[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 153 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1968-E1969]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                REVEREND EARL ABEL POST OFFICE BUILDING

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 23, 2008

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor my friend and 
colleague the late Reverend Earl Abel of Kansas City, MO. In life, 
Reverend Earl Abel labored tirelessly for nearly 50 years as a 
minister, a community leader and mentor to countless members of the 
Kansas City community. When Reverend Abel founded the Palestine 
Missionary Baptist Church of Jesus Christ he only had 11 members. 
Today, his church has grown into one of the larger ministries in the 
Kansas City community. Under his leadership the church has built two 
senior citizens residences, a Senior Activity Center and a church camp 
for both youths and adults in the larger Kansas City community.
  The Kansas City community was so central to Rev. Abel's heart, that 
in addition to the good works his church was engaged in. He personally 
took on many other important roles to serve the community that he loved 
including Chaplain for the Kansas City Police Department, President of 
the Baptist Ministers Union, and member of the Kansas City Council on 
Crime Prevention. In 1999, he was appointed to the Appellate Judicial 
Commission by Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan. Rev. Abel spent his life 
building good will and love and now it is my privilege to ask for your 
help to honor this man by naming a post office in the heart of Kansas 
City in his name.

[[Page E1969]]

  My fellow members of Congress, I urge you to support H.R. 6198 which 
will designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located 
at 1700 Cleveland Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, as the ``Reverend 
Earl Abel Post Office Building.

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