[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 143 (Thursday, November 2, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN CELEBRATION OF THE 140TH ANNIVERSARY OF LAKESHORE AVENUE BAPTIST 
                      CHURCH, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 2, 2000

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I wish to celebrate the one hundred and 
fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the Lakeshore Avenue 
Baptist Church in Oakland, California. This milestone will be 
commemorated on Sunday, November 12, 2000.
  Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church was founded in 1860 in Oakland, 
California, and is a member of the American Baptist Churches. This 
congregation first began as the First Baptist Church of Brooklyn, 
California, a community that was near Lake Merritt but is now a part of 
the City of Oakland, California. Once Brooklyn became a part of 
Oakland, the name of the church changed to the Tenth Avenue Baptist 
Church. Since that time, the church's structure was destroyed twice by 
fire, first in 1945 and again in 1955, but through the faith and 
dedication of the congregation, the present structure was built and 
dedicated in 1957 as the Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church.
  Lakeshore is one of our most diverse congregations in our community 
with a membership of 55% African American, 40% Caucasian and 5% Asian 
Americans.
  Lakeshore contributes to the community in many ways. For sixty years, 
they have sponsored one of the oldest weekday religious radio programs. 
Lakeshore also worked to integrate the neighborhood surrounding the 
church, founded the Lakeshore Children's Center (now the Children's 
Peace Academy), established a Hunger Task Force which supports hunger 
relief programs in the Bay Area, assisted immigrants and refugees in 
settling in Oakland, and co-founded the Oakland Coalition of 
Congregations.
  Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church is a great source of civic pride and 
a valuable resource for the community, I proudly join the church's 
members, friends and neighbors in saluting and honoring the history and 
spirit of this landmark church.