[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 178 (Monday, December 16, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING BISHOP PRINCE E.W. BRYANT, SR., OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, ``SOLDIER 
       OF THE CROSS'' WHO HAS MINISTERED THE GOSPEL FOR 50 YEARS

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, December 16, 2013

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Bishop Prince 
E.W. Bryant, Sr., the legendary pastor of the legendary Island of Hope 
Church of God in Christ Church in Houston, Texas. This year marks the 
50th anniversary of Bishop Bryant's service in the ministry of the 
Gospel.
  To mark this great occasion, Bishop Bryant is being honored as a 
``Soldier of the Cross'' by the Texas South Central Jurisdiction of The 
Church of God in Christ, Inc.
  Born in East Texas, Bishop Bryant was the fifteenth child of Deacon 
Bishop and Mamie Bryant. He was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost on 
March 18, 1963, and began preaching on March 25, 1963 at the age of 15 
under the late Elder Eddie Davis. He was licensed under the late Bishop 
C. H. Nelson and ordained by the late Bishop S. M. Crouch of Los 
Angeles, California.
  Bishop Bryant was attended public school at Concord High School in 
Mt. Enterprise, Texas. He later attended LIFE Bible College, Los 
Angeles, California, from which he received his Bachelors of Theology; 
and the Family Bible Institute in Denver, Colorado, from which he was 
awarded a Doctorate of Divinity in 1993.
  Bishop Bryant began his pastoral ministry on August 6, 1969. Over the 
next 50 years, pastored six churches: Bethlehem COGIC in Mt. 
Enterprise, Texas; Evangelist Temple COGIC in Bay City, Texas; Eastside 
COGIC in Lufkin, Texas; and The City of Refuge COGIC, Livingston 
Memorial COGIC, and The Island of Hope COGIC (formerly Anderson 
Memorial), all in Houston, Texas. He remodeled or built three of these 
churches.
  Bishop Bryant has served the church from his youth to present in many 
capacities: as Sunday School Superintendent, Jurisdictional Chaplain, 
Jurisdictional Young People's Willing Worker President, District 
Superintendent, Jurisdictional Executive Secretary, President of 
Jurisdictional Minister's and Worker's Institute, Chairman of 
Jurisdictional Annual Leadership Conference, and as Administrative 
Assistant to the late Jurisdictional Bishop, Bishop N. H. Henderson.
  Nationally, Bishop Bryant has served the Church of God in Christ as a 
member of the General Assembly Executive Committee, Commissions for 
Constitutional Convention Committee, General Council of Pastors and 
Elders Judiciary Review Committee, and Executive Board Member of the 
Church of God in Christ Urban Initiative.
  Bishop Bryant has also actively involved himself in the civic life of 
the community. He served two terms as President of the Advisory Board 
to the Mayor of Houston under Mayors Kathryn J. Whitmire and Mayor Bob 
Lanier.
  Bishop Bryant also served on the Civilian Review Committee for the 
Houston Police Department, as Chairman of Religious Committee, as 
founder of the Project David Ex-Felon Re-Acclamation Job Program, as 
Vice President of the Houston Northeast Quadrant Citizens Chamber of 
Commerce, as Chairman of Houston-Harris County Regional Substance
  Abuse Faith-Based Task Force Committee, and member of the Executive 
Board of the Minister's Conference at Prairie View A & M University.
  In times of disaster, Bishop Bryant can be counted on to provide 
comfort and assistance. In 1983, he organized and chaired the Emergency 
Disaster Relief Texas Inter-Jurisdictional Council, which coordinated 
government entities and non-profit charity organizations such as FEMA, 
Red Cross and United Way.
  When Tropical Storm Allison hit in 2001, Bishop Bryant facilitated a 
benefit service. In 2005, during Hurricane Katrina he organized the 
Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund and was the Coordinator of the Church of 
God in Christ Distribution Center, a 20,000 square foot warehouse which 
distributed food, clothing, and non-perishable goods to thousands of 
displaced Katrina victims.
  In 2008, in response to Hurricane Ike, Bishop Bryant again chaired 
the Emergency Disaster Relief Texas Inter-Jurisdictional Council.
  During his fifty years of ministry, Bishop Bryant has been the 
recipient of many awards and honors, including the following: 
Meritorious Services To The Community by Mayor Fred Hofheinz; 
Meritorious Service To the Community by Mayor Kathryn Whitmire; Houston 
Police Department Public Service Award; Service Recognition Citation by 
Councilman Shelia Jackson Lee; Distinguished Service Award and 
Outstanding Leadership Award from COGIC Texas South Central 
Jurisdiction; Excellence In Service Award by United Minister's 
Institute of Texas Southern University; Special Achievement Award from 
The Religious Workers Guild; Outstanding Leadership AIM 2000 Church of 
God in Christ National Auxiliaries In Ministry Convention; by Bishop J. 
W. Macklin-AIM Chairman, Charles Harrison Mason Award The Religious 
Workers Guild, Visionary Pastors Award from the Houston Forward Times.
  On October 17, 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria, the African Children's Hostel 
was named The Bishop Prince Bryant, Sr. African Children's Hostel in 
his honor.
  Mr. Speaker, Bishop Bryant is married to Mrs. Yolanda Howard Bryant 
and they are the proud parents of five children: Superintendent Prince 
E. Bryant, II (Candies); Dommonique Jeannie Bryant; Phillip Paul 
Bryant; Elder Desmon Ryan Bryant (Franchell); and Tymorra Mishon 
Bryant.
  They also have been blessed with five wonderful grandchildren: Prince 
E. Bryant, III, Paiton Anise Bryant, Pierce Edward O'neal Bryant, 
Madison Danielle Bryant, and John Patrick Bryant.
  Mr. Speaker, for 50 years Bishop Bryant has provided remarkable 
service to our nation as a community, state, and national leader.
  I am proud to call this remarkable American hero my friend and I 
offer him my heartfelt congratulations on the 50th Anniversary of his 
service in the ministry of the Gospel.
  Bishop Bryant truly is a ``Soldier of the Cross.'' I offer my best 
wishes for his continued success in ministering the Gospel for many 
years to come.

                          ____________________