[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 105 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1465]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING PASTOR KIRBYJON H. AND SUZETTE TURNER CALDWELL
______
HON. KEN BENTSEN
of texas
in the house of representatives
Friday, July 26, 2002
Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Pastor and Mrs.
Kirbyjon Caldwell for their years of service and dedication to the
Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas. In honor of
Pastor and Mrs. Caldwell, the Windsor Village Community hosted the
``20th Anniversary Celebration: Recognizing Their Spiritual
Leadership'' on July 19, 2002.
A native Texan, Pastor Caldwell was educated in the Houston public
school system, earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from
Carleton College in 1975, and a Masters Degree in Business
Administration from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of
Business in 1977. After graduate school, Pastor Caldwell began a
promising career in investment banking. But, in an effort to fulfill
God's purpose for his life, Pastor Caldwell enrolled into Southern
Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology, where he received a
Masters Degree in Theology in 1981. While completing his theology
degree, Pastor Caldwell was appointed Associate Pastor of St. Mary's
United Methodist Church in Houston and in less than a year he was
appointed Senior Pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church.
Since his first sermon at Windsor Village in 1982, Pastor Caldwell
has dedicated himself to addressing the needs of his congregation. The
growth and success that Windsor Village has experienced under Pastor
Caldwell's leadership reveals a pastor who is truly connected to his
community and committed to the church's prosperity. Under his
pastorship, the Windsor Village membership has grown from 25 to over
14,000, and the average worship attendance has increased from 12 to
6,450. The Church includes over 120 ministries, which serve the
community seven days a week.
The spiritual leadership at Windsor Village serves as a beacon for
the Houston community. With such facilities as the Power Center, the
Prayer Center and the Family Life Center, the congregation's sense of
community activism and outreach provides an ideal model of service to
the surrounding community. The Power Center, developed in conjunction
with the Windsor Village Church Family and the Pyramid Community
Development Corporation, houses numerous services and entities, such as
the Imani School, J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, Houston Community College's
Business Technology Center, the University of Texas-Hermann Hospital
Clinic, W.A.M. Inc, and 27 business suites. Additionally, the church
recently broke ground for a 234 acre master-planned community which
will consist of a 452 single family home residential community with a
12 acre community park, a YMCA, an independent living facility, the
Comprehensive Wellness Center, the Zina Garrison Tennis Center, and two
museums.
Pastor Caldwell's contributions extend far beyond his pastoral
duties. He is the author of the best seller, The Gospel of Good
Success, which serves as a road map to spiritual, emotional, and
financial wholeness. Newsweek identified Pastor Caldwell as a member of
``The Century Club,'' and the magazine's 100 people to watch in the
21st century. Throughout his years of service to his ministry and the
community, Pastor Caldwell has received numerous accolades, including
Community Partners' Father of the Year, Texas Monthly's Twenty Most
Influential Texans, the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award, and
the Bishop's Award for Outstanding Leadership in Evangelism.
Aside from the monumental work he has done for Windsor Village,
Pastor Caldwell, is involved in a number of civic and business ventures
that impact the community. He serves on the board of the National
Children's Defense Fund, the Greater Houston Partnership, Continental
Airlines, Southern Methodist University, and Baylor College of
Medicine, to name a few.
Pastor and Mrs. Caldwell have been married for 11 years and are the
proud parents of Turner, Nia and Alexander Caldwell. Mrs. Suzette
Caldwell graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of
Science in Industrial Engineering, where she is currently pursuing a
graduate school in social work. Mrs. Caldwell's professional career as
an environmental engineer in the public and private sector spans over
17 years.
Suzette Caldwell has made her own significant imprint upon the
Windsor Village community. Presently, she serves as a local pastor and
the Director of the Supernatural Services. In addition, she serves as
the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Kingdom Builders' Prayer
Institute, a non-profit community-based organization that focuses on
teaches people how to pray and the effectiveness of prayer. Among
others, she serves as a member of the Children's Museum of Houston
Advisory Board, a member of the Teach for America Advisory Board, and
member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. Her dedication to
service is exemplified by the numerous recognitions she has received
over the years, including, The National Association of 100 Black
Women's Makeda Award, The Suburban Sugar Land Women's Community Service
Award, The Samaritan Center's Samaritan Spirit Award, Philanthropy In
Texas' Hall of Fame, and the US Army Corps of Engineers' Achievement
Award for Special Acts of Service.
Mr. Speaker, throughout Kirbyjon and Suzette Caldwell's service to
the Windsor Village United Methodist Community, their wisdom,
enthusiasm, and vision, have served their congregation and its
surrounding community well. Their dedication to the community and
commitment to their neighbors sets them apart as the spark that keeps
faith aglow. I want to congratulate the Caldwell's on their twenty
years of service to the Windsor Village Methodist Church and thank them
for their service to our community, state and nation.
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