[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12622]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    IN HONOR OF REV. KURT W. KATZMAR

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 28, 2001

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Rev. 
Kurt W. Katzmar for his many years of dedicated service to the First 
Congregational United Church of Christ.
  Rev. Katzmar has been the pastor of the First Congregational United 
Church of Christ since May 1991. As a young boy raised in Strongsville, 
Rev. Katzmar attended the church he now pastors. He, along with then-
pastor of Heritage Congregational Church Rev. David Hawk, founded the 
Berea Minister's Emergency Relief fund, a precursor to Church Street 
Ministries. This was one of many examples of his tireless support to 
the City of Berea, the people of Berea, and the ministry among the 
people of Berea.
  Rev. Katzmar, along with others in the community area was a founder 
of the First Church's Church Street Ministries program. Together with 
Bob Dreese, Rev. Katzmar joined the church's Youth-at Risk program and 
the Second Mile Thrift Shop together as one ministry. When the 
businesses in the 17-19 Church Street building decided to move, they 
designed a combined program that could move into the building, enabling 
an expansion of the program to include the refugee-resettlement and 
crisis-response ministries. Rev. Katzmar made presentations to the 
boards, committees, and congregation, and after the grant was made, the 
Church Street Ministries was formed and dedicated on May 14, 1994 in a 
ceremony led by Rev. Katzmar.
  My fellow colleagues, please join me in congratulating Rev. Katzmar 
on all his achievements in helping to create a welcoming atmosphere in 
the First Congregational United Church of Christ. His love and 
dedication to serving the Church has touched the hearts of all in the 
community.

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