[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SAINT PAUL'S BAPTIST CHURCH

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                     HON. ROBERT C. ``BOBBY'' SCOTT

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 17, 2009

  Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
enduring legacy of a faith institution in the city of Richmond. On 
Saturday, November 28, 2009, The Saint Paul's Baptist Church will 
celebrate its 100th anniversary, and in recognition of this milestone I 
would like to take a moment to reflect on the history of this esteemed 
church and its contributions to the greater Richmond community.
  The Saint Paul's Baptist Church began, fittingly, on Thanksgiving 
night in 1909, when a group of congregants of First Union Baptist 
Church received a letter of release to form their own Church. The newly 
organized Church elected Rev. George Pinkney as its first Pastor. 
Reverend Pinkney's years were dedicated to establishing the new parish 
on a firm footing. Under his leadership, the first sanctuary with a 
seating capacity greater than 50 was constructed on Botetourt Street.
  The Saint Paul's family grew considerably in a short period of time 
under Reverend Pinkney and the church's second pastor and Reverend 
Pinkney's son, Timothy Pinkney. During the service of Saint Paul's 
third pastor, Rev. Isaiah Hines (1913-1928), a second sanctuary was 
built that accommodated the growing church's 200 worshippers.
  Saint Paul's underwent significant change under the leadership of 
their fourth and longest serving pastor, Rev. Journey A. Mosby. During 
his 40 year tenure, the church expanded its commitment to the 
development of young people, especially aspiring theological students 
from nearby Virginia Union University. Reverend Mosby was also 
responsible for many ministries that still exist in the church today. A 
new building was once again needed to accommodate the growing 
congregation. Reverend Mosby launched an expansion campaign on 
Thanksgiving Day 1950 and by 1957, the church was able to buy an 
existing facility on the corner of 26th and Marshall Streets in the 
Church Hill neighborhood. This served as the Church's home for 45 
years, and the Parish House is now listed on the National Park 
Service's National Register of Historic Places.
  The Church's fifth pastor, Rev. James Leary, was installed in 1969. 
Under his direction, the Saint Paul's Baptist Federal Credit Union, the 
Saint Paul's Housing Corporation, the Saint Paul's Manor, and the J.A. 
Mosby Scholarship fund were all initiated.
  Saint Paul's sixth and current pastor is Rev. Lance Watson, installed 
in 1985. Under his leadership, Saint Paul's has continued to thrive and 
expand. Over the last 30 years, the congregation has grown to over 
12,000 members. The church has instituted many more ministries 
including a bookstore, multiple schools, a counseling service, a 
community development corporation, and a media company that produces 
weekly recordings of Saint Paul's services and broadcasts them 
nationally.
  In 2002, the Church moved into its present facility on Creighton 
Road. Although this is now the heart of Saint Paul's, the church has 
multiple locations throughout Greater Richmond including the Marshall 
Avenue facility, which is under development to become a performing arts 
center. Saint Paul's has been such a positive spiritual influence on 
the Richmond community that since 2005, two churches faced with the 
prospect of selling their property on the open market elected instead 
to give their physical plants to Saint Paul's to help expand its 
ministry. The church's dedication to ``finding needs and meeting them, 
finding hurts and healing them, finding problems and solving them'' has 
made it an indispensible institution of faith in the Greater Richmond 
area.
  I would like to commend Pastor Watson and the congregation of The 
Saint Paul's Baptist Church as they celebrate their 100th anniversary. 
I hope that their next 100 years of service will be as fruitful as 
their first 100 years.

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