[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 151 (Monday, November 1, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2230-E2231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO REVEREND EDWARD R. SHERRIFF

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 1, 1999

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in tribute to Reverend Edward R. 
Sherriff. On October 20, 1999, Reverend Sherriff was stabbed to death 
in his home in Sacramento. A memorial service will be held on November 
7 at River City Metropolitan Community Church's Cathedral of Promise in 
Sacramento. As the community mourns his loss, I ask all my colleagues 
to join with me in saluting the career and efforts of this exceptional 
person.
  Reverend Sherriff was born in Serdro-Wooley, Washington and raised in 
Northern California on the Hupa Reservation. He began preaching locally 
at age seventeen. This childhood interest grew into a career. He was 
the pastor of several congregations and coordinated churches in the 
Northwest U.S. and in Canada. In 1965, he was dismissed as a result of 
his sexual orientation, and he did not enter another church for 19 
years.

[[Page E2231]]

  His life in ruin, Reverend Sherriff borrowed money to buy a 
restaurant. This venture eventually expanded to five extremely 
successful eateries. During this time, he also financed a homosexual 
hotline in Spokane, Washington, taught nursing for the state of 
Washington, and volunteered his time to help the needy and hungry.
  In 1983, Reverend Sherriff attended a service at Emmanuel 
Metropolitan Community Church in Spokane, Washington. Because of this 
open and caring environment, he was convinced to rejoin the ministry.
  Reverend Sherriff briefly served as a pastor of the MCC church in 
Boise, Idaho, and he served as District Coordinator of the Northwest 
District, Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches from 
1987-1992. From 1990 to 1992, Reverend Sherriff served as Executive 
Director of the Hope House, a low-rent residence facility operated by 
Loaves and Fishes.
  Edward Sherriff began his tenure as Associate Pastor of River City 
Metropolitan Community Church in Sacramento in 1987. His office was 
located in the church building in Oak Park, a multicultural community 
in a depressed area of Sacramento. He made a practice of inviting cold 
and hungry people off the street to come in for a cup of hot coffee. As 
the news spread, more and more people began to flock to the Reverend's 
door.
  Due to his nursing background and interest in feeding the needy, 
nutritional concerns were of utmost importance in formulating his 
outreach to the community. In 1990, he began cooking a pot of soup for 
the 10 or 20 hungry people who had nowhere else to go for a warm meal.
  In the early 1990's Reverend Sherriff and MCC began the Samaritan 
Center to provide held for the needy regardless of religious 
affiliation, race, creed, sex, or sexual orientation. The Samaritan 
Center used volunteers and the church's kitchen to prepare the meals 
and used the church's social hall to serve the meals. The number of 
hungry people continued to grow, and in 1992, Reverend Sherriff 
resigned his District Coordinator position and dedicated his time to 
the Samaritan Center.
  In 1994, MCC's Activities Building, which housed the Samaritan 
Center, burned to the ground. At the time, the Samaritan Center was 
providing about 400 hot meals per day. As a result, the center was 
promptly moved to a new location and continued the services to the 
community. In September of 1999, the Samaritan's Food Bank program, 
together with Reverend Sherriff's coffee shop, had helped feed over 
4,200 people.
  Mr. Speaker, as the community of Sacramento gathers to mourn the loss 
of one of its finest citizens, I am honored to pay tribute to Reverend 
Edward R. Sherriff. His tireless service to the community and people of 
Sacramento will be dearly missed. I ask all of my colleagues to join me 
in mourning his loss and celebrating his achievements.

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