[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 73 (Thursday, May 15, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING REVEREND PHILLIP C. LAWSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 15, 2003

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, we rise today to honor a great religious, 
spiritual, and civic leader, Reverend Phil Lawson, for his magnificent 
ministry. In June 2003, Rev. Lawson will retire as Pastor of Easter 
Hill United Methodist Church in Richmond, California. Today we honor 
and celebrate this giant of a human being.
  The Rev. Phil Lawson came to Easter Hill in June 1992, from First 
United Methodist Church in Vallejo, California, where he served as 
pastor for six years following a six-year pastorate at El Cerrito 
United Methodist Church. Before coming to California, Rev. Lawson was 
pastor and Executive Director of the Methodist Inner City Parish in 
Kansas City, Missouri.
  Along with his pastoral duties, he has worked with the Vallejo School 
District, Vallejo City government, Vallejo ministers and congregations 
to develop a community feeding program. Phil received special 
commendations from the Vallejo School Board and City Council, for his 
creativity and energy in serving the community.
  Rev. Phil Lawson is the son of a Methodist minister, and the brother 
of Rev. J.M. Lawson, former pastor of Holman United Methodist Church in 
Los Angeles. He is a graduate of Butler University, Indianapolis, 
Indiana, and the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, where he 
received a Master of Divinity degree in 1968. From 1971 to 1973, Phil 
was selected as a Martin Luther King Fellow in Black Church studies, by 
Colgate-Rochester Divinity School. As a MLK Fellow, he studied in 
Nigeria, Ghana, and Atlanta, Georgia.
  From an early age, Rev. Lawson has had a passion for justice and 
peace, nurtured in high school in Massillon, Ohio, when several drug 
stores were desegregated through nonviolent direct action in 1950. At 
the age of 16, following high school graduation, Rev. Lawson joined the 
Fellowship of Reconciliation, and met with youth from across America in 
Washington, DC, where they experimented in non-violent direct action to 
integrate movies, swimming pools and drug stores in the Nation's 
capital.
  Rev. Lawson's Ministry for Justice reached nationwide attention in 
the United Methodist Church in the 60's and 70's when his ministry led 
him into close relationship with the Kansas City, Missouri, Black 
Panther Party. Additionally, his passion for peace led him to travel to 
the former Soviet Union and North Viet Nam in 1970. Consequently, the 
Internal Security Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives began 
its investigation of the Black Panthers by subpoenaing Rev. Lawson in 
1970, and the Missouri West Annual Conference convened a special 
session to ``deal with Phil Lawson,'' also in 1970. Both events 
generated national support for Rev. Lawson and his ministries. He has 
consistently spoken ``truth to power.''
  Rev. Lawson is very active in ecumenical activities as President for 
the Northern California Inter-Religious Conference and its Peace with 
Justice Commission, and the Inter-Faith Witness for Peace. In the 
California-Nevada Annual Conference, he has served for 8 years as 
Chairperson of the Board of Church and Society, and on the conference 
Council of Ministries. The world has benefited from his spirit-filled 
leadership.
  Finally, as we honor Reverend Lawson today, we want to thank him for 
being an exemplary role model, pastor, and preacher. He has been a 
friend who has shared his wisdom and has given us tremendous support. 
Most of all, we thank Pastor Lawson for his indomitable spirit and for 
his prayers.
  We take great pride in joining Reverend Lawson's wife JoAnn, 
daughters Kelly and JoyceRenee, grandson Kelle, friends and colleagues 
to salute the extraordinary Phillip C. Lawson as he retires as Pastor 
of Easter Hill United Methodist Church.

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