[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 82 (Thursday, May 16, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF NELSON CHAPEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH'S 
                           150TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2019

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to 
extend my sincere congratulations to the congregation of Nelson Chapel 
African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Bainbridge, Georgia as the 
church's membership and leadership celebrate a remarkable 150 years. 
The congregation will celebrate this very significant anniversary on 
Sunday, May 19, 2019, at the church located at 640 Hall Street.
  Tracing its roots back to the post-Civil War era, the church was 
founded in 1869 when a group of slaves set off from their landowners' 
church and boldly founded their own place of worship. The original 
church was located on Academy Street and was operated under the 
leadership of Rev. A. Monroe. During Rev. Monroe's tenure as pastor, 
the church grew not only in size and in faith, but also in membership, 
having included several founding members who were instrumental to the 
development of the church.
  Since its founding, Nelson Chapel AME Church has endured several 
additions and renovations, all of which help tell the story of the 
church. In 1902, the church relocated to its current location on Hall 
Street to a property donated by the late Mr. Adam Nelson. The 
foundation of the church was laid under the esteemed leadership of the 
late Rev. N.L. Holmes and the building was constructed during the 
pastorship of the late Rev. George Smith. In the 1970s, under the 
tutelage of Rev. C. E. Shepherd, the congregation was motivated to 
construct a child development center to educate preschoolers about 
Christian principles and academic excellence. The center, which 
consisted of a fellowship hall, full kitchen, and a baptismal pool, was 
named for the late Dr. J.H. Griffin, M.D. and was managed for many 
years as the Dr. J.H. Griffin Educational Complex. In addition to the 
construction of the church and child development center, a parsonage 
was built at 818 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for the comfort and 
living of the pastoral family.
  This ardent community of believers has extended its circle to include 
more and more members as the years have gone by, though it has never 
lost its essential character. Today, the spirit and faith of its people 
are manifested through the current sanctuary, which includes an organ, 
carpeting, pulpit furniture, a modern sound system, the Carillon Tower 
Chimes, a paved parking lot, office space, and many other structural 
improvements. That same faith and spirit extend beyond the church 
doors, in the presence of members who give fully of themselves wherever 
they go.
  Throughout the years, a number of pastors, deacons, and clerks have 
contributed to its legacy, which boasts more than 300 members, eight 
choirs, a 70-member Young People's Division (YPD), and many ministries 
to support the surrounding community and congregation. Because of their 
dedicated efforts, Nelson Chapel AME Church is the lead church in the 
Thomasville/Bainbridge District of the South Georgia Annual Conference, 
Sixth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
  The story of Nelson Chapel AME Church, which recounts a long history 
of a group of believers coming together through the good and difficult 
times to praise and worship the Lord, is truly an inspiring one of the 
dedication and perseverance of a faithful congregation of people who 
put all their love and trust in God.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, 
along with the 730,000 residents of Georgia's Second Congressional 
District, in paying tribute to Nelson Chapel AME Church in Bainbridge, 
Georgia for its congregation's enduring commitment to each other and to 
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May their actions continue to inspire 
the community in courage, in dedication, and in faith.

                          ____________________