[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 25, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E225-E226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN MEMORY OF BISHOP AND MRS. R.E. RANGER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 2004

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, during Black History Month 2004, I rise 
today to recognize an outstanding and historic African American 
ministry and church in my district. It is my distinct pleasure to honor 
Bishop & Mrs. R.E. Ranger and historic Wayside Church of God In Christ, 
Inc. in Fort Worth, Texas.
  Bishop R.E. Ranger served as the legendary Pastor of Wayside Church 
of God In Christ from January 16, 1930 until January 6, 1992--a period 
of 62 years of continuous ministry at the same Church location at 2100 
Beckham Place, Fort Worth, Texas 76104--and is believed to have served 
one of the longest tenures as a Pastor of the same church--if not the 
longest--of any pastor in Fort Worth history and one of the longest 
continuous pastoral tenures in the State of Texas.
  Bishop R.E. Ranger was born on Sunday, January 22, 1899 in the small, 
southern, rural area of Wilson Creek community, Allenhurst, Texas in 
Matagorda County and was a serious, disciplined student who became a 
voracious reader and independent learner who acknowledged the call of 
God to preach the gospel at age 17 in San Antonio, Texas and continued 
as a gospel preacher for over 75 years (Diamond Jubilee).
  Bishop R.E. Ranger rose from very humble beginnings on his own via 
early self-education at the St. Mary's Baptist Church using Catholic 
books and materials and without customary parental support to become an 
outstanding radio and TV trailblazer and pioneer in Fort Worth, Texas, 
as well as the nation and with the aid and assistance of radio and TV 
stations owned by Amon Carter, Jr.--WBAP Radio and WBAP-TV--achieved a 
number of historic `firsts' in the 1930's, 40's and 50's, including but 
not limited to: the Founding Bishop of the Church of God In Christ 
(Southeast) in Texas; a pioneering Pastor and Bishop in the Church of 
God In Christ in the State of Texas; the first African American 
appointed a denominational Bishop in Fort Worth History; the first 
African American minister in America to receive `national' radio air 
time; the first African American minister in the South to have a 
national radio ministry in the early 1930's; first African American 
minister south of the Mason/Dixon line to have weekly broadcasts short 
waved to many parts of the world--such as Australia, South America and 
England; and, became internationally known and his homilies were 
featured on television from such locales as Piccadilly Square in London 
and Honolulu, Hawaii; first African American minister in America to be 
seen in a ``live'' television worship service from a church auditorium; 
featured in June 1949 issue of Ebony Magazine as one of the 
``Outstanding Black Ministers on Radio''; and a survey revealed his 
WBAP radio audience to be about six (6) million at its peak.

  Bishop R.E. Ranger was the historic minister of the Wayside Church of 
God In Christ. In 1944, he personally drew up the blueprints for the 
current Wayside Church after receiving a God-given vision of a new, 
brick church in the ``shape of a cross'' with a tower. With that 
vision, he tore down the former church facility--the ``Little Wooden 
Church on the Hill''--with his own hands.
  Bishop R.E. Ranger was a pioneer in the Church of God in Christ in 
the state of Texas and was appointed Presiding Bishop of the Church of 
God In Christ (Southeast) by the founder of the Church of God In 
Christ--Bishop C.H. Mason. He also became an influential state and 
national religious leader headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas.
  Bishop R.E. Ranger willingly opened doors for activities for the good 
of the larger community and provided material and spiritual assistance 
to countless numbers of people in need. As a member of the NAACP and 
the Interdenominational Minesterial Alliance, he was actively involved 
in religious, civic, and educational activities and the struggle for 
human rights.
  Mrs. Blanche Mae Ranger was born March 20, 1904 in Houston, Texas, 
and graduated from the City of Houston's Normal and Colored High School 
on June 1, 1922. She also received a teaching degree from the historic 
Tuskegee Normal & Industrial Institute on May 22, 1924, during the time 
of George Washington Carver. Blanche Mae Ranger served with Bishop 
Ranger at Wayside Church from January 16, 1930 until her passing on 
October 26, 1985.
  Mrs. Blanche Mae Ranger was an exemplary Christian wife, a licensed 
missionary, musician and singer of the radio/TV ministry theme song--
``The Old Ship of Zion'', homemaker, mother of eleven (11) children, 
home economics teacher, poll tax collector and civic worker of Fort 
Worth, Texas. She reared and supported the education of a host of 
children and grandchildren who studied at and received numerous college 
and postgraduate degrees from institutions such as Huston Tillotson, 
Wiley College, Hastings Law School (UC), Lincoln University, University 
of Minnesota, Howard University, Howard University Law School, Lane 
College, University of Texas, Rutgers Law School, Morehouse College, 
Bowdoin College, Harvard Law School, University of Michigan Law School, 
University of Pennsylvania Law School, Oberlin College, MIT, Stanford, 
Boston University, Perdue University, Northwestern University, United 
States Air Force Academy, Loyola Marymont University, and University of 
Virginia.

  I am very proud of the achievements of Bishop and Mrs. R.E. Ranger 
and historic Wayside Church. Thanks to their significant achievements, 
Bishop and Mrs. R.E. Ranger and Wayside Church were symbols of selfless

[[Page E226]]

service and achievement for African American citizens in our community 
and across this nation.
  In recognition of its historic past, Wayside Church is currently in 
the process of receiving an official designation as a Cultural and 
Historical Landmark of the City of Fort Worth and is being considered 
for a Texas Historical Landmark designation and the National Register 
of Historic Places.
  Wayside Church of God In Christ, Inc., congratulations on 92 years 
(1912-2004) of outstanding local, state, and national service!

                          ____________________