[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 67 (Thursday, April 17, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO ANTIOCH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

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                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 17, 2025

  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Hartsville, South Carolina. The 
history of Antioch is profound and deserving of the great celebration 
that is taking place on Easter Sunday.
  The journey that has brought Antioch Church to this moment began in 
1888 when the Church was established on the crest of a hill. That year, 
a group of people with great faith in their hearts and each other, came 
together for one mission. The Church's early founders--Shade Charles, 
Joe Coe, William Brunson, Ham Fountain, and the Reverend Jonas Muldrow 
decided to call their new church ``Antioch.'' These men and women were 
the first officers of the church with Reverend Jonas Muldrow as their 
first pastor.
  In 1937, the structure of the Church was replaced, and it has gone 
through several renovations since, with the most recent taking place in 
1984, when the church added two Sunday school classrooms and brick 
veneered the sanctuary.
  Since its inception, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and its 
congregation have served as a beacon of light within the community. The 
programs and ministries initiated by the church have served as models--
for other churches of various denominations in the area. The strength 
of spirit and unbridled faith have allowed the church to blossom and 
thrive through the years. Its congregants diligently serve in several 
capacities--deacons, ministers, Sunday school teachers, missionaries, 
choir members, ushers, musicians, and so much more. Churches like 
Antioch are significant parts of our history and their stories are 
anchors in the African American faith community.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor to pay tribute to this fine 
congregation for its dedication, endless faith, and the love it has 
shown to the community. As we learn from Acts 11:26, Barnabas found 
Paul in Tarsus and brought him to Antioch where they spent a whole year 
assembling themselves with the church, and teaching and it was there 
that the disciples were first called Christians.''
  I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating Antioch 
Missionary Baptist Church and wishing its congregation God's blessings 
in the days ahead.

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