South Carolina S 884: William "Bill" Terrell

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 884 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 04, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 884

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A concurrent RESOLUTION

TO EXPRESS THE 
PROFOUND SORROW OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY UPON THE 
PASSING OF BISHOP JAMES REDFERN II, PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE ECUMENICAL CHURCH 
OF CHRIST WORLDWIDE, AND TO EXTEND THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS LOVING FAMILY 
AND HIS MANY FRIENDS.

Whereas, born on 
October 27, 1949, in the Town of Liberty nestled in New York's Catskill 
Mountains, Bishop James Redfern II was the eldest of four children of James 
Melvin Redfern Sr. and Gertrude W. Redfern. Shortly after his birth, he moved 
with his family to Columbia, and when he was six years old, his father died, 
leaving his mother to raise her children courageously; and

Whereas, his earliest 
education at Saint Martin de Porres Catholic School taught him the Gospel was 
not only to be preached, but also lived, structured, and multiplied, and he was 
part of the inaugural Upward Bound program and graduated with honors from 
Booker T. Washington High School in 1967. He entered the University of South 
Carolina's College of Engineering on a full scholarship and later attended 
Benedict College. As a student at USC in the late 1960s, he became acutely 
aware of systemic racism through personal experiences of discrimination and 
hostility, emerging as a fearless Civil Rights activist, founding and leading 
organizations devoted to civil rights and economic opportunity, including Blacks 
United for Action, Black-On Nation, and Black News/Black-On News; and

Whereas, known for his 
fiery oratory and strategic confrontation of injustice, Bishop Redfern led 
marches on Columbia City Hall and the South Carolina State House, organized 
selective buying campaigns, and repeatedly appeared before Columbia City 
Council advocating for fair housing, voter registration reform, educational 
equity, police accountability, and employment justice. In one of his most 
consequential acts of protest, he confronted discriminatory hiring practices in 
the banking industry by leading the occupation of the C&S Bank branch on 
Taylor Street in Columbia, forcing negotiations with senior bank leadership and 
statewide reform in hiring practices through the All-American City Employment 
Plan. He also was a leading voice in the movement to recognize Dr. Martin 
Luther King Jr.'s birthday as a state holiday; and

Whereas, a community 
leader and public servant, he was the founding board chair of the National 
Association of Nonprofit Organizations and Executives, was a former board 
member and active volunteer of the United Way for over thirty years, holding 
several executive volunteer positions with the United Way campaign and setting 
the record for the most donor presentations (345) in a single year, and managed 
political campaigns from local to statewide and congressional offices, serving 
in operations of several presidential campaigns and, in 1980, as a member of President-elect 
Ronald Reagan's transitional team for the Department of Transportation. He also 
was the founder, president, and publisher of Juju Publishing Company, which 
produced a national literacy magazine and community newspapers in seven South 
Carolina metropolitan markets, was the publisher of the Carolina Tribune 
weekly newspaper and the South Carolinian News magazine, and most 
recently he served as the publisher of the Catalyst magazine, which 
preserves Black history, amplifies community voices, and promotes civic 
engagement; and

Whereas, ordained in 
1995, Bishop Redfern founded the Ecumenical Church of Christ Worldwide as a 
mission-minded ministry and served as its presiding bishop. Under decades of 
his leadership, churches were planted and strengthened in twelve states in the 
United States and throughout India, East and Central Africa, South America, and 
the Caribbean, and missionaries were sent abroad and supported. Together with 
his beloved wife, Bishop Dr. Luella Redfern, he reared six fine children, 
Jasmine Jones, Shelton Blue, Cedric Blue, Justin Redfern, Brandon Redfern, and 
Bryan Redfern; and

Whereas, the General 
Assembly is grateful for the legacy of Bishop Redfern as he devoted his life to 
God's call to preach the Gospel, do justice, and love mercy. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the 
Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

That the members of the 
South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, express their profound 
sorrow upon the passing of Bishop James Redfern II, Presiding Bishop of the 
Ecumenical Church of Christ Worldwide, and extend their deepest sympathy to his 
loving family and his many friends.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Bisho