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1998 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 89
Commending W. Bernard Schiele.

Agreed to by the Senate, January 29, 1998
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 6, 1998

WHEREAS, following 41 years of inspired leadership of the First Baptist Church Jefferson Park in Newport News, Dr. W. Bernard Schiele retired as pastor in August 1997; and

WHEREAS, a native of Louisiana, Bernard Schiele was called to the ministry at a young age, entering the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Nashville, Tennessee in 1943 and graduating in 1946; and

WHEREAS, Bernard Schiele moved to Virginia in 1947 and attended Virginia Union University before becoming pastor of the First Church Liberty Baptist in Waverly, Virginia, in 1950; and

WHEREAS, in February, 1956, Dr. Schiele became pastor of the First Baptist Church Jefferson Park in Newport News, where he remained until his retirement; and

WHEREAS, among his many accomplishments, Dr. Schiele inspired neighborhood beautification, urged his membership to become involved in a wide range of civic organizations, and was an influential member of numerous civic task forces and commissions; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Schiele encouraged the activities of many community-service organizations, providing meeting space for Alcoholics Anonymous, the Newport News Office of Human Affairs board of directors, and various other civic and charitable groups; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Schiele is past president of the Hampton Roads Interdenominational Conference of Newport News, past executive board member and current member of the Hampton University Ministers' Conference, and moderator for the Tidewater Peninsula Baptist Association; and

WHEREAS, throughout a long and distinguished career, Dr. W. Bernard Schiele has served with great devotion his parishioners, the citizens of the Peninsula, and the Newport News community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly commend Dr. W. Bernard Schiele on the occasion of his retirement as pastor of the First Baptist Church Jefferson Park; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dr. W. Bernard Schiele as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his achievements and best wishes for a long and fulfilling retirement.