[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 103 (Thursday, July 3, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1106-E1107]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF REVEREND DR. SHELLIE SAMPSON
______
HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, April 28, 2014, the Baptist
Ministers' Conference of New York & Vicinity led by President Reverend
James D. Morrison paid tribute to late Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson,
who presided over the conference as president until his untimely
passing, which occurred on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday on
January 20, 2014.
It is with great honor that I am able to say that Reverend Dr.
Shellie Sampson was a true disciple of the Lord and messenger of the
word. He combined the power of education with the power of divinity to
manifest perfection and excellence. Dr. Sampson earned it the old
fashion way, because he was led by God and destined to lead others. The
Book of Proverbs, Chapter 16, Verse 9 states, ``The heart of man plans
his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.''
Biblically literate and centered, Dr. Sampson brought down the walls
of Jericho, and removed all the obstacles by raising and developing his
leadership through ongoing training and learning at the highest level.
Book of John, Chapter 13, Verses 13-17 also states, ``You call me
Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord
and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one
another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should
do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is
not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one
who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do
them.''
Reverend Dr. Sampson was guided by these teachings during his 30
years of pastoral service to Thessalonia Baptist Church and his devoted
leadership to the Baptist Ministers' Conference of New York and
Vicinity. Therefore, it is our firm belief that the Creator sets a
clear path for each of us to follow, and the path paved by Reverend Dr.
Shellie Sampson, Jr. will allow so many to benefit from his
commitments. Great men like our beloved husband, father, grandfather
and Pastor are precious gifts we temporarily have in this world, but
their assistance, contributions and accomplishments will be far
remembered and everlasting and define him as a true patriot of an
American Dream well lived.
I am including into the Record Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson's
obituary which was read during his Going Home Services.
Shellie Sampson was born on December 15, 1940 in the
central region of Newark, New Jersey. As the eldest of three
children to the late Shellie Sampson and Lillian Brinson, he
placed a high value on education and led a life characterized
by profound spiritual insight, hard work, tenacity, and the
relentless pursuit of excellence. While growing up in Newark,
he took advantage of the opportunities before him and used
his resources to become a man of distinction who would leave
an enduring legacy.
Shellie Sampson graduated from Central High School with
honors in science, history, music, and distance running. He
went on to attend Rutgers University dual majoring in
chemistry and natural science before earning a Bachelor's of
Arts in natural science. He worked diligently even while
being one of few Black Americans to attend Rutgers. During a
time of tumultuousness and racial upheaval, he persevered in
spite of discrimination from professors and hostility towards
African Americans. Following his bachelor's degree, assured
of the unquestionable spiritual call upon his life, he
attended Drew University where he earned a Master's of
Divinity and a Doctorate in Ministry of Christian Education.
At the same time that he was yielding to the spiritual call,
there was an equally great intellectual fervor continuing to
grow within him. He was accepted to New York University where
he pursued Urban Studies and all coursework leading to a
doctorate degree. After the program had been eliminated, he
transferred to Temple University where he gained far beyond
what he imagined. Choosing to start from the beginning of his
doctorate, he was able to study the latest research that
would provide him with the tools he needed to produce his own
original, cutting-work. Dr. Sampson gained mastery in areas
beyond his particular discipline, integrating Urban Studies,
Psychology, Black Studies, History, Sociology, and Education.
In 2007, at 66 years old he had completed coursework for his
third doctorate and earned a Ph.D. in Urban Education and
Psychology. Within the University, some of the most highly
esteemed scholars commented that they were astounded by the
depth of his intellectual contributions to fields that were
not his own. His departments began his dissertation as the
model for all subsequent doctoral theses and asked him to
provide a list of every title in his personal library at
home. Based on his inquiries and insights, additional courses
were added to the curriculum to further enhance the program.
These accolades were in addition to seminars he attended at
MIT and Princeton University.
Not only was Dr. Sampson a man of keen spiritual insight
and intellectual prowess, but he had an unwavering commitment
to his high school sweetheart. At age 15, he met Deloranzo
Paschal at Central High School, and after looking up her
academic records in the school office, he determined that she
was the kind of woman that he wanted to date. For their first
date, he took her to see the ``The Ten Commandments,'' and
was then certain that they shared a common vision and passion
for God. As their love blossomed, he proposed to her and even
waited while she pursued her dream of entering military
service as Air Force personnel. In 1960, they were married in
Bloomfield. They have six sons and three daughters. Dr.
Sampson was a devoted father who worked tirelessly to provide
his family with the best education, well-
rounded extracurricular activities and diverse life
experiences: Above all else, he taught them that God and
education were the keys to success. Because of his
ambitions and standards of excellence, his family now
includes leaders in the following fields: educational
leadership, pastoral visionary, law, counseling, civil
service, music conducting, early childhood, elementary and
higher education, public relations, veterinary medicine,
public health, medical assistance, chemical engineering,
cross cultural studies, computer engineering, fashion
marketing, animal science, communications, media and music
technology and performance.
