[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 16, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO PASTOR JUDITH HANLON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2008

  Mr. McGOVERN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Pastor 
Judith Hanlon of the Hadwen Park Church, a United Church of Christ Open 
and Affirming parish, located in Worcester, Massachusetts. She will be 
formally ordained on Sunday, September 14, 2008.
  Pastor Judith Hanlon has distinguished herself as a passionate 
champion for equal rights by fighting for social justice in the 
Worcester community and abroad. Raised in Indiana along with six 
siblings, she was greatly influenced by her upbringing in the 
Pentecostal church in which her father was a minister. She has two 
daughters and raised them as a single mother, a noteworthy inspiration 
to her parishioners. Her deep faith is complemented by her amazing 
talent and love of music. For 25 years, Pastor Hanlon directed and 
accompanied singing groups at the Salem Covenant Church in Worcester, 
Massachusetts. Playing the piano at age 5 and writing music by the age 
of 9, her musical talent helps to promote her faith and desire for 
justice. She has produced two CDs of social justice Christian music. 
After retiring at the age of 45 from her marketing representative 
career at Verizon--formerly ATT, Pastor Hanlon then pursued her second 
calling as a pastor.
  Serving as the pastor of the Hadwen Park Church since 2000, she 
quickly and easily gained the love of her community by welcoming all 
persons with her witty and devoted personality, her positive attitude, 
and celebratory style. Pastor Judy is courageous in her work for social 
justice, articulate, inspiring, and often very funny with her messages 
of love, faith, and overcoming challenges to find the positive side of 
life. And she is respectful of all people--even in times of 
disagreement. She is extremely well known for her commitment to and 
celebration of diversity. Gracelift is her signature e-mail name; it 
appropriately depicts Pastor Judy and her work.
  Under her leadership, Hadwen Park Church proudly moved to become an 
Open and Affirming parish to show and tell the world that ``all are 
welcome'' at HPC--people of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, sexual 
orientation, ages, family make up and physical mobility challenges. She 
led the way to cast--wide open--the welcoming doors. As a result, the 
church membership has more than doubled, to the point where the former 
little white church at the corner of Knox and Clover Streets in 
Worcester could not accommodate the growing stream of Sunday attendees 
or committee meetings and events. As such she inspired and believed 
that the mighty little congregation could achieve a million-dollar 
capital campaign and expansion project. She was right; the project was 
successfully completed within a short, and miraculous, 2-year time 
frame. With the ongoing work of the church, it looks like another 
expansion is needed for meeting rooms and child care needs, the growing 
food pantry and more. Staying current with outreach and news, through 
technology, is important to Pastor Judy; a Web site was created at her 
suggestion and ``A Place of Grace'' e-mails are disseminated to 
hundreds of parishioners and colleagues weekly to promote the important 
work of the church.
  Further, the church family has been active in the fight against HIV/
AIDS; provided assistance to Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims through 
the Hope Shall Bloom Project; organized and inspired youth to do 
service work in South America and in their community; doubled its food 
pantry to be able to serve the hungry; and provided assistance to 
countless people in need from the congregation and in the Greater 
Worcester area. Pastor Hanlon has also been a tireless advocate for the 
rights of the GLBT community in her parish, the community and the 
State. Pastor Judy has been a leader in the effort to promote equal 
marriage and helped spearhead the ``Equal Marriage: The Freedom to 
Marry Coalition in Massachusetts'' initiative. Recently, several 
immigrants, fleeing from abuse in their country of Jamaica because of 
their sexual orientation, turned to a safe and welcoming haven with 
Pastor Judy and Hadwen Park church. As a result, she now helps to lead 
local efforts to promote human rights for GLBT people in Jamaica. For 
her work on these issues she was awarded the Safe Homes ``People of 
Courage Award'' in 2006.
  Madam Speaker, I commend this amazing, grace-filled, and inspiring 
leader of faith for her dedication to making the Worcester area and our 
world a better place, and I ask all my colleagues to join me in 
offering her congratulations on her ordination.

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