WHEREAS, the Reverend Dr. Kenneth E. Dennis, Sr., a religious leader who made many contributions to the Richmond community, died on February 18, 2021; and

WHEREAS, a native of Miami, Florida, Kenneth Dennis began to cultivate his deep faith at a young age as a member of Greater Israel Primitive Baptist Church and later joined Star of Bethlehem Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Dennis graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School, then served his country honorably as a member of the United States Air Force; he continued his education by earning a bachelor's degree from Virginia Union University, a master of divinity degree from Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, and an honorary doctorate from the Richmond Virginia Seminary; and

WHEREAS, after answering the call to ministry in the late 1970s, Kenneth Dennis was ordained in 1980 and served as a youth minister at Thirty-First Street Baptist Church in Richmond; and

WHEREAS, in 1988, Kenneth Dennis became pastor of Greater Mount Moriah Baptist Church, serving and inspiring members of the Richmond community in that capacity for more than three decades; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Dennis held leadership positions in the Tuckahoe Baptist Association and the Henrico Minister's Conference; he served as the International Association of Ministers' Wives and Ministers' Widows lecturer for the Baptist General Convention of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Dennis mentored aspiring ministers as a teacher at the Richmond Virginia Seminary and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology and engaged with individuals throughout Richmond and the Commonwealth as an author and the co-host of religious television programming; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Dennis served the community as president of the Richmond Branch of the NAACP, a chaplain for the Richmond Police Department, and a grief counselor for the City of Richmond; and

WHEREAS, Kenneth Dennis will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Loretta; his sons, KJ and Kendall, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of the Reverend Dr. Kenneth E. Dennis, Sr., a dedicated faith and community leader in Richmond; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Reverend Dr. Kenneth E. Dennis, Sr., as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for his memory.