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WHEREAS for the past 33 years, acting in his capacity as Senior Pastor , the Reverend Dr. J. Van Alfred Winsett has devoted himself to the service and ministry of the Ebenezer Baptist Church; and
WHEREAS Reverend Winsett's life speaks well to the critical importance of lifelong education, as he successfully graduated from Central High School in Louisville, Kentucky, later to obtain an undergraduate and a Doctoral degree, along with post-graduate certificates in Computer Science and Sign Language; and
WHEREAS before beginning his ministry in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Reverend Winsett pastured the Main Street Baptist Church in New Castle, Kentucky, the Center Street Baptist Church in Owensboro, Kentucky, and the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Beloit, Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS Reverend Winsett has also played a critical role in the ongoing process of rebuilding the original Ebenezer structure that was destroyed in its entirety by a tragic, four alarm fire that took place on March 13th, 2004; and
WHEREAS thanks to the hard work of Reverend Winsett, along with the generosity and dedication of a number of church and community members, the new Ebenezer Baptist Church building will be a state of the art, multi-million dollar facility, established to better serve the needs of Hill District residents; and
WHEREAS Reverend Winsett currently holds a variety of prestigious positions, including President of the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention, Assistant Director of the Theology Department of the National Baptist Congress, Dean of Students at the American Baptist College's Pittsburgh Extension, a member of "Who's Who" among professionals and executives, and a member of the Pittsburgh Ministers Conference; and
WHEREAS in recognition for such efforts, the Reverend Dr. Winsett has been recognized by a number of esteemed leaders, including former United States President Jimmy Carter, the Late President of Liberia, William R. Tolbert, and various governors and mayors; and
WHEREAS in addition to addressing the needs of his congregants, the Reverend Winsett has also been an exemplary father to his four children and a devoted husband to his wife, Jacqueline; and
WHEREAS on Sunday, May 7th, 2006, the Ebenezer Baptist Church will celebrate the life and work of the Reverend Dr. J. Van Alfred Winsett, by focusing on the scripture verse, "When the people yearned for the gospel of salvation, God sent you" (Acts 10: 30-33).
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NOW, THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, in celebration and gratitude for his tireless and diligent efforts, the Council of the City of Pittsburgh hereby wishes to sincerely commend the Reverend Dr. J. Van Alfred Winsett for thirty three years of dedicated service to both his congregation and to the Hill District community as a whole.