[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3268]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING GREATER BETHEL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN OVERTOWN 
               FOR 110 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 9, 2006

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the 
Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church (BAME) as it 
celebrates its 110th Anniversary on Sunday, March 12, 2006 in the 
Overtown community of Miami-Dade County, Florida. This important 
milestone is truly a testament to the leadership of the church and the 
commitment of the faithful and the church's theme reflects it: 
``Greater Bethel AME: A Beacon of Light Shining Bright for 110 Years.''
  I commend the entire Greater Bethel AME family, including the Senior 
Pastor, Reverend Milton Broomfield and Ms. Barbara Brown, the 
Chairperson, on this wonderful occasion. It is the thorough exercise of 
faith that we are emboldened by God's Blessed Assurance spoken through 
the Prophet Isaiah (Chapter 58, Verses 9-11): ``. . . You shall call, 
and the Lord will answer. For if you bestow your bread on the hungry 
and satisfy the afflicted, then light shall rise for you in the 
darkness . . . and the Lord will guide you always.''
  Greater Bethel AME Church symbolizes an unshakable monument that has 
manifested and continues to manifest our community's faith in God. The 
longevity of this landmark church--not only through its members' 
genuine caring of one another, but also through the outreach efforts of 
its services and good works for those it has been privileged to serve--
is truly remarkable. Despite the pain and agony that our community 
suffered in the midst of many years of disenfranchisement and 
misrepresentation, Greater Bethel AME Church stood out as a beacon of 
Hope and a citadel of Truth by which God has called our community to 
respond to the mandate of Christian stewardship.
  It is with this spirit that I recognize this historic Church on its 
110th Anniversary, defined by determination and courage throughout its 
ministry. We are grateful for what Greater Bethel AME Church symbolizes 
for all of us, even as we look forward to the challenges of the future.

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