[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 31 (Thursday, February 16, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E367]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO BISHOP PHILLIP A. BROOKS

                                 ______


                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 15, 1995
  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bishop 
Phillip A. Brooks. Bishop Brooks, Pastor of the New Saint Paul 
Tabernacle Church of God in Christ, has touched many lives nationally, 
locally and personally. Through his commitment to community service his 
contributions to the State of Michigan have pronounced him one of 
Detroit's most influential church leaders. He ministers to the poor, 
the rich, the elderly, the young, the homeless, and the jobless, 
improving the quality of their lives.
  Bishop Brooks will be a guest speaker at Delta College on February 
20, 1995 in celebration of African American History Month. He will 
speak on, ``The Impact of the Black Church on Social, Political, and 
Economic Change--1895-1995,'' an issue on which Bishop Brooks has had 
great impact. He will be honored for his contributions to the community 
of Saginaw, and will be recognized for his contributions to the whole 
State of Michigan.
  Since founding the New Saint Paul Tabernacle Church of God in 1956, 
Bishop Brooks has reached out to people throughout Michigan. The Bishop 
helped the St. Paul Tabernacle apply for a Head Start Grant and under 
his leadership and guidance the New Saint Paul Head Start Agency was 
bought to life in 1993. As a result of this effort, four satellite 
centers in West Detroit assist needy families by providing over 340 
children with educational instruction and hot meals. The program 
provides children with almost one third of their nutritional needs.
  In order to promote African-American business ownership, Bishop 
Brooks joined with prominent African-American business and religious 
leaders to seek half ownership in channel 62, a historically black 
owned station established in 1975. The African-American community 
wanted channel 62, which was being sold to CBS, to remain in their 
hands.
  Bishop Brooks is concerned about the spiritual, physical and mental 
wellbeing of his church, his neighbors, his friends and strangers. The 
Bishop transformed a 32-year-old building, threatened with destruction, 
into a first class senior citizen home. Attempts to revive the building 
by prominent business leaders failed, but under the leadership of 
Bishop Brooks, a $3.6 million grant was awarded to the group from the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development. Today, the home provides 
seniors with a safe and secure living environment.
  Bishop Brooks opened his arms to the young by establishing the 
Grandmont-Rosedale Park Christian Day School in 1990. The school 
provides a Christian education to students from preschool through 12th 
grade. Bishop Brooks also operates a private school to train African-
American entrepreneurs. Both of these are nonprofit organizations which 
demonstrate his commitment to education.
  Mr. Speaker, as you can see, Bishop Phillip A. Brooks is not just a 
leader in his church--providing family counseling, tutoring, singles 
ministry and senior outreach programs for congregation--but in his 
community and throughout the State. His generous contributions in a 
society fraught with growing social and economic difficulty should be 
applauded. I commend Bishop Brooks for his many accomplishments. He has 
truly made our world a better place.


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