at First Baptist Church Broad, thank him for his ongoing commitment to the Memphis community, and extend to him our best wishes for much continued success in his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to
the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear without House or Senate designation.
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