[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9070]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF REVEREND DR. GEORGE E. McRAE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 11, 2004

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 
contributions of one of our community's most remarkable leaders, the 
Rev. Dr. George E. McRae, Pastor of Mt. Tabor Missionary Baptist Church 
in Miami, Florida. I know Rev. McRae well, because he is my Pastor.
  On Friday, May 14, 2004, at the Sheraton Biscayne Bay Hotel in Miami, 
the members of our congregation will honor Rev. McRae, for his 15-year 
service to our church and its surrounding neighborhoods.
  Historic milestones and countless awards characterize Rev. McRae's 
pastoral service, including his recent designation as President of the 
Florida General Baptist Convention. Yet perhaps the one achievement of 
his many achievements that says the most about his values and 
priorities is his establishment of a community-based non-profit 
organization called MOVERS, or Minorities Overcoming the Virus Through 
Education, Responsibility and Spirituality. MOVERS is designed to meet 
the needs of lower income people with few options who are afflicted 
with the HIV/AIDS virus and other sexually transmitted diseases, and 
their families. Over the years, Rev. McRae and his dedicated staff have 
taken few resources and done much good.
  The 17th Congressional District of Florida is so honored to bear 
witness to the consecration of this Man of God to works of charity. The 
timeliness of his wisdom and the focus of his sensitivity guide us in 
committing ourselves to the well being of the less fortunate, the 
voiceless and the underrepresented. By establishing MOVERS, he has made 
it his mission to courageously stand by this mission of mercy, thus 
evoking his calling to bring to everyday life the Gospel's good news of 
healing and reconciliation.
  Rev. McRae is a man of great faith who has come to define the role of 
the church in its stewardship over the voiceless and the 
disenfranchised members of society. It is something analogous to the 
role of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as he resiliently struggled 
through the harrowing challenges of racial equality and the demands for 
simple justice and equal opportunity for all.
  The timeliness of his common sense and the courage of his conviction 
serve to strengthen and guide us at a time when our community needs 
someone to put in perspectives the agony and pain of people without 
resources or options who need help with problems that are much bigger 
than they can handle alone.
  While Rev. McRae will be honored by the members of the Mt. Tabor 
congregation, this fitting but symbolic ceremony is but one small 
measure of the genuine respect and thanks that people in Miami feel for 
his contributions to our community. Our collective pride in sharing his 
friendship is only exceeded by our gratitude for all that he continues 
to do on our behalf. Indeed, this is the remarkable legacy for which we 
will honor Dr. McRae. We are fortunate to have a man of his compassion, 
intelligence, caring and energy, and I want to express to him the 
thanks and best wishes of everyone in our community.

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