[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 92 (Thursday, June 20, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1149-E1150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNITION OF THE HONORABLE FLOYD FLAKE AND BISHOP DONALD HILLIARD

                                 ______


                       HON. ROBERT G. TORRICELLI

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 20, 1996

  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, June 22, 1996, the 
Cathedral Second Baptist Church in Perth Amboy, NJ will have a ribbon 
cutting ceremony for the Donald Hilliard, Jr. community affairs 
complex. The building will be named in honor of Bishop Donald Hilliard, 
the pastor of the Cathedral Second Baptist Church.
  My friend and colleague, Congressman Floyd Flake, will be the 
featured guest speaker of Saturday's grand event. Reverend Flake not 
only represents the sixth congressional district in the State of New 
York but also is the distinguished pastor of Allen AME Church, Jamaica 
NY, which boasts more than 6,000 members.
  Rev. Congressman Floyd Flake, a man with a vision of empowerment for 
the African-American people, no doubt will provide an inspiring message 
on Saturday. As pastor of Allen AME Church, a post he assumed in 1976, 
he has founded the Allen Housing Development Fund Corp., Allen 
Christian School and Multipurpose Center, Allen Home Care Agency, Allen 
Housing Corp., and the Allen Neighborhood Preservation and Development 
Corp. Furthermore, through numerous other clerical, civic, and 
community organizations, Reverend Congressman Flake has sought to 
provide spiritual sustenance reaching far beyond the walls of church. 
He also shows his tenacity in the House of Representatives as he fights 
for racial justice and equal rights for all Americans.
  Similar to his colleague, Bishop Donald Hilliard, an active and 
dynamic leader, has also sought to improve the life of not only his 
members, but of the surrounding area of Perth Amboy, as well. Bishop 
Hilliard, who currently serves as the senior pastor of the Second 
Baptist Church of Perth Amboy and Bishop elect of the covenant 
fellowship of pastors, churches, ministries, and the cathedral 
assemblies, has nurtured and watched his church grow from a membership 
of 135 to more than 4,000. Furthermore, he has witnessed the church's 
budget increase from $73,000 to $3,000,000 annually. Not only does this 
make his church one of the fastest growing in the State, but is has 
been cited as a model church for growth by American Baptist churches, 
U.S.A., as well.
  Since 1983, when Rev. Dr. Donald Hilliard was called to pastor the 
Cathedral Second Baptist Church, both the congregation and church have 
experienced tremendous growth. The successful purchase and renovation 
of the historic Majestic theater in downtown Perth Amboy has provided a 
new house of worship for Bishop Hilliard and his members. The cathedral 
blends turn of the century elegance with state-of-the-art technology to 
provide its worshipers with a unique combination of history and future 
dreams. The church also purchased the historic ELKS lodge, directly 
across the street from the cathedral, which now has been converted into 
the Family Life Enrichment Center. This facility is complete with an 
elegant banquet hall with adjoining kitchen facilities, a library, a 
learning center, and a computer lab. Renovations are continuing on the 
third and fourth floors which will house offices, classrooms, a lecture 
hall, and a liturgical dance/cultural arts studio.
  Mr. Speaker, while Bishop Hilliard came to the Cathedral Second 
Baptist Church with such credentials as his Bachelor of Arts from 
Eastern College and Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological 
Seminary, he still found time to complete his Doctorate of Ministry 
from the United Theological Seminary, Samuel D. Proctor Fellow.
  This dynamic speaker has ha the honor of speaking at various 
churches, conferences, and conventions across the United States and 
Nigeria, West Africa. He was a visiting lecturer at Boston University, 
an adjunct professor at Princeton Theological and New Brunswick 
Theological Seminaries and adjunct faculty at Essex County College.
  For more than 12 years, Bishop Hilliard has served as a member of the 
National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. The national conventions consist of 
more than 30,000 churches and 8 million Baptist members across the 
country. He is also affiliated with the American Baptist churches, 
U.S.A., the Progressive National Baptist convention, the NAACP, United 
Negro College Fund, served on the advisory board for the Ronald 
McDonald children's charity, Multicultural advisory board at Eastern 
College, St. David's, PA, National Advisory Board at the United 
Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH, Perth Amboy Chamber of Commerce, 
Middlesex County Youth Services Commission Minority Subcommittee and 
the Perth Amboy Special Improvement District Committee. Moreover, he 
has received an award from Soul Brothers Inc. Community Award for 
outstanding efforts in uplifting the community, the Ronald L. Rice 
Award for outstanding human services from the NUAC of New Jersey, he

[[Page E1150]]

was inducted into the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award from 
Drew University, Madison, NJ, he was inducted into the Martin Luther 
King Jr. Board of Preachers at Moorehouse College, named executive of 
the year by Perth Amboy Chamber of Commerce. He was selected as the 
distinguished alumnus of the year, 1995, by Princeton Theological 
Seminary and the Evangelism Award by American Baptist Church, U.S.A.
  This exceptional pioneer was licensed into the Gospel ministry in 
1976 and ordained in 1978. He is married to Minister Phyllis D. 
Thompson Hilliard and the father of three daughters, Leah Joy, Charisma 
Joy, and Destiny Joy.
  Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a pleasure to pay tribute to the 
Cathedral Second Baptist Church in Perth Amboy, NJ, its great leader, 
Bishop Donald Hilliard Jr., and their distinguished guest, and my 
illustrious colleague, the Rev. Congressman Floyd H. Flake.