Title
Also naming Earp Street between 18th Street and 19th Street Reverend Dr. Daniel T. Black Square to honor the memory of Reverend Dr. Daniel T. Black and to recognize his life and memorialize his lasting legacy.
Body
WHEREAS, The Reverend Black was a product of the Philadelphia Public School System; and
WHEREAS, The Reverend Black was saved by grace in September 1960 at the age of 12, and he became a member of the Gospel Temple Baptist Church, under the pastorate of the late Rev. Lawrence T. Thomas; and
WHEREAS, In March of 1964, the Reverend Black was licensed to preach at the GTBC, under the pastorate of Rev. William Womack; and
WHEREAS, In February of 1968, he entered the Armed Forces, where he served his country to return home, still preaching the Gospel of Christ; and
WHEREAS, For two years he served the Philadelphia Revival Temple Church as Assistant Superintendant of the Sunday School. In 1973 he was ordained by the Gospel Temple Baptist Church at the hand of Rev. General Griffin. The Reverend Black was called to be the assistant Pastor of Gospel Temple in 1973. In 1974, he graduated from the Philadelphia College of Bible in Langhorne, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, On May 17, 1975, the Gospel Temple Baptist Church appointed this young anointed and gifted man of God to be their pastor. God had placed him there and allowed him to grow spiritually, for the needs of his people; and
WHEREAS, On June 25, 1995 the Doctor of Divinity degree was conferred upon Pastor Black at the hand of Dr. Franklin Graham, President of Martha's Vineyard Theological Seminary in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. He served at Gospel Temple Baptist Church for the past 40 years. Under his leadership a total of 37 auxiliaries, groups, committees and ministries have been formed; and
WHEREAS, The Reverend Black continued his education as an Urban Ministry major at the Center for Urban Theological Studies of Geneva College and Westminster Seminary, receiving an Associate's Degree in 1996; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Black is a Member of the Baptist Pastors and Ministers Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity, and, he is also a Member of the Evening Baptist Ministers Conference. In 2010, the Reverend Black served as Chaplain for the Black Clergy of Vicinity. In the same year, the Reverend Black was appointed Missionary for the Pennsylvania Eastern Keystone Baptist Association and presently serves as CEO of The Temple Community Development Corporation; and
WHEREAS, The Reverend Black has served as a member of the Philadelphia Fight organization to fight against AIDS; and
WHEREAS, The Reverend Black is an asset to his church because his devotion is to God, his family, and his church. Because his ministry is his life, and his life is his ministry, he is capable of leading God's people. The Reverend Black's name is well respected and praised as a man who has dedicated his entire life to the cause of Jesus Christ. He has a lovely wife, First Lady Zenobia Driver-Black; they are proud of their beautiful daughter Zenida, son in law—Pastor Jermaine Heath (Pastor of St. Paul Chapel Baptist Church) handsome son Gregory, and are the blessed grandparents of their grandson Jayden; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Earp Street between 18th Street and 19th Street is also named Reverend Dr. Daniel T. Black Square to honor the memory of Reverend Dr. Daniel T. Black and to recognize his life and memorialize his lasting legacy.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the congregation of Gospel Temple Baptist Church as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
End