[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 7, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3600-S3601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                 GUEST CHAPLAIN, REV. ERNEST R. GIBSON

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, it is my distinct honor to reflect on 
the accomplishments of our guest Chaplain, Rev. Ernest R. Gibson. 
Reverend Gibson is a product of Howard University 
 [[Page S3601]] where he studied sociology and religion. He has been 
putting his studies to work in his capacity as the pastor of the First 
Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church. He began pastoring this church in 
1952, and he continues as head of this congregation today. Under his 
leadership, his church has grown from 65 members to its current 
attendance of 1,700 active members.
  The history and development of Gibson's congregation serves as a 
tribute to his life accomplishments. Four years after Gibson started as 
pastor of First Rising Mount Zion Baptist Church, in 1956, they bought 
their first building in Northwest Washington, DC. Later in 1973, they 
oversaw the construction of the Gibson Plaza which was a 10-story, 217-
unit apartment building for low and moderate income families. In 1985, 
they completed construction of their education building, and recently 
in 1990, they completed construction of a new church building.
  Reverend Gibson's congregation serves as a positive force in its 
surrounding community working proactively to address the needs of those 
less fortunate. They offer many programs including, a college guarantee 
offering tuition assistance up to full tuition, an outpatient drug 
treatment facility, a weekly food distribution which reaches an average 
of 300 individuals, and a meal program for homeless families.
  Reverend Gibson's commitment to his community extends greater than 
his responsibilities as the pastor of First Rising Mount Zion Baptist 
Church. He was also the chairman of glass recycling program in 
cooperation with the Glass Packaging Institute and Mid-Atlantic Glass 
Recycling Program. Under his leadership they saw a total of 10 
different churches and agencies participate.
  As well as being active in his surrounding community, Reverend Gibson 
was involved with other persons of faith, in his role as the executive 
director of the Council of Churches of Greater Washington. In this 
ecumenical work, the reverend urged churches to be more concerned about 
social issues, coordinated a voter registration drive which placed 
registrars in more than 30 churches, and directed the Interfaith 
Conference. He also was the co-chair of the Greater Washington Billy 
Graham Crusade in 1986, coordinating the efforts of local churches in 
their support of this endeavor.
  I am proud to share the floor with Reverend Gibson because he is a 
man whose religious convictions make an impact on the treatment of 
others. He has clearly taken to heart Christ's recommendation to feed 
his sheep. Gibson's commitment to the service of others is undeniable 
and his faithful devotion to his congregation is obvious. We need more 
pastors like Gibson who are devoted not just to their congregation, but 
also to the surrounding community. His body of believers can act as an 
example to the church in America of what it means to serve the 
community.


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