[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 96 (Tuesday, June 16, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E907-E908]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING THE LEADERSHIP OF DR. WILLIAM S. BARNES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ALAN GRAYSON

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 16, 2015

  Mr. GRAYSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. William S. 
Barnes, better known as Pastor Bill, for a lifetime of service and 
leadership. A graduate of Emory University with degrees in both 
business administration and theology, Pastor Bill has been an ordained 
minister in the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church since 
1974. Bill also received a Doctor of Divinity from Florida Southern 
College in 1995.
  Bill was appointed Lead Pastor of St. Luke's United Methodist Church 
in Orlando in June of 1992. He held that position until July of 2014 
when he was appointed Co-Lead Pastor as part of St. Luke's strategic 
leadership transition plan. Since 1992 St. Luke's has grown to be one 
of the largest and most influential congregations in the United 
Methodist denomination under Pastor Bill's leadership.
  Throughout his career, Bill has served in rural, urban, and suburban 
churches, as well as Chaplain of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, 
Florida. Bill doesn't just preach, he leads by example. During his 
tenure in Orlando Bill has helped many communities by initiating 
dialogues on issues of race and bringing hope to economically 
disadvantaged areas through vocational training, housing assistance, 
and organizing food and shelter for the homeless. Bill was also one of 
the first ministers in Orlando to support non-discrimination ordinances 
offering protections to the LGBT community.
  Bill is well known in Orlando for founding Shepherd's Hope a faith-
based volunteer health care organization for the uninsured. It has 
expanded to five locations throughout Central Florida.
  Pastor Bill was the recipient of the 2002 Social Entrepreneurship 
Award for his work with Shepherds Hope, the Jefferson Award for 
American Public Service, the Manhattan Institute's Award for Social 
Entrepreneurship, and the Society of John Wesley's United Methodist Men 
Fellow. Bill Served on Bethune Cookman University's Board of Trustees 
from 2002 to 2011.
  Bill is married to Kim, who teaches three-year-olds at St. Luke's 
Child Development Center and also designs her own line of custom 
jewelry. They have two children, Kristin

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and Meredith, a terrific son-in-law, Sean, and two grandsons, Brady and 
Mason.
  I am honored to recognize Pastor Bill Barnes for his leadership and 
service to his community.

                          ____________________