[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 172 (Wednesday, October 30, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1372]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING FAMILY CHRISTIAN CENTER 25TH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. ELIOT L. ENGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 30, 2019

  Mr. ENGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a religious 
institution in my district that has helped the community now for 25 
years, the Family Christian Center in New Rochelle.
  FCC traces its roots to another part of my district, Mount Vernon. 
Twenty-five years ago, Bishop Mott and his wife Sherrie-Ann made a 
decision to answer the call of God on their lives. They had recently 
left the church where they met and started their family. On a warm 
Sunday in October 1994, they held their first meeting in the basement 
of their Mt. Vernon home with less than twenty people in attendance. 
This was the birth of Spirit and Truth International Ministries.
  In April 1995, they moved their services from their home to 38 East 
First St. in Mt. Vernon, NY and seven months later, Reford O. Mott was 
ordained as Pastor. The church achieved growth after the move, however, 
it seemed to reach its maximum number of 70, as families rotated in and 
out of membership. In December 1998, exactly three years after the 
start of his ministry, Pastor Mott made his first momentous decision to 
transition from a part-time pastor to full-time pastor, giving up his 
career as an MTA bus driver. This change resulted in the church growing 
significantly, from 70 members to 150 members in one year. As a family 
man, Pastor Mott attracted family-oriented people to the church. Spirit 
and Truth International Ministries became a place for families to be 
restored. The culture shift inspired Pastor Mott and his team to change 
the name of the ministry to Family Christian Center. The church 
continued to grow in the years following. In 2016, Family Christian 
Center moved into their very own property at 592 Main Street in New 
Rochelle. Today, Family Christian Center is committed to partnering 
with organizations in New Rochelle making it a better place to live, 
work and conduct business for all. Its congregation has grown to over 
550 members and represents a cross section of the Greater New York area 
attracting members from all over the tristate area.
  Madam Speaker, on this special 25th Anniversary occasion, I want to 
congratulate Bishop Reford, Pastor Sherrie-Ann Mott, and the entire FCC 
congregation and family on a wonderful 25 years of service to our 
community.

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