[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 99 (Friday, June 19, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E936]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 CELEBRATING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND WORK OF REVEREND DR. JAMES E. GUNTHER

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                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 19, 2015

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise today to recognize and honor 
the life of Reverend Dr. James E. Gunther, the well respected Pastor of 
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ecumenist and an elder 
among African American Lutheran Pastors. I am honored to acknowledge 
the life and contributions of one of Harlem's forward thinking 
religious leaders of the 21st century.
  On June 20th, at Harlem's historic Transfiguration Lutheran Church, 
the Harlem community gathers to memorialize Dr. Gunther. He devoted his 
life to enlightening African Americans and is noted for illuminating 
our spiritual enlargement to embrace a global unification and cultural 
learning.
  Reverend Dr. James E. Gunther served the Harlem community and was a 
man of purpose, passion and true conviction in service to others. Known 
as a ``Poor, Humble, Parish priest, he served for a brief time at 
Nativity Lutheran Church and Tabernacle Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, 
as part of the Center City Lutheran Parish, before moving on to 
Transfiguration Lutheran Church in Harlem where he served for 38 years, 
retiring in 1998. A year later he was named Pastor Emeritus.
  A life-long teacher, leader and visionary, he led a large parish with 
many Caribbean roots at the Transfiguration Lutheran Church. He was a 
member of the Governing Board of the National Council of Churches of 
Christ in the USA (NCC) representing the Lutheran Church of America 
(LCA). A Humanitarian, he served as a Board member of the National 
Committee of Black Churchmen. Focusing on Economic Justice Working 
Group, the Division of Overseas Ministry and the Committee on Research 
and Planning, he served as a Board member of the National Committee of 
Black Churchmen.
  Through Reverend Gunther, illustrious leadership, he founded and 
chaired the Harlem College Assistance Project from 1964-1977 sending 
more than 5,000 young black and Hispanic students to college. An 
inspiriting thought leader, he served on the Harlem Urban Development 
Corporation, the Board of the Roosevelt Island Corporation, the New 
York Urban Coalition and the Ministerial Interfaith Association.
  A man way ahead of his time, Dr. Gunther, was born on May 5, 1932 in 
Philadelphia, PA. Educated in Philadelphia Public Schools, he continued 
his collegiate journey attending the University of Pennsylvania. He 
holds degrees from Philadelphia College of the Bible, Houghton College, 
the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and Harvard 
University with studies in Psychology, Religion, Theology and Church 
and Society.
  A worldwide global vanguard, Dr. Gunther served on the Executive 
council of the LCA and represented the church at the 1977 Sixth 
Assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in Dar es Salaam, East 
Africa, working on the Statement Human Rights and the Statement on 
South Africa. Dr. Gunther encouraged all that he met ``To Think 
Globally While Acting Locally''.
  In addition, Dr. Gunther served as Trustee of Susquehanna University, 
Selinsgrove, PA; Wagner College, Staten Island, NY and Muhlenberg 
University, Allentown, PA. He subsequently served as a Board Member of 
Augsburg Fortress Publishers, an Adjunct Professor at Christ Bible 
College, Malcolm King College (associated with Fordham University and 
Marymount-Manhattan College, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at 
Philadelphia.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me 
in recognizing Reverend Dr. James E. Gunther, and his contributions and 
innovations that have positively impacted the quality of life for 
countless citizens across this Nation. His unwavering dedication, 
commitment, and spiritual guidance is worthy of our Nation's highest 
esteem.

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