[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 135 (Friday, August 11, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF PASTOR GARTHER ROBERSON JR. FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE 
                          YPSILANTI COMMUNITY

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                          HON. DEBBIE DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, August 11, 2017

  Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pastor Garther 
Roberson Jr. for his decades of service to the Ypsilanti community. 
Pastor Roberson has provided spiritual guidance as leader of the Mt. 
Olive Baptist Church and community assistance through his involvement 
with local nonprofits and advocacy groups.
  As a lifelong resident of southeast Michigan, Pastor Roberson has 
been a critical leader in the community throughout Ypsilanti's growth 
and development. Prior to becoming a pastor, he was involved with the 
Second Baptist Church in Ypsilanti, where he directed youth activities 
and served as a deacon from 1967 to 1977. After being ordained as a 
Reverend by Pastor B.T. Hopkins at Second Baptist Church in 1979, 
Roberson was named Pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church in 
Ypsilanti, where he has served since. Under Pastor Roberson's 
leadership, Mount Olive grew to become a pillar of the Ypsilanti 
community, offering support and guidance to its congregation and other 
individuals in need. Additionally, Pastor Roberson has been active in 
local charitable and religious organizations, including the President 
of the Minister's Alliance of Ypsilanti and the President of the Huron 
Valley District Congress of Christian Education, where he has utilized 
his experience as a faith leader to provide assistance to the city at 
large.
  Pastor Roberson's work and moral leadership has helped revitalize the 
Ypsilanti community. Through his time as head of the Mount Olive 
Baptist Church, Pastor Roberson has become known as a friendly and 
welcoming presence dedicated to service and building a future for the 
city and its residents. He is recognized for his leadership, having 
served as a board member of local organizations including Hope Clinic, 
Students and Friends of Washtenaw Community College, and the regional 
branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored 
People. Pastor Roberson has been an effective advocate for the city and 
its residents, and I wish him well as he retires from his position in 
the ministry.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Pastor 
Garther Roberson Jr. for his work in the Ypsilanti community. Pastor 
Roberson's has impacted countless lives through his leadership and 
efforts.

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