St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church 160th Anniversary

2025-2026 Bill 5720: St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church 160th Anniversary - South Carolina Legislature Online

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026
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H. 5720
STATUS INFORMATION
House Resolution
Sponsors: Reps. Scott, Alexander, Anderson, Atkinson, Bailey, Ballentine, Bamberg, Bannister, Bauer, Beach, Bernstein, Bowers, Bradley, Brewer, Brittain, Burns, Bustos, Calhoon, Caskey, Chapman, Chumley, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Collins, Cox, Crawford, Cromer, Davis, Dillard, Duncan, Edgerton, Erickson, Ford, Forrest, Frank, Gagnon, Garvin, Gatch, Gibson, Gilliam, Gilliard, Gilreath, Govan, Grant, Guest, Guffey, Haddon, Hager, Hardee, Harris, Hart, Hartnett, Hartz, Hayes, Henderson-Myers, Herbkersman, Hewitt, Hiott, Hixon, Holman, Hosey, Howard, Huff, J.E. Johnson, J.L. Johnson, Jones, Jordan, Kilmartin, King, Kirby, Landing, Lastinger, Lawson, Ligon, Long, Lowe, Luck, Magnuson, Martin, McCabe, McCravy, McDaniel, McGinnis, C. Mitchell, D. Mitchell, Montgomery, J. Moore, T. Moore, Morgan, Moss, Neese, B. Newton, W. Newton, Oremus, Pace, Pedalino, Pope, Rankin, Reese, Rivers, Robbins, Rose, Rutherford, Sanders, Schuessler, Sessions, G.M. Smith, M.M. Smith, Spann-Wilder, Stavrinakis, Taylor, Teeple, Terribile, Vaughan, Waters, Weeks, Wetmore, White, Whitmire, Wickensimer, Williams, Willis, Wooten and Yow
Document Path: LC-0766WAB-EB26.docx
Introduced in the House on June 25, 2026
Adopted by the House on June 25, 2026
Summary: St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church 160th Anniversary
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

Date

Body

Action Description with journal page number

6/25/2026

House

Introduced and adopted

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VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
06/25/2026

A
house
RESOLUTION

TO CELEBRATE THE JOYOUS OCCASION OF THE ONE HUNDRED
sixtieth ANNIVERSARY OF THE St. Stephen Missionary Baptist CHURCH AND TO
CONGRATULATE AND HONOR Pastor William "BJ" Jefferson AND THE CONGREGATION FOR
THEIR YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE Rembert COMMUNITY.

W
hereas, the members of
the South Carolina House of Representatives are pleased to learn that St.
Stephen Missionary Baptist Church will celebrate its one hundred sixtieth anniversary
on June 28, 2026; and

W
hereas, St. Stephen Missionary
Baptist Church was established in 1866. Through hard work, dedication, and
determination, the church has experienced much growth over the years under the
leadership of many devoted pastors. The church was first led by Rev. Mayrant
for many years until his death, when Rev. W. S. McCullough took over and served
the church faithfully with his associates Rev. A. A. Harris and Rev. Steward;
and

W
hereas, Rev. A. A.
Harris was then elected pastor, serving the church for twenty-one years and under
his leadership, a new sanctuary was built in 1970. The deacons that served
under Rev. Harris were Chairman Thomas Ferguson, Frank Singleton, Dan Adams,
Sam Adams, Bossie Leonard, and Hamp Johnson. In 1983, Rev. Billy Bennett joined
as pastor, serving for twenty-four years and making many great additions to the
church. Serving on the St. Stephen Deacon Board under Rev. Bennett included Chairman
Hamp Johnson, Assistant Chairman Arthur Williams, Robert Goodwin Sr., and David
Leonard Jr., while Chairman Robert Moore, Freddie Goodwin, Eugene Goodwin,
Issac Peay Jr., and the late Henry Williams and Willis Kershaw served on the
trustee board; and

W
hereas, in 1994, the
education building, including the pastor's study, was added on to the church.
By this time, two trustees, Robert Moore and Freddie Goodwin had been ordained
as deacons. Deacon Williams stepped down, due to a decline in his health, and
continued to serve as emeritus, while Deacon Moore was elected assistant chairman
to Deacon Johnson. The trustee board consisted of Chairman Eugene Goodwin, Issac
Peay Jr., George Johnson, Charlie Hampton, and Tyrone Horton; and

W
hereas, in 2001, the
St. Stephen Deacon Board included Chairman Freddie Goodwin, Assistant Chairman
Robert Goodwin Sr., David Leonard Jr., and George Johnson, while the board of trustees
consisted of Chairman Eugene Goodwin, Tyrone Horton, Harry Miligan, Thomas Robinson,
and Earl Bynum; and

W
hereas, while being
without a pastor from 2006 to January 2008, Minister George Johnson served the
church in 2007, from May to September, while the sanctuary was being renovated.
Rev. Willie Dyers then served as interim pastor until January 13, 2008, when he
was officially elected pastor. Minister Delores Stuckey joined the church in
September of 2007. Around this time Sister Ida M. Taylor also joined the
congregation as Mother of the Church. The deacon board at the time consisted of
Chairman Robert Moore, David Leonard Jr., Freddie Goodwin, Robert Goodwin, as emeritus,
and Henry Milligan; and

W
hereas, today, under
the leadership of Pastor William "BJ" Jefferson, the church hosts prayer
services and Bible study every Wednesday night and provides many opportunities
for involvement with groups such as the New Generations youth group, The Missionary,
the Pastor's Pulpit Helpers, Sunday school, the gospel choir, the adult choir, the
ushers ministry, and the male choir; and

W
hereas, the mission of
St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church is to faithfully teach the word of God and
provide good works through the congregation. Their vision is to make the church's
presence and ministries indispensable to the community; and

W
hereas, the members of
the South Carolina House of Representatives commend St. Stephen Missionary
Baptist Church in Rembert for over a century and a half of ministry in and
service to the community and extend warmest congratulations on the occasion of
the church's historic anniversary. Now, therefore,

B
e it resolved by the
House of Representatives
:

T
hat the members of the
South Carolina
House of Representatives
,
by this resolution, celebrate the joyous occasion of the one hundred sixtieth
anniversary of St. Stephen Missionary Baptist Church and congratulate and honor
Pastor William "BJ" Jefferson and the congregation for their years of dedicated
service to the Rembert community.

B
e it further resolved
that a copy of this resolution be presented to Pastor William "BJ" Jefferson.

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This web page was last updated on June 25, 2026 at 5:54 PM