[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 15, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E797-E798]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CELEBRATING NILOUS McKINLEY AVERY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES H. TAYLOR

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2001

  Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to commend 
and celebrate the life and Golden Anniversary Celebration for Dr. 
Nilous McKinley Avery. Dr. Avery has pastored Hill Street Baptist 
Church in Asheville, North Carolina for fifty (50) years. It has been 
my privilege to be in his church many times as he has held the summer 
``Earning by Learning'' reading program in his church which I have 
sponsored for the past seven years.
  Dr. Avery graduated from Garner High School in Garner, North 
Carolina, and then went on to complete his Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor 
of Divinity, and Master of Divinity at Shaw University in Raleigh. He 
pursued a Doctor of Theology Degree (THD) in Psychology and Pastoral 
Counseling from the Boston University of School of Theology in

[[Page E798]]

Boston, Massachusetts and was recognized with an Honorary Doctor of 
Divinity from Shaw University.
  As a student Dr. Avery served as pastor of Pilot Baptist Church in 
Pilot, North Carolina; New Liberty Baptist Church in Louisburg, North 
Carolina; Macedonia Baptist Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina; and 
Malabys Crossroads Baptist Church in Knightdale, North Carolina. In 
1951 he came to Asheville to pastor Hill Street Baptist Church, and 
fifty years later he is still the pastor.
  Since his arrival in Asheville, Dr. Avery has become an outstanding 
leader in the religious community. In 1956 he became the first African 
American to be elected president of the Interracial Ministerial 
Association of Asheville and Buncombe County. In addition, he has 
served in a leadership capacity in many organizations in the area as 
well as state-wide organizations.
  Dr. Avery is married to the former Christine Watson who is a retired 
teacher from the Asheville City Schools System. They have four 
children, all college graduates: Nilous M. Avery, II pastors Mount Zion 
Baptist Church in Salisbury, North Carolina. Kryste' N. Moore practices 
dentistry in Newark, New Jersey. CiCi Morton is the Supervisor for 
Community in Schools in Asheville, North Carolina. Nian Avery is a 
licensed embalmer and funeral director at Hart Funeral Service in 
Asheville, North Carolina. The Averys have eight grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that all of my colleagues in the House of 
Representatives join me in saluting Dr. Avery's first fifty years of 
service to his Lord, his church and our community.

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