[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 24603]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      WELCOME TO PASTOR RALPH CLAY

  (Mr. PORTMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome our guest pastor today, 
Pastor Ralph Clay. We are very thankful for his presence and for his 
humble ministry to God.
  Pastor Clay joins us today from Christ Community Church in 
Portsmouth, Ohio. Pastor Clay is a respected faith leader there and 
also a respected community leader who has made life better for those 
living in Portsmouth, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. In fact, I just 
learned this past weekend Pastor Clay and Christ Community Church made 
life a lot easier for single parents, regardless of whether they were 
members of his church or not. They offered a variety of free services 
from financial counseling and diabetes screening to oil changes for 
single parents, and they had a great response.
  As an ordained minister for 38 years and a gospel singer since age 6, 
and I have heard his voice and it is beautiful; he has been active in 
his community his entire life. He has been involved with the local 
housing authority, the public library, the inner-city development 
corporation, and is a member of the Pastoral Care at Southern Ohio 
Medical Center.
  Pastor Clay has been married to his wonderful wife, Marilyn, who is 
with us today, for 39 years. They have four children and two 
grandchildren. He is an outstanding family man, minister, and member of 
his community. It was humbling for all of us, I know, to hear his 
inspired message this afternoon in this historic Chamber.
  Thank you, Reverend Clay, for joining us.

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