[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H14449-H14450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING PASTOR ALFRED VAUGHN'S 50 YEARS IN THE MINISTRY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CUMMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great admiration and 
respect to recognize a dear friend and one of the Nation's most 
distinguished citizens, Dr. Alfred C.D. Vaughn, for his 50 years of 
service to God as a preacher, teacher, leader, and friend.
  For the last 21 years, Dr. Vaughn has been the cherished pastor of 
the Sharon Baptist Church, located in my hometown of Baltimore, 
Maryland. As grace would have it, this is the same church that his 
grandmother joined in 1894 and of which his mother became a member in 
1911.
  Dr. Vaughn, known as the dean of ministers in Baltimore, is one of 
thirteen children of Mildred and Robert Vaughn. He received Christ at 
the tender age of 11. Just 8 years later, he was licensed to preach and 
began a glorious journey of teaching and preaching God's Holy Word.
  He first served as pastor of Promise Land Baptist Church in Moneta, 
Virginia. For 18 years he then led the congregation of Grace Memorial 
Baptist Church in Baltimore before accepting the calling in 1986 to 
return home as the visionary pastor of the Sharon Baptist Church.
  Throughout his career as a minister, the pursuit of a quality 
education has always been his priority. Dr. Vaughn earned an AB-BD 
degree from Virginia Seminary and College, a master of divinity degree 
and a doctor of ministry degree from Southern University, and he has 
been awarded four honorary degrees.
  It has been said that ``you show people who you are by what you do.'' 
Throughout his entire life, Dr. Vaughn has demonstrated to the world, 
with sincere humility and steadfast determination, his commitment to 
helping others to be the very best that they can be.
  Recognizing the need for accessible child care in his community, Dr. 
Vaughn converted a building near Sharon Baptist Church into a family 
support center that houses a child care facility and operates other 
community service programs. He also spearheaded efforts to raise 
thousands of dollars to send students to college, adopt a local 
elementary school, and provide after-school programs, local food pantry 
programs and foreign missions.
  However, Dr. Vaughn's accomplishments and achievements reach far 
beyond the walls of his church. He served as commissioner for the 
Housing Authority of Baltimore City for 10 years. He was appointed as 
trustee and as treasurer of Provident Hospital and as trustee of the 
Community College of Baltimore. He served on the board of directors of 
the Afro-American Newspapers, and he currently serves as chairman of 
the board of trustees of Eastern Theological Seminary.
  As a testament to his leadership, Dr. Vaughn was recently elected, 
for an unprecedented eighth time, to serve as

[[Page H14450]]

president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Baltimore and 
Vicinity, an organization which represents some 250,000 congregants.
  Outside of serving the Lord and leading souls to His kingdom, Pastor 
Vaughn's greatest joy comes from his family. He has been blessed with 
44 years of blissful marriage to his wife, Lillian. They have three 
children, Corrogan Vaughn, Lynnette Vaughn, and Cassandra Vaughn-Fox; a 
son-in-law, Larry Fox, Jr.; and three wonderful grandchildren.
  Whenever I see Pastor Vaughn in the community, his grandchildren are 
not far behind. No matter what his daily commitments may be, he picks 
them up from school every day and spends quality time with them, 
sharing his wisdom and his love.
  Baltimore is truly blessed to be able to call a stalwart such as Dr. 
Alfred C.D. Vaughn one of our very own. As a son of two preachers, I 
can say with certainty that it is fitting to give God praise for this 
dynamic leader. For 50 years he has preached the Gospel with truth and 
honor, not to glorify himself but to save souls and make others' lives 
better. He is the kind of man who, just by his presence, makes us want 
to stand taller and reach for the very best that is within us. As my 
father once said, he is a man whose presence is presence enough.
  I am honored that God allowed our lives to eclipse. And today I thank 
Pastor Vaughn on behalf of Baltimore and our entire Nation for his 
dedication, commitment to God and his church and his community.

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