[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 21, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E369-E370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          ST. PAUL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 84TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 21, 2000

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure and high 
regards that I congratulate St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Gary, 
Indiana, as it celebrates its 84th anniversary as a parish this coming 
Sunday. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate 
Reverend Everett Gray on this magnificent occasion.
  From modest beginnings, St. Paul's has emerged as a cornerstone of 
the Gary community. The church was organized in 1916 through the 
efforts of six dedicated pioneers. The first structure was a portable 
building of the 21st Avenue school. Through the hard work of Reverend 
Martin VanBuren Bolden and the six founders, the membership continued 
to grow, and on July 17, 1917, two lots

[[Page E370]]

were purchased at 1938 Adams Street. It was there that St. Paul's began 
to flourish as both a religious and a social institution.
  During the Great Depression, the people of St. Paul's saw the needs 
of those around them and reached out a helping hand. The church 
basement was used as both a medical facility and a place where those in 
need could go for food. Their generosity was exemplified when the 
church donated money to those who could not afford the burial expenses 
for loved ones that had recently passed away. St. Paul's shaped the 
lives of many people during those hard times and still stands as a 
pillar of our community.
  On May 1, 1943, St. Paul's welcomed Dr. Lester Kendal Jackson as its 
pastor, who made an immediate impact on his congregation. Under his 
leadership all outstanding debts were paid, and a significant balance 
was put into the treasury. He helped to organize many groups which 
would inspire the youth of the parish, including a literary society, 
Girl and Boy Scout teams, and a drama club. Dr. Jackson also fought for 
the rights of African Americans throughout the city of Gary, and was 
later inducted into the Steel City Hall of Fame for his contributions 
to the community.
  After a fire in 1963 destroyed the building that they had used for 
over 45 years, the people of St. Paul's erected a new church at 2300 
Grant Street on January 16, 1966. It is here that the church came under 
the direction of Reverend Everett Gray, or Pastor Gray, as he prefers 
to be addressed. Under Pastor's Gray's guidance, St. Paul's has 
continued to thrive, both in terms of spiritual growth as well as 
practical improvements.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my other distinguished colleagues to join 
me congratulating the parish family of St. Paul Missionary Baptist 
Church, under the guidance of Pastor Gray, as they celebrate their 84th 
anniversary. All current and former parishioners can be proud to say 
that they belong to the second oldest Baptist church in Gary, Indiana. 
They have weathered many storms in order to make countless significant 
contributions to their community throughout the past 84 years.

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