[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 20, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S2386]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO REX PETTY

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Pastor Rex Petty 
for devoting decades of his life to serving the people of Liberal, KS, 
as pastor of Faith Tabernacle Church and to congratulate him upon his 
retirement.
  He started there as an associate pastor in 1984. Rex soon stepped 
into the role of interim pastor, and the congregation voted to keep Rex 
on to continue leading the church.
  Recently, Rex celebrated an incredible milestone with his 
congregation: 40 years of ministry at Faith Tabernacle Church.
  Delvin Kinser, the news director for Great Plains Christian Radio, 
said of Rex:

       He is more than a local minister devoted to his own 
     congregation.
       For decades, he has made the entirety of Liberal, Kansas, 
     his mission field. Pastors have come and gone, but Rex has 
     been a constant source of spiritual leadership [in] his 
     hometown.
       His retirement leaves a tremendous void, but those who know 
     him have little doubt that he made the spiritual fabric of 
     [this] community stronger than it otherwise would have been 
     without him. Always cheerful, always positive, always about 
     Jesus! That is Rex Petty!

  Rex's passion for service extends far into the Liberal community. He 
has been an involved member of the Liberal Ministerial Alliance, an 
organization that brings local churches together to care for the needs 
of the community. He is eager to minister to others, and he has often 
brought former NFL players to Liberal to share inspirational messages 
with students in southwest Kansas and the Oklahoma Panhandle.
  Rex also served as the coordinator for the local Liberal High School 
Baccalaureate.
  An avid sports fan, he can regularly be seen cheering in the stands 
at many local youth sporting events.
  In a recent interview with the local paper, the Leader and Times, Rex 
said--this is Rex saying:

       Maybe we don't have the highest mountains or a lot of the 
     lakes and streams and all that beauty other places have, but 
     [what] we have [is] the people. And that's been the most 
     wonderful thing about Liberal.

  Rex is civic-minded. He takes pride in his community. He can often be 
found leading prayers before local government meetings. He was 
instrumental in creating the city's slogan: ``From Generosity to 
Prosperity.''
  In this life of service of 40 years, he touched countless lives. Here 
are a couple of comments that others have made.
  Rozelle Webb is the CEO of the Liberal Chamber of Commerce, and she 
says:

       Rex Petty has been a very ``Liberal'' pastor. He has given 
     his time and [his] heart, not only to his church and 
     congregation, but to everyone in our town. We will miss his 
     sincere love for Liberal.

  Kansas State Representative Shannon Francis says:

       Congratulations to my classmate--

  Rex is a high school graduate of Liberal High School.

       Congratulations to my classmate, Rex Petty, on his 
     retirement. Rex is what makes rural America great.
       Rex is a hometown boy who returned home after college and 
     has spent 40 years ministering to his friends, family and 
     community members. His quiet, moral leadership has always 
     been a source of calm and comfort for our community. We will 
     miss him.

  I would like to recognize an additional person, a person besides Rex. 
It is the person who supported Rex, and like him, is a cherished member 
of the Liberal community, his wife Eydie. She is committed to serving 
and investing in the life of others, including serving as a teacher in 
the Liberal Public Schools.
  This summer, Rex and Eydie will celebrate 42 years of marriage. 
Together, they are passionate about helping others, and they can always 
be found volunteering for Liberal's Pancake Day and all other good 
causes. They passed their desire to serve on to their family, and their 
son Reid works on my staff as a district representative serving the 
people of Kansas.
  When I am in town, Rex will always meet me with a warm smile and a 
steady handshake. He has set a remarkable example of service and legacy 
that will not--will not--be forgotten.
  Earl Watt, the publisher of the Leader & Times summed it up pretty 
well by saying:

       Thank you, Rex Petty, for being Liberal's Pastor.

  I congratulate him. In fact, I congratulate them, Rex and Eydie, for 
their service to Kansans, and I wish them the best as they enter this 
new chapter.
  I believe the world is changed one soul at a time. Reverend Petty 
committed his life to serving Jesus Christ. In that service he touched 
many lives loving his neighbor as himself. Rex Petty, a role model for 
us all.
  I yield the floor.

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