[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 149 (Thursday, September 14, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING REV. DR. HAROLD MAYBERRY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 14, 2017

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Reverend Dr. Harold R. 
Mayberry for his 50 years of ministry in the African Methodist 
Episcopal Church and leadership in the City of Oakland as Senior Pastor 
of First AME, Oakland.
  Reverend Dr. Harold R. Mayberry was born in St. Louis, Missouri where 
he joined St. James African Methodist Church at the age of eleven. At 
the age of twelve, he confided in the church's Senior Pastor that he 
believed he was called to the ministry. After being ordained a deacon 
at Wayman Temple AME Church and graduating from Wilberforce University, 
Pastor Mayberry studied at the oldest African American Seminary in the 
United States--Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio.
  His first assignment, located in Wentzville, Missouri, was Grant 
Chapel AME. He later pastored in Richmond, California and Friendship 
AME in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
  After being confronted with the gravity of southern racism in 
Greenville, Mississippi; Pastor Mayberry was assigned to Payne Memorial 
AME church in New Orleans, Louisiana and arrived with an understanding 
that he needed to be more than a pastoral leader. He believed he was 
called to become a guardian of the community. So, he chose to openly 
and vigorously address the social concerns within the City of New 
Orleans.
  Pastor Mayberry developed a friendship with the City of New Orleans' 
Mayor, Mark Morial, who later appointed Rev. Mayberry to Chairperson of 
the Police Chief Search Committee; Chairperson of the Human Relations 
Committee; and Chairperson of All Congregations Together. Pastor 
Mayberry was later elected to serve as a member of the City of New 
Orleans School Board.
  In the fall of 1996, Rev. Dr. Harold R. Mayberry was appointed Senior 
Pastor of First AME, Oakland. Four years later, Pastor Mayberry was 
elected as a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los 
Angeles, California; and in 2004, was elected to chair one of the most 
powerful committees of the African Methodist Episcopal Committee and 
was re-elected 2008, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
  Rev. Dr. Mayberry has also served the City of Oakland as Chairperson 
of the Community Policing Advisory Commission, Member and later 
Chairperson of the City Service Commission, Member of the Oakland 
Police Chief's Advisory Committee; and at my sponsorship, United States 
House of Representatives Guest Chaplain.
  I was incredibly proud and honored to welcome Rev. Mayberry to the 
House of Representatives in 2003, where he delivered a very powerful 
prayer to open our session. Rev. Mayberry was the first pastor from my 
district to ever offer the opening prayer before a session of the 
House.
  Today, on behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, I 
commend the service and leadership of Reverend Dr. Harold R. Mayberry. 
I offer my sincere gratitude to the reverend and the African Methodist 
Episcopal Church for their devoted service and social impact in our 
American cities.

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