[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 7, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E334]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN CELEBRATION OF REVEREND DR. WENDELL ANTHONY'S 25TH PASTORAL 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 7, 2012

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise and I ask my colleagues to join me 
today to salute Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony on the occasion of his 
25th Anniversary as Pastor of Fellowship Chapel in Detroit, Michigan.
  In 1987, Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony was installed as senior pastor 
at Fellowship Chapel. From that platform, he has been an unwavering 
voice for those without, guiding thousands in faith. He has educated 
and moved many more thousands in civil rights, economics, and politics 
toward the pursuit of justice and righteousness. Through his work, he 
has had an impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people 
throughout the city of Detroit, and, indeed, across our Nation and this 
globe.
  In 1993, when he became President of the Detroit Branch of the NAACP, 
Reverend Anthony ushered in a new era of activism and strength for the 
largest NAACP chapter in the county. That year, he led a quarter-
million people through the streets of Detroit to commemorate the 30-
year anniversary of the historic 1963 Detroit March by Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr. that took place before King's iconic March on 
Washington. Reverend Anthony has worked tirelessly to build connections 
between his congregants and the international community, particularly 
Africa. In addition to establishing a medical clinic in Ghana, Reverend 
Anthony organized a relief effort raising nearly $1 million for food, 
medicine, clothing and transportation to aid hundreds of thousands of 
refugees in both Rwanda and Zaire in 1994. In 2000, he organized a 
similar relief effort for flood victims in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and 
South Africa.
  Reverend Anthony's work at home has been equally impressive and 
passionate, working on wide ranging issues of social and economic 
justice like insurance rates in Detroit, minority business contracting, 
and fairness in banking. As the former co-chair of the Detroit Fair 
Banking Alliance, Reverend Anthony helped to negotiate over $7.2 
billion in new lending from local banking institutions for the purpose 
of economic development in our region.
  As founder of the Fannie Lou Hamer Political Action Committee, 
Reverend Anthony created an institution that provides a strong, 
organized and progressive voice in the political process, holding 
public officials accountable to work in the best interests of the 
African American community. As chairman and founder of the Freedom 
Institute for Economic, Social Justice and Empowerment, Reverend 
Anthony hosts the largest sit-down dinner in the world each year for 
leaders, activists and lay people from across the spectrum of society 
from education, to the law, to politics, to labor and beyond.
  My colleagues, I could speak for a very long time about the good 
Reverend's work over the last quarter century with each accolade more 
impressive that the last, but I shall conclude my remarks by wishing my 
friend, Reverend Anthony, well and Godspeed for another quarter 
century, and beyond, of work in service to Christ and the community of 
mankind.

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