[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 52 (Monday, March 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E374-E375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING HOLLY GROVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, March 26, 2018

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable church, Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
  Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church organized in 1915 in Drew, 
Mississippi by a group of baptized believers in Christ. The church was 
erected on its present site on July 17, 1917, under the leadership of 
Rev. W. S. Stevenson and its Board of trustees: Brother H.

[[Page E375]]

Y. Betts, Brother Grant Clark, and Brother Albert Brown; and Deaconess: 
Sister Margret Wilkinson, Sister Hattie Williams-Cockrell, and Sister 
Lugene Brown.
  Rev. A. L. Hill was elected pastor in the early 30s and remained 
until 1943 along with the Deacons: Brother Wesley Liddell, Brother Tom 
Sutton, Brother Nathaniel Fuller, Brother Joe Mixon, Brother Abel 
Hinton, Brother William Tyler, and Brother Miles Applewhite; and 
Deaconess: Sister Margaret Wilkinson, Sister Josephine Sutton, Sister 
Alberta Applewhite, Sister Estella Williams, Sister Ophelia Jennings, 
Sister Ida Long, and Sister Nancy Wilson.
  Rev. T. W. Richardson was elected pastor in 1943 and in 1968 the 
church was reerected in 1969 after the death of Rev. Richardson. The 
board of Trustees were: Brother James Hunter, Brother LaHue Parker, and 
Brother Foster Green; and Deacons: Brother Arthur Phipps, Brother Otha 
Spraggs, Brother Foster Green, Brother J. S. Gresham Sr., Brother LaHue 
``Shock'' Parker, Brother C.R. ``Baby'' Campbell, Brother Solon 
Williams, Brother Willie ``Hot'' Moore, Brother Coleman Washington Sr., 
and Brother Joe Moore; and Deaconess: Sister Estella Williams, Sister 
Alice Green, Sister Zenobia Campbell, Sister Mary Young, Sister Mary 
Lee Moore, Sister Minnie Ross, Sister Mary Singleton, and Sister Aretha 
Liddell.
  Rev. W. L. Smith Jr. was elected pastor in July of 1969. Trustees 
were: Brother James Hunter, Brother LaHue Parker, Brother Foster Green, 
Brother J. C. Quinn, and Brother L. C. Quinn; Deacons: Brother Otha 
Spraggs, Brother LaHue Parker, Brother Solon Williams, Brother J. S. 
Gresham, Sr., Brother Bishop Hopkin, Brother Arthur Phipps, Brother 
Tommie White, Brother Bobby Love, Brother Coleman Washington Jr., and 
Brother Joe Moore: and Deaconess: Sister Estella Williams, Sister Alice 
Green, Sister Zenobia Campbell, Sister Estella Phipps, Sister Doshi 
Love, Sister Dossier Petty, Sister Candace Hill, Sister May Lee Moore, 
Sister Betty Quinn, Sister Sally Foote, Sister Mable Jackson, Sister 
Annie Foote, Sister Dorothy Banks, Sister Aretha Liddell, Sister 
Genette M. Smith, Sister Bobbie White, and Sister Charlene Love.
  Rev. W. L. Smith Jr. retired and became Pastor Emeritus in September 
of 1992. Rev. C. J. Nelson served as Interim Pastor from December of 
1992 through June of 1993. Board of Trustees were: Rev Cleve McDowell, 
Sister Mary Phillips, Sister Jessie First, Sister Shery Nelson, Brother 
James Shoulders, and Brother Edward Triplett.
  Rev. Adoris Turner was elected pastor in September of 1994 to 
November of 1997. Broad of Trustees were: Sister Mary Phillips, Sister 
Charlis Miller, Sister Sheryl Nelson, Brother James Pointer, Brother 
Coleman Washington, Jr., Brother Solon Williams, and Brother Booker T. 
Black, Jr.; and Deaconess: Sister Aretha Liddell, Sister Susie Staples, 
Sister Canary Pointer, Sister Dorothy Banks, Sister Charlene Love, and 
Sister Genette M. Smith. Rev. Jesse Gresham served as Interion Pastor 
from 1997 to 1998. Pastor Martha Shoulders served as his assistant
  Rev. Scotty Williams of Greenwood was elected as pastor in September 
of 1998 for a very brief period. No significant changes were made to 
the church under his leadership. Rev. Perry Grant of Greenville was 
elected as the pastor in 1999, where he remained for less than a year.
  Rev. Jesse Gresham was elected as pastor in February of 2000, where 
he serves as Pastor and Musician. Rev. Martha Shoulders served as Youth 
Pastor. Two new musicians were elected: Charlie ``Chuck'' Allen of 
Clarksdale and Everette Walton of Drew; a fellowship hall was added; 
the Youth Ministry was assigned the second Sunday of each month; the 
Men's Ministry was assigned the fourth Sunday of each month; and two 
members were called into the ministry: Deacon Bobby Love and Brother 
Robert Hunter. Rev. Bobby Love now serves as superintendent of 
Education and Rev. Robert Hunter now serves as Youth Minister. The 
Deacons were: Brother James Pointer, Brother Coleman Washington, Jr., 
Brother John Johnson, Sr., Brother Melvin Mins, Brother Howard 
Williams, Brother Lacy Wilson, Brother Booker Black, Brother James 
Dixon, and Brother Willie Hooper; the Trustees were: Sister Annie 
Round, Rev. Bobby Love, Brother James Shoulders, Sister Mary Phillips 
and Brother Edward Triplett; and the Deaconess Board consisted of: 
Sister Aretha Liddell, Sister Dorothy Williams, Sister Minnie Spraggs, 
Sister Sisce Staples, Sister Ora Washington, Sister Dorothy Banks, 
Sister Bobbie White, Sister Charlene Love, Sister Essie Johnson, Sister 
Earnestine Dixon, Sister Gloria Williams, and Sister Sharon Hunter.
  Rev. Gresham served for fourteen years. In 2014 Rev. Bobby Love was 
elected Interim Pastor until October 2015. Then, Rev. William ``Ray'' 
Blackmon was elected as pastor in November of 2015. Pastor Blackmon's 
installation was on February 14, 2016. Under his short tenure two 
musicians were added: Brother Seneca Owens, who played on the first, 
third, and fourth Sundays and Bishop Kimberly Randle, who played on the 
second and fifth Sundays and during this same time two tellurones and a 
surveillance system were installed. Rev. Bobby Love serves as Director 
of Christian Education and Rev. Robert Hunter serves as the Youth 
Minister. Deacons James Pointer is the chairperson of the Deacon Board 
and Deacon Howard Williams is the co-chairperson. The other Deacons 
are: Deacon Roy Stanford, Deacon James Dixon, Deacon Willie Hooper (who 
resigned in May of 2017) and Deacon Booker Black, Jr. There are two 
deacons in training: Brother John Henry Johnson, Jr. and Brother Eddie 
Horton. The trustees are: Sister Charlis Miller-Criss, Sister Bobbie 
White, Sister Sheryl Nelson, Sister Karen Mims, and Deacon Roy 
Stanford.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the growth 
of Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church for its longevity and 
dedication to serving others.

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