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WHEREAS, Reverend Torrey O. Johnson has accepted the call to be the Priest in Charge of the Historic Holy Cross Episcopal Church located in Homewood South. A native of Chicago Illinois, Rev. Johnson comes to Holy Cross with over 15 years of ministry work in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He has a proficient background in community development and multicultural ministry; and,
WHEREAS, A 1997 graduate of Morehouse College, Rev. Johnson received a Masters Degrees in Divinity and Christian Education from Johnson C. Smith Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia.; and,
WHEREAS, Rev. Johnson has a unique perspective on consensus building. He has exclusively worked as a general political consultant with numerous “progressive” candidates from congressional, state, county, and various local levels of government throughout the Southeastern United States. Most notably, he helped design and manage the campaign plan for then-candidate Shirley Franklin’s successful 2001 Atlanta Mayoral race, becoming the first African American woman to serve as Mayor of a major American city; and,
WHEREAS, in 2003, he was ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America where he served a dual call as the Senior Pastor of St. Mark Lutheran Church in East Point, Georgia and as the Atlanta University Center Lutheran Campus Pastor, ministering to the students of Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse House School of Medicine, the Interdenominational Theological Center, and Morris Brown College; and,
WHEREAS, Rev. Johnson has served on numerous boards including the Urban Theological Institute at the Interdenominational Theological Center, and the Faith Journey’s Initiative, a program funded by the Lilly Foundation to help pair experienced pastors with youth who are discerning their call to ministry; and,
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby commend Rev. Johnson for his outstanding work within the church and across the nation; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare Sunday, April 22, 2018, to be “Rev. Torrey Johnson Day” in the City of Pittsburgh.