[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 135 (Friday, September 19, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1497-E1498]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ON THE OCCASION OF THE ELEVATION OF REVEREND DOCTOR JAMES C. PERKINS TO 
     THE PRESIDENCY OF THE PROGRESSIVE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Reverend Doctor James C. Perkins on his election as the new President 
of the Progressive National Baptist Convention.
  Beginning his service as an ordained minister in 1974, Dr. Perkins 
has served as pastor of Greater Christ Baptist Church for the last 
thirty years. Under his leadership the congregation of Greater Christ 
Baptist has grown deeper in its fellowship and in it is outreach to the 
Greater Detroit community.
  As a strong believer that faith requires a person to care about both 
their spiritual well-being and the well-being of their community, Dr. 
Perkins has led his congregation in the creation of ministries that 
have been making a difference in the Greater Detroit region. Among the 
many projects these ministries have supported are the Fellowship 
Nonprofit Housing Corporation, which serves the community as a force 
for economic development and the Benjamin E. Mays Male Academy which 
opened in 1993 and operated for 17 years with the mission of providing 
access to education for young males in the Greater Detroit community. 
As a result of these efforts, the Providence Place complex, which 
provides housing to fifty low and middle income families, hundreds of 
young men have seen their quality of life improve. In addition to these 
accomplishments, Greater Christ Baptist runs a food pantry that 
provides vital food products to families in need, a political awareness 
ministry that fosters community interest in civic participation and the 
Progressive Matrons ministry that supports homeless women.
  Realizing that his role as a spiritual leader is one that intersects 
with other community interests, Dr. Perkins also serves on the boards 
of a number of community organizations. These organizations include: 
the Michigan Progressive Baptist Convention where he served as 
president, the Detroit Baptist Pastors Council, the Detroit Chapter of 
the NAACP, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and the Steering Committee 
of the Detroit Jobs Alliance. For his work he has been recognized with 
many awards, including: the Gandhi King Ikeda Award from Morehouse 
College, the Pastor of the Year Award from the Southern Christian 
Leadership Conference, and the Charles Andrew Hill Award from the 
Michigan Progressive Baptist Convention.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. Perkins' elevation to the presidency of the 
Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) is a recognition of the 
profound impact his leadership has made on the Greater Detroit 
community, and the inspiration that leadership has instilled in his 
congregation and other members of the PNBC. I congratulate him on 
achieving this important milestone in his service to the congregation 
of Greater Christ Baptist Church, the PNBC and the Greater Detroit 
community. I know he will continue to be a strong leader and staunch

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advocate for his congregation and the Southeast Michigan community, and 
wish him continued success in his future endeavors to strengthen the 
Greater Detroit region.

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