The success that Dr. Sampson's family achieved is the
result of the hand of God upon his life. It began when he
accepted Christ in his heart while playing the organ as a
teenager. At the risk of embarrassing his pastor, he was
honest with himself and with God, responding to the altar
call because he wanted to know God as his Lord and Savior.
From that very moment, Dr. Sampson yielded to the Holy Spirit
and began to center his life on his newfound spiritual
identity from church activities, to vacation, to times of
prayer with his family. He tenaciously pursued his purpose
until January 20, 2014 when the Lord called him home.
He was blessed to have an impeccable academic record but
also to have an impressive career as a chemist for Theobald
Industries. He also worked as a microbiologist at Best Foods
International and a Technological Supervisor in Packaging
Engineering--Quality Control for Anheuser Busch. In most of
his positions, he was one of few, if not the only African
American working in the company. Although he frequently met
with racial opposition, when he traded his career as a
chemist for Anheuser Busch for the call of preparing people
for God's Kingdom, the company was disappointed to see him go
and promised him a job and benefits if he ever wanted to
return. There was no question, as
[[Page E1107]]
for Dr. Sampson and his house, they would serve the Lord.
In the 1970s, Dr. Sampson was ordained and installed on the
same day as Pastor of New Calvary Baptist Church in
Montclair, New Jersey. Despite the arduous schedule, he
worked, attended school, and pastored with his whole heart.
While pastoring at New Calvary, he was invited to apply to
serve as the interim headmaster at Covent Avenue Science
Academy. He assumed the position and the Lord would continue
to open doors for him, connecting him with various leaders
who would recognize his gifting and invite him into more
extensive church networks. Dr. Sampson served as the
president of both the Shiloh Baptist Association Congress of
New Jersey, as well as the Northern Baptist School of
Religion of Newark. He was a guest instructor for the Eastern
Baptist Association College Seminary Extension; a guest
lecturer at Drew University School of Theology, and Executive
Director of the Baptist Education Center of New York. In
addition, he traveled with the NYC Religious Education
Academic Foreign Studies Tours, traveling to WCC Geneva,
Switzerland, Gregorian University, Rome and Hebrew
University, and Israel.
After pastoring from 1970 to 1982 at New Calvary Baptist
Church, he was called to Thessalonia Baptist Church and
installed as the twelfth pastor in May, 1982. Dr. Sampson
came with a vision that continues to grow even unto this day.
His vision included major projects such as, the erection of
the Cultural Community Center, which today is a multimillion-
dollar communal faculty. Upon completion, the Center housed
the following: South Bronx Leadership High School, the TIR
Bookstore, church offices, a banquet hall, amphitheater,
chapel, lower gallery with additional office space and over a
dozen classrooms. Dr. Sampson was a strategic thinker who
anticipated the future. In laying the plans for the building,
he placed the elevator and handicap ramp at the intersection
of the church and the new construction in order to provide
access for seniors and disabled visitors. Dr. Sampson's
strategic leadership led him to establish the Thessalonia
Institute of Religion and the Thessalonia Academy, an
elementary school designed to ground students in the Gospel
and provide a rigorous academic curriculum. To date, the
Academy has had over 50 graduates and more than 100 students,
many of whom have gone on to attend prestigious boarding
schools, colleges, and universities. Other endeavors include
several renovations to the church building, food pantry,
senior programs, adult education programs, feeding and
clothing of the needy, Boy Scouts, youth ministry, annual
church retreats, and the enhancement to the name: Thessalonia
Worship Center.
In addition, writing was the hallmark of Dr. Sampson's
life. Not only could he often be found feverishly inscribing
notes in a pocket notebook, but he always carried a pen and
was ready to record the things that God was revealing to him.
His discipline to write transferred to his roles in ministry.
He was Editor-in-Chief for the National Baptist Christian
Education Handbook and he wrote materials for church
leadership, such as Effective Techniques in Abuse Ministry:
Handbook for youth education, Superior Leadership in
Challenging Situations as well as training guides for various
aspects of the ministry. He authored several books and
publications, including Revelation Now: Viewing the Tragedies
and Triumphs of Believers, Building Faith Now and
Achievement. His publications extended beyond local venues
and were disseminated to international audiences. He
incorporated his own publishing company, Dorkeo Inc and his
texts were distributed through a variety of formats including
print, digital, audio, and visual.
Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating
the life of Reverend Dr. Shellie Sampson. Educator, Spiritual Leader,
and a true American Hero.
____________________