[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 188 (Thursday, November 29, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1581]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING MORNING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 29, 2018

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable historical church, Morning Star Baptist Church of 
Robinsonville, Mississippi.
  Morning Star Baptist Church has been a cornerstone for many Black 
Families in the Robinsonville, MS area since the late 1800's. Morning 
Star Baptist Church is in northwest Mississippi in Tunica County, 
Mississippi at 4816 Kirby Road, Robinsonville, MS 38664. Over the 120-
year history of Morning Star Baptist Church, the leadership and members 
have endeavored to serve the community.
  Morning Star Baptist Church began in August the 14th day of 1898 as a 
spiritual space for the Dunn Family and Kirby Plantation. It began on 
Kirby Road on this very same land site in a log cabin with a small 
group of Christians. Morning Star Church started with a prayer meeting 
and Sunday School. Mr. Walter Dunn, Sr. and Mrs. Lizzie Dunn family was 
granted the use of the land for Morning Star Church in the late 1800s 
by Mr. John Anderson Kirby.
  The Pastors of Morning Star Baptist Church have worked to show strong 
leadership in the community. Pastor Sam Brown was the 1st Pastor and he 
laid the first Corner Stone in 1898. Morning Star Church has a list of 
Pastors ``Godly Shepherds'' who have helped to advance the important 
work in northwest Mississippi: 1.--Pastor Sam Brown, 2.--Pastor Tom 
Matton, 3.--Pastor Stackhouse, 4.--Pastor E.P. Johnson, 5.--Pastor 
Wallace, 6.--Pastor Lundon, 7.--Pastor Brown, 8.--Pastor Warn Thomas, 
9.--Pastor Gabe White, 10.--Pastor Brown, 11.--Pastor Underwood, 12.--
Pastor Jinkins (Great Worker), 13.--Pastor Henry, 14.--Pastor C.H. 
Payne [He laid the second corner stone in 1926], 15.--Pastor R.B. 
Starks, 16.--Pastor Holden, 17.--Pastor J.L. Linzy, 18.--Pastor R.H. 
Hendrick, 19.--Pastor A.W. Parker, 20.--Pastor I.S. Lewis, 21.--Pastor 
Lundy Jones, Jr., and 22.--Pastor Charles Bowles (current Pastor).
  Mr. Willie Dunn, the son of Mr. Walter Dunn, Sr., carried on the 
productive church work of his father at Morning Star Baptist Church for 
many years. As a community family church, Morning Star Baptist Church 
evolved from the original log cabin, to a wooden structure, to a 
concrete block building, to the current new brick church.
  The ``Old White Brick'' Morning Star Baptist Church building was a 
``good building'' that had simply worn down over time since it was 
rebuilt in 1963. During the early 1990's to 2003, the Morning Star 
Church Members under the leadership of Pastor Lundy Jones, Jr. and 
Deacon Louis Harris, Sr. had to do several major structural repairs to 
the building. The plumbing, septic tank, and the floors had to be 
repaired and replaced. The shifting of the building foundation caused 
the walls to crack and a cable system had to be attached to the walls 
to keep them from falling.
  During the winter months, it was bone chilling cold and during the 
summer months, it was sweltering hot because the building only had 
ceiling and floor fans. The Deacons would also arrive early on Sunday 
mornings to chase out the snakes, wasps, and other pests. After years 
of doing construction work to maintain the Old Church Building, and 
with the need to expand the Old White Brick Church building, a critical 
decision had to be made. Around the new Millennial of 2000, Deacon 
James E. Dunn provided leadership and shared his vision with the Church 
Leaders that it would be more cost effective to build a new church than 
to continue to repair the old building along with the expansion 
project. Morning Star Church Members under the leadership of the 
Deacons started to talk about the need for a new Sanctuary. After 
twelve months or more of talking, planning, thinking, and praying, the 
process to build a new Morning Star Church-Sanctuary was agreed upon.
  In January of 2002, under the inspirational leadership of Deacon 
James E. Dunn, the beginning concept of the ``New Building'' for 
Morning Star M.B. Church was accepted by the Morning Star Leadership. 
In January of 2003, Deacon James E. Dunn transformed his ideas and his 
professional building designs for the (New) Morning Star Church into a 
working building plan that was developed with the assistance of 
Architects Wenzel and Associates on May 14, 2003.
  On April 19, 2003, a ground-breaking ceremony was conducted for the 
expansion of Morning Star Baptist Church Building. At that time, the 
Morning Star Church Family was presented with the Deed of Trust for the 
land by Mr. James and Mrs. Louise (Kirby) Ellis.
  October of 2004, was the start of the physical construction of the 
(``New'') Morning Star Church Building. Deacon James E. Dunn 
volunteered his time and service along with Taylor Construction to lay 
the concrete.
  On July 3, 2005, the Morning Star Baptist Church Congregation walked 
over from the Old Morning Star Church to the (New) Morning Star 
Sanctuary for the 1st Sunday Worship. Since that time, Morning Star 
Baptist Church Family has continued to grow physically and spiritually.
  Morning Star Baptist Church continues today along with other churches 
in Tunica County to serve the needs of the African American 
Communities.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Morning 
Star Baptist Church for its dedication to serving our community and 
great country.

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