Title
To Recognize Pastor Dr. Joseph Freeman Jr. on Being Columbus, Ohio’s, Longest Serving Pastor
Body
WHEREAS, Pastor Freeman was born on November 27th, 1932 in Birmingham, Alabama, and moved to Columbus in 1948; and
WHEREAS, he was ordained at the age of 25 and at the time was the youngest serving pastor in the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Freeman is currently the pastor of East Mount Olivet Baptist Church and has been pastoring there for the entirety of his 65 year pastoral career; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Freeman has served multiple roles for the greater Baptist community such as being a Moderator for the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Association for 30 years, and serving as Executive Secretary of the United Missionary Baptist State Convention for 8 years; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Freeman won Pastor of the year at the National Baptist Convention when he reached his 50th year of pastoring and is a bedrock figure for the east side of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Freeman, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, is currently the oldest serving Pastor in the City of Columbus and is known in the community and amongst his peers as the Godfather of Gospel; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council recognizes Pastor Dr. Joseph Freeman Jr. on being Columbus, Ohio’s, Longest Serving Pastor