[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 161 (Thursday, September 17, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E858-E859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING REVEREND LONNIE AND ELISHA MITCHELL

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 17, 2020

  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
lifelong service of Reverend Lonnie and Elisha Mitchell. As the Pastor 
and First Lady of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reverend 
Mitchell and his wife Elisha have faithfully and selflessly guided the 
Spokane community for nearly thirty years.
  Reverend Mitchell is retiring to empower a new generation of leaders 
to continue his work and take the church to its next level. He leaves a 
remarkable legacy, and I'm grateful for the time we have spent together 
building unity in Spokane. His wisdom and perspective were always 
valued and trusted in many courageous conversations we had with diverse 
voices in our community. I'm glad that even in retirement, Reverend 
Mitchell will continue to serve in new ways and be a force for unity, 
security, and grace.
  Madam Speaker, Lonnie became a pastor in 1989 following his military 
service in the United States Army. In 1991, he was assigned to Bethel 
A.M.E. by Bishop Vinton R Anderson. Under Reverend Mitchell's 
leadership, Bethel A.M.E. grew from 13 members to more than 200. While 
Lonnie served from the pulpit, Elisha served from the choir as a gospel 
singer. She ministered to many through her music and talent. During 
their time at Bethel A.M.E., Lonnie and Elisha have focused on a 
mission to love people--a mission as relevant today as it was in 1991.
  Reverend Mitchell and his wife Elisha have been long-term leaders in 
our community, helping found multiple nonprofits. In 1994, Lonnie and 
Elisha created Unity in the Community, an event to showcase Spokane's 
diversity and unite our community around respect, trust, and 
collaboration. In 1995, they founded the AHANA Business and 
Professional Organization, a nonprofit that supported minority and 
women-owned businesses in Spokane. Additionally, in the early 2000s, 
Reverend Mitchell and Elisha were key fundraisers for the Emmanuel 
Family Life Center, a community center in the Perry District.

[[Page E859]]

  In 2018, Lonnie joined me on a Civil Rights pilgrimage to Alabama 
with the late Congressman John Lewis. On that pilgrimage, we walked the 
steps of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King as fellow Americans on a journey 
together for a more perfect union. In 2017, Lonnie also joined me in 
Washington, D.C. to open the House of Representatives in prayer. I'll 
forever be grateful for the lessons I have learned from Reverend 
Mitchell. He has made a difference in my life and so many others.
  Madam Speaker, I join the Bethel A.M.E. congregation and the greater 
Spokane community in wishing Lonnie and Elisha Mitchell the best in 
their future endeavors. They are, and will continue to be, important 
leaders in our community and an example to us all. Their dedication and 
sacrifice have made them powerful role models we will greatly miss; 
though we know they're never far away.
  On behalf of the People's House, I ask for everyone to join me in 
honoring Reverend Lonnie and Elisha Mitchell's service, which I know 
will inspire generations to come.

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