[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1967]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH OF SAN MATEO

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 1998

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to invite my 
colleagues in the Congress to join me in recognizing the Community 
Baptist Church of San Mateo, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary 
on October 11, 1998.
  The Community Baptist Church was originally dedicated as the San 
Mateo Chinese Baptist Community Center in 1948. The primary purpose of 
the church was to bring Christianity into the lives of Chinese 
Americans throughout the Peninsula. But what has evolved from this 
mission is a second purpose which is similarly special and valuable--to 
provide a community cultural center where the heritage, language, and 
customs of Chinese Americans are preserved for future generations.
  Mr. Speaker, the Community Baptist Church of San Mateo was the 
product of a mission program established by Mother Margarita Garton and 
the First Baptist Church of Burlingame, California. Community Baptist 
Church spent many years establishing itself in and contributing to the 
community, growing and thriving to meet the needs of its rapidly 
expanding membership. The church's increasing significance was evidence 
in 1963 by the construction of a sanctuary on its current site on South 
Humboldt Street in San Mateo. Three years later, Sunday School 
classrooms were added to the building, and during the 1980's a multi-
storied Conference Center and Nursery was erected.
  The Community Baptist Church has endeavored to meet the needs of the 
expanding population of Cantonese-speaking Chinese Americans in San 
Mateo County. In 1990 the Community Baptist Church initiated full dual 
ministries in both English and Cantonese, with strong pastoral 
leadership serving both segments of a unified church. Since 1995, the 
church has provided the community with weekly classes in the Cantonese 
language, which have awakened interest in and informed students about 
their Chinese heritage.
  As Community Baptist Church was the product of a mission program, it 
has continuously supported the American Baptist Mission Program, and 
the church has been recognized numerous times by the American Baptist 
Churches, USA for its contributions to this cause.
  The church has also served for many years as a learning facility for 
the Minister-in-Training program for graduate seminary students. These 
students have gone on to serve as pastors of their own churches or as 
staff members of the American Budget Churches of the West.
  Most notable of its numerous achievements, the Community Baptist 
Church has developed into a close-knit and supportive family. Many of 
its young members have grown into strong church and community leaders 
who now serve throughout California and across our nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and thank the Reverend Norman 
Owyang and his congregation at the Community Baptist Church for their 
outstanding contributions to the people of San Mateo and the Peninsula. 
I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Reverend Owyang and the 
Community Church of San Mateo another half century of prosperity and 
continuing service to our community.

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