[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 162 (Monday, November 14, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN HONOR OF PASTOR MICHELLE THOMAS' SERVICE TO THE LEESBURG COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. BARBARA COMSTOCK

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 14, 2016

  Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, please allow me to take a moment to 
recognize the significant accomplishments of Michelle Thomas, a 
remarkable individual from my district. A pastor in Leesburg, Virginia, 
Mrs. Thomas has dedicated her life to community service, preserving 
African American culture, and, most importantly, to God.
  Pastor Thomas is the first African American woman to establish a 
church in Loudoun County, the Holy and Whole Life Changing Ministries. 
Inspired by her upbringing in her father's Pentecostal church, Pastor 
Thomas decided to bring her message to the people of Loudoun. On 
November 19th, her ministry will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
  One of Pastor Thomas' greatest achievements was her re-discovery of 
the Belmont Slave Cemetery. The land she recently purchased for the 
expansion project of the Holy and Whole Life Changing Ministries sits 
atop what was once part of Thomas Lee's plantation. This discovery 
inspired her to create the Loudoun Freedom Center. The center is 
dedicated to protecting African American cultural sites, resources, and 
communities through preservation and education. In recognition of her 
efforts, she became the first African American woman to be appointed to 
the Loudoun County Heritage Commission.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in sending 
our most sincere congratulations to Pastor Michelle Thomas for her 
tireless dedication to her community and her faith. Her actions will 
have an incredible impact on the Loudoun community and I wish her all 
the best in her future endeavors.

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