[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 158 (Tuesday, November 4, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO REVEREND DOCTOR WALLACE S. HARTSFIELD ON HIS 37TH 
    ANNIVERSARY AS PASTOR OF METROPOLITAN MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KAREN McCARTHY

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 4, 2003

  Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and 
respect that I rise today to bring to your attention, and to the 
attention of the House, the outstanding work and commitment of Rev. Dr. 
Wallace Hartsfield for more than 50 years of preaching to church 
congregations, serving the last 37 years as pastor of the Metropolitan 
Missionary Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri.
  Reverend Hartsfield was born in Atlanta, Georgia, November 13, 1929. 
He was an only child, raised by his mother, Ruby Morrissatte. After a 
3-year tour of duty in the United States Army, he attended Clark 
College in Atlanta and in 1954 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree 
from Clark College. He received a Master of Divinity degree from Gammon 
Theological Seminary in Atlanta in 1957. His first pastorate was at a 
Baptist church in Pickens, South Carolina.
  Reverend Hartsfield is a former chairman of the Congress of National 
Black Churches, which represents 65,000 churches and 20 million 
members. Reverend Hartsfield is also the former chairman of the 
Economic Development Commission of the National Baptist Convention of 
America, Inc.; second vice president of the National Baptist Convention 
of America, Inc.; president of the Greater Kansas City Chapter of 
Operation PUSH; and an adjunct professor of the Central Baptist 
Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Kansas. Reverend Hartsfield is 
married to Matilda Hopkins and on August 28 of this year they 
celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary. Reverend and Mrs. Hartsfield 
are the proud parents of four wonderful children: Pamela Faith, Danise 
Hope, Ruby Love, and Wallace S. Hartsfield II.
  I have known Reverend Hartsfield over the years through his extensive 
involvement in the community. He has been a leader in many worthwhile 
causes and a wonderful role model for our city's youth and young 
adults.
  His leadership was invaluable in redeveloping a blighted part of 
Kansas City when he led the Baptist Ministers' Union of Kansas City in 
their efforts to demolish the old St. Joseph's Hospital and replace it 
with a much needed new shopping center, the Linwood Shopping Center. 
Residents of the city's central core had to travel some distances to 
buy groceries, drop off dry cleaning, or to have a prescription filled 
before the new development became a reality. Reverend Hartsfield 
successfully led the charge to secure sufficient investment capital for 
the project when resources for new development in that area of the city 
were scarce. He also was instrumental in the construction of a low 
income 60 unit housing development known as Metropolitan Homes, in that 
same geographical area. He was involved in faith based initiatives long 
before it was on the national agenda.
  Reverend Hartsfield recently chaired the capital fund campaign to 
expand and update Kansas City's Swope Parkway Health Center, which 
provides invaluable assistance to many people who could not otherwise 
afford or have access to quality, state of the art health care. 
Millions of dollars were raised and the new health center stands as a 
testament to the untiring efforts of committed and dedicated people 
like Reverend Hartsfield.
  Reverend Hartsfield has received numerous awards, among them the One 
Hundred Most Influential Award from the Kansas City Globe newspaper; 
the Greater Kansas City Image Award presented by the Urban League; the 
Minister of the Year Award from the Baptist Ministers Union of Kansas 
City; a Public Service Award from the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime; the 
Role Model for Youth Award from Penn Valley Community College and the 
Community Service Award from Kansas City, Missouri.
  Additionally, he was named ``One of the Top 50 Ministers in America;' 
by Upscale magazine of Atlanta, GA and he received an honorary Doctor 
of Divinity degree from both Western Baptist Bible College in Kansas 
City and also from the Virginia Seminary and College of Lyncher, VA. 
Further, Reverend Hartsfield is a member of the board of directors for 
the national organization of Operation PUSH, and the Morehouse School 
of Religion in Atlanta, GA, among others.
  This weekend in Kansas City, we are celebrating Reverend Hartsfield's 
37th anniversary as pastor at the Metropolitan Missionary Baptist 
Church, and recognizing all of his critically important work and the 
leadership he has provided in the community for nearly four decades. 
Reverend Hartsfield loves people and he loves helping people. He has 
made a difference in the city he calls home, Kansas City, and we are 
proud to honor him as one of our outstanding citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me, the congregation of the Metropolitan 
Missionary Baptist Church, the family of Reverend Hartsfield, and the 
citizens of Kansas City, Missouri in congratulating Reverend Hartsfield 
on his 37 years of service to his church and many more years of service 
to his community.

                          ____________________