Senate Resolution No. 4930

BY: Senator MONTGOMERY

HONORING The Reverend Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson upon
the occasion of her designation as recipient of the
Sojourner Truth Award by The Brooklyn Club of the
National Association of Negro Business and
Professional Women's Clubs, Inc.

WHEREAS, Individuals who give of their time and energies and serve
the best interests of their communities are an asset beyond remuneration
and cannot be sufficiently extolled; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson has given not only of her
time and energies but also of her competence, intelligence and
leadership and consequently has been designated for special honor; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor The Reverend
Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson upon the occasion of her designation as
recipient of the Sojourner Truth Award by The Brooklyn Club of the
National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs,
Inc., to be celebrated at its 51st Annual Founders' Day Observance,
"Empowering Communities and Shaping Lives," on Saturday, April 28, 2018,
at Gargiulo's Restaurant, Brooklyn, New York; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson is the Executive Pastor of
The Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn, New York; and

WHEREAS, Growing up the sixth of seven children born to a single
mother, Emma Jordan-Simpson was the beneficiary of programs like the
first generation of Head Start and free after-school programs run by
local churches; and

WHEREAS, Subsequently, Emma Jordan-Simpson knew from an early age
that she wanted to live a life of service, preaching her first sermon at
the age of 17 at House of Prayer Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey;
and

WHEREAS, Emma Jordan-Simpson attended public schools in Newark and
graduated from Arts High School in 1981; she went on to Fisk University
in Nashville, Tennessee, where she graduated with honors in 1985 with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious and Philosophical Studies and
Music; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from Union Theological Seminary with a
Master of Divinity degree in 1988, Emma Jordan-Simpson was ordained at
the Concord Baptist Church of Christ, becoming the second woman in the
church's history to be set apart for the Gospel Ministry; and

WHEREAS, This extraordinary woman received a Certificate in
Not-for-Profit Management, Executive Level from the Columbia Business
School Institute in 1995, and earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree with
distinction from Drew Theological School in 2009; and

WHEREAS, As a bi-vocational minister, Reverend Dr. Emma
Jordan-Simpson has combined pastoral ministry with social justice

community engagement; from 2007 until 2012, she served as the Executive
Director of the Children's Defense Fund, an organization which works to
ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe
Start and a Moral Start in life; and

WHEREAS, A true asset to her community, Reverend Dr. Emma
Jordan-Simpson currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Brooklyn
Community Foundation, Union Theological Seminary, the Weeksville
Heritage Society, and the Concord Christ Fund; she is also chair of the
OCFS Brooklyn for Brooklyn Community Advisory Board; and

WHEREAS, With her throughout have been her husband, Reverend Dr.
Gary V. Simpson, and their three children, Candace Yonina, David
Michael and Jordan Elizabeth, who have all shown her love and support
and rejoice in her many achievements; and

WHEREAS, Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an
individual for the benefit of others which Reverend Dr. Emma
Jordan-Simpson has displayed throughout her life; and

WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body
to honor and support those individuals who have displayed their
commitment to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent
of this Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to
Reverend Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson, that future generations may know and
appreciate her admirable character, her many benevolent deeds, and the
respect and esteem in which she is held by her peers; now, therefore, be
it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor The Reverend Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson upon the occasion of her
designation as recipient of the Sojourner Truth Award by The Brooklyn
Club of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional
Women's Clubs, Inc.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Reverend Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson.