[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 129 (Tuesday, August 2, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING DR. FREDDIE LOUIS THOMAS, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. VALADAO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 2, 2022

  Mr. VALADAO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Freddie 
Louis Thomas, Sr. for his 50 years of service to the Central Valley 
community as the Senior Pastor of Jerusalem Mission Community Church of 
God in Christ.
  Dr. Thomas, Sr. was born in 1934 in Marshall, Texas. As a child, he 
and his family relocated to California and settled in Los Angeles. In 
1953, his family moved to Bakersfield, California. He went on to be a 
fixture in the Central Valley ever since. After. graduating from 
Bakersfield High School, Dr. Thomas, Sr. attended Bakersfield College 
while working towards his license as a building contractor.
  After working years in building construction and contracting, Dr. 
Thomas, Sr. felt a calling from a higher power and made the admirable 
decision to dedicate his life to Christ. He went on to attend multiple 
seminary schools, eventually achieving a doctorate in divinity. Dr. 
Thomas, Sr. has used his knowledge to become a leader in the Central 
Valley religious community--spreading the word of God through his 
teachings to multiple congregations.
  In 1963, Dr. Thomas, Sr. founded the Jerusalem Mission Community 
Church of God in Christ. He has served as the church's senior pastor 
since its founding and has become a true source of inspiration for 
Valley families for decades. In 2021, he became the Emeritus Pastor of 
the Church.
  I ask all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in 
congratulating Dr. Freddie Louis Thomas, Sr. for his 50 years of 
service to the Central Valley community.

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