[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 86 (Monday, June 21, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H4622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CONGRATULATIONS ON RETIREMENT OF REVEREND PATRICK SHANNON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Gerlach). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I come to the floor tonight congratulating 
Reverend Patrick Smith Shannon on his retirement from the Ministry 
after 41 years of service. Reverend Shannon presided over three 
different churches in the congressional district I represent in western 
Georgia, including the LaGrange First United Methodist Church in Troup 
County from 1968 to 1971, the Villa Rica United Methodist Church in 
Douglas County from 1971 to 1977, and the Smyrna United Methodist 
Church in Cobb County from 2001 to 2004.
  Although Reverend Shannon is retiring from an active Ministry, he 
will never retire in his unwavering service to God. Blessed with a 
loving wife, Patricia, two children, Tim and Heidi, and four grandsons, 
Reverend Shannon's journey through life has yielded countless stories 
and life experiences which he has used to share the wisdom of Christ 
and the value of faith.
  He went to Young Harris College, to Georgia State University, and 
obtained a Masters of Divinity from Emory in 1965. Born in Thomasville, 
Georgia, and raised in East Point, Reverend Shannon is a true Georgian 
to the very core.
  Reverend Shannon is a servant of God, blessed with the gifts of 
teaching, compassion, and Ministry. He values the unity and fellowship 
of the traditional community church, where he reaches out to Christians 
and nonChristians of every age group. I am fortunate to have had the 
privilege of attending a few of Reverend Shannon's services at the 
First United Methodist Church in Smyrna, and have always found them to 
be inspirational. He is a true gift to the city and to the State of 
Georgia. We will cherish and appreciate him for years to come.
  On behalf of the constituents of Georgia's Eleventh Congressional 
District, I appreciate Pat Shannon's service to our spiritual 
community, and I wish him many new journeys in his retirement.

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