[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 86 (Thursday, June 19, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO REV. DR. BENNETT WALKER SMITH, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JACK QUINN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 19, 1997

  Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor the Rev. Dr. Bennett W. 
Smith, Sr., Pastor of St. John Baptist Church on his twenty-five years 
of dedicated and outstanding service to our community.
  In addition to his duties with the St. John Baptist Church in 
Buffalo, Pastor Smith serves as president of the Progressive National 
Baptist Convention, Inc., upon being elected to that high honor in 
August 1994. As president, Pastor Smith provides leadership and 
guidance to its 3 million members.
  As Pastor, Bennett Smith leads the St. John Baptist Church, a 2,700 
member congregation, and has emerged as world-renowned evangelist and 
author.
  Pastor Smith has truly served our Western New York community through 
many charitable endeavors, including the construction of McCarley 
Gardens, housing for low-income families; the St. John Baptist Church 
Education wing; and a full-time Christian day school. Further, Pastor 
Smith's Leadership has brought to our community the Board of Christian 
Education, Senior Citizens Fellowship, Junior and Senior Youth 
Fellowship, Youth Church, Prison Outreach Ministry, Singles Ministry, a 
radio-television broadcast, and Project Gift, an after-school program 
for youth with special needs.
  He has also served in numerous local and national organizations for 
the betterment of mankind, including a national board member and local 
chairman of the Virginia-Michigan Housing Development Fund, the Sheehan 
Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, Buffalo Metropolitan Ministries, 
the Council of Churches, and the NAACP and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
  In recognition of that commitment to our community, Rev. Dr. Smith 
has received the Buffalo News Citizen of the Year award, and the 
prestigious Grammy Award for his famous sermon, ``Watch them Dogs.'' He 
has also had the high honor of serving as an official election observer 
in the first free election in South Africa, and has published the 
widely acclaimed Handbook on Tithing.
  Mr. Speaker, today I would like to bring Rev. Dr. Smith's superlative 
achievements to the attention of my colleagues in the House, and ask 
that they join me in expressing our heartfelt appreciation and 
enthusiastic congratulations to Pastor Bennett Walker Smith, Sr., as he 
celebrates his 25th year of outstanding service in Western New York and 
throughout the world.

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