[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13441]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   COMMENDING THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF CEDARTOWN YOUTH CHOIR FOR 
         PARTICIPATING IN THE NATIONAL FESTIVAL OF YOUTH CHOIR

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. BOB BARR

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 2000

  Mr. BARR of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the opportunity to 
meet with a very special group of young people from my home district in 
Georgia. The First Baptist Church Youth Choir, from Cedartown, Georgia, 
are in Washington to participate in the Fourth Annual Nation's Capital 
Festival of Youth Choirs.
  The festival this year is being hosted by the First Baptist Church of 
Alexandria, Virginia. The festival, first started as a result of 
efforts of Randy Edwards, a pastor from Shreveport, Louisiana, who 
formed ``Youth Choirs, Inc.,'' a non-profit organization. This 
organization was dedicated to building church youth choirs across 
denominational lines. The festival choir consists of 300 youth from 
across the nation.
  The festival is limited to 300 singers, and this year is made up of 
17 youth choirs from throughout the country. I was honored to spend 
time with the First Baptist Church of Cedartown Youth Choir. The group 
consists of high school students who are members of this church and the 
Second Avenue Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia. They were accompanied on 
this trip by their church music directors, Mitch Huskison of Cedartown, 
and Joe Preston of Rome, and several proud parents.
  This choir from Georgia, along with those from other parts of the 
country, will deliver the prelude on Sunday, July 2nd at National 
Cathedral. The choirs, accompanied by an orchestra, will also present a 
``grand concert'' at the First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia.
  In a world in which media attention frequently focuses on reporting 
youth violence, crime, lack of family values, and problems with our 
educational systems, it would behoove us all to take a moment to 
recognize the Christian young people who have worked to pay for this 
trip; and who have prayed for their leaders, their bus driver, the 
chaperones, all the kids who are attending, and for themselves, that 
they might make beautiful music to glorify our Lord.
  I salute the membership, staffs, parishioners, and parents of these 
students of the Cedartown First Baptist Church and the Second Avenue 
Baptist Church of Rome for supporting this great ministry.

                          ____________________