[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 7, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E179]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING TAMPA BAY'S LOCAL TRAILBLAZER, BISHOP PRESTON LEONARD, IN 
                      HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH

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                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 7, 2023

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with immense 
gratitude for Bishop Preston D.H. Leonard, who inspires us all through 
his lifetime of public service deeply rooted in his faith. For more 
than 60 years, he has served as pastor at Christ Gospel Church of St. 
Petersburg. Bishop Leonard is the only living pastor in the church's 
history and has the longest tenure of any pastor in the St. Petersburg 
area. He serves as the Presiding Bishop of Christ Kingdom International 
Fellowship and the International Bishop of the Christ Gospel Churches 
of Jamaica Apostolic, Haiti, and Ghana, Africa.
  Bishop Leonard was born in the town of Lloyd, located in North 
Florida to Titus and Vannie (Walker) and he is the sixth of seven 
children. His commitment to his faith started early--at age 10 he 
became a member of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in 
Monticello, Florida.
  Bishop Leonard was baptized in 1954 and ordained later that year. 
Also in 1954, Bishop Leonard married the love of his life, the former 
Virginia Mosley. Together they share their seven children, 16 
grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
  Bishop Leonard and his family moved to St. Petersburg in 1957 and 
since then, he has been fiercely committed to his service to both God 
and our community across Tampa Bay through a broad range of 
experiences. For more than 40 years, he hosted a radio ministry 
broadcasted by The New 1590 WRXB, a longtime voice in the St. 
Petersburg African American community. He is a past president of the 
Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA) and previously served on 
the Bi-Racial Advisory Committee of the Pinellas County School Board, 
the State Screening for Regulatory Committee, Ombudsmen Committee of 
the State Nursing Home, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, and the 
Area Agency of Aging. In 1997, he was recognized as Minister of the 
Year. Today, Bishop Leonard serves as a charter member of the St. 
Petersburg Community Alliance as well as on the Board of Directors of 
the IMA Human Services and the St. Petersburg Interfaith Alliance.
  Bishop Leonard received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from 
International University. Before this he attended Florida A&M 
University, Jack Hyles Pastoral School, and Clyde Narramore Counseling 
School. He was also a member of the U.S. Navy CORPS in Bainbridge, 
Maryland.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Tampa Bay community, I am honored to 
recognize Bishop Preston D.H. Leonard for his lifelong dedication to 
service above self as well as his contribution to Tampa Bay's own 
African American history. Through his commitment to and celebration of 
his faith and his service to the community, Bishop Leonard is a 
representation of the best that Florida has to offer and his living 
legacy serves as an example to all.

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