[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 146 (Tuesday, September 4, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1198-E1199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING PLEASANT HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 4, 2018

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable historical church, Pleasant Hope Missionary Baptist of 
Lambert, Mississippi and the great leadership it is under, Rev. 
Reginald G. Griffin.
  New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, sitting on the banks of Cassidy 
Bayou in Vance, Mississippi was originally granted to the African-
American sharecropping community around 1902 to be used as a church and 
a school for African-American students. In those days especially in 
rural plantation settings where you had many sharecropping families, 
they only had church schools to attend. After the 1954 U.S. Supreme 
Court's decision in the case of Brown vs The Board of Education of 
Topeka, Kansas, changes had to be made in the delivery of education to 
African-American students. Due to the fact whites were trying to delay 
the impact of this landmark court decision that of separate but equal 
which later led to the forced integration of schools, they began to 
build public schools in the Mississippi delta, supposedly separate but 
equal in the 1950's and early 1960's. Therefore, as a result, New Hope 
Church was no longer needed to serve as a school; it was used solely 
for the edifying and uplifting of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and 
the surrounding communities. Many of the members in the mid to late 
20th century came from the A. L. King, E. Q. Vance and William Yandell 
plantations in South Quitman and Tallahatchie Counties in Mississippi.
  Former Pastors were: the late Jim Jones, Jordan Taylor, Jim Lee, Joe 
Survillian, T. Terry, L.J. Rodgers, M.L. Long and former Pastor Oswald 
G. McCaskill. In February of 2002 Reverend Reginald Griffin answered 
his call to Pastor New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.
  October 2005, Reverend Reginald Griffin, Pastor of the New Hope M.B. 
Church called a meeting with members of New Hope and Pleasant Ridge 
Missionary Baptist Church of Lambert, Mississippi, his former church 
prior to coming to New Hope. At this meeting, he put forth a plan to 
merge the two churches since both had declining memberships because of 
declining populations in the mostly sharecropping community. Through 
Divine intervention, the members of New Hope and the members of 
Pleasant Ridge agreed to the merge. The members of both congregations 
were given the task of renaming the new church. Pastor Griffin jokingly 
made the suggestion to name the new church Pleasant Hope and that name 
and other suggestions were voted on. By a slim majority vote in 
November 2005 the combined church officially became Pleasant Hope 
Missionary Baptist Church.
  Pleasant Hope Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of 
Pastor Reginald Griffin was officially chartered in the small town of 
Vance, Mississippi on Cassidy Bayou, located on the Southwest corner of 
the intersection of Highway 3 (Charley Pride Highway) and Walnut Road.
  The oldest member of New Hope at the time of the charter was Mother 
Corrine Jackson Thomas, age 84, and the oldest member now is still 
Mother Corrine Jackson Thomas at age 97.
  Since many of the members had long since moved from the plantations 
and had settled in nearby Lambert and Marks, and the fact that the 
historic building of New Hope was no longer suitable for conducting 
services, the membership set sites on a more secure and suitable 
location to build a new sanctuary further North where most of the 
members had moved.
  After much prayer and searching, Pastor Griffin and the Deacons were 
led to an overgrown parcel of land in the heart of Lambert (the Town of 
Hope) which was perfect for Pleasant Hope's new location. The parcel 
was purchased, cleared and the new edifice was erected. There were many 
struggles along the way including but not limited to a straight wind 
storm that blew many of the rafters down on July 4, 2012, but on 
September 12, 2012 the first worship service was held in the newly 
built church at 945 Sixth Street in Lambert, Mississippi.
  The decision was made to demolish the old structure that was Pleasant 
Ridge, and plans are in place to preserve the cemetery and use the land 
in a way that benefits the present membership of Pleasant Hope. Sadly, 
the original sanctuary of New Hope that had been reconstructed under 
the leadership of Rev. Myles Long in the 1980's was accidentally or 
intentionally burned to the ground on April 10, 2016. The origin of the 
fire has not been determined. The land on which the old New Hope Church 
sat, was also a cemetery and will be preserved as such in the years 
ahead. However, the original building held many memories since most of 
the current membership confessed a home in Christ there.
  Pastor Griffin was led to change church service times from 9:00 a.m. 
Sunday School, and 11:00 a.m. morning worship to holding Sunday School 
inclusive with morning worship beginning at 9:00 a.m. The church's 
motto is ``We are a church on the move for Christ, our doors and hearts 
are always open and you are always welcome''. Over the years the 
congregation has grown spiritually. We now have two Associate 
Ministers: Minister Gloria Richmond Jackson and Minister Tanya Shegog 
Thomas. Church Officers Board of Deacons and Board of Trustees, Weddie 
Jackson, Sr. Emeritus, Tommie L. Jackson, Chairman, Jack Clark, Jr., 
Vice Chairman, Larry Thomas, Church Clerk/Secretary, Elizabeth S. 
Goins, Treasurer, Andrew Jarriett, Jr., Assistant Treasurer, Robert. L. 
Jackson, Member, Charles Beasley, Jr., Reginald G. Griffin, Pastor.
  Pleasant Hope Missionary Baptist Church welcomes members of the 
Lambert, and surrounding counties of Quitman, Tallahatchie, Coahoma and 
Panola to utilize our sanctuary for weddings, funerals, baptisms, and 
other

[[Page E1199]]

church and community events. Pleasant Hope is not just a building, but 
it is a body of Baptized Believers whose facility is being used by God 
as a gateway for glorifying and praising the Lord.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Pleasant 
Hope Missionary Baptist Church for its dedication for serving our great 
people.

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