[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18473]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              WELCOMING THE REVEREND DR. CALVIN V. FRENCH

  (Mr. BOSWELL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. BOSWELL. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this moment to share 
some information about who just offered our prayer, my pastor in 
Washington, DC.
  Dr. French is Pastor Emeritus of the Community of Christ Church 
located at 3526 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC. He served 
the congregation for 25 years before retiring. Previous to his 
assignment in Washington, he held pastorates in Boston, Philadelphia 
and Des Moines. He has served as a pastor for 50 years.
  Reverend French holds degrees from Grace University, Iowa University, 
Drake University, and Temple University. He has done graduate work at 
Harvard University and studied at Princeton Theological Institute.
  Dr. French for the past 28 years has been a licensed clinical member 
of the American Association of Marriage and Family Counselors. He has 
been active in this discipline and currently is licensed in the State 
of Maryland.
  Dr. French is presently serving on the board of trustees for 
Graceland University. When his faith group started a theological 
seminary, he was asked to serve as one of the first board members. 
Previous to these appointments, he served for 10 years on the board of 
Park College in Kansas City.
  Reverend French is a member of the Rotary Club of Washington, DC, 
having joined in 1981. He has served on the Rotary Foundation and is 
presently on the governing board for Washington Rotary. He has the 
distinction of being the only pastor to be elected president of the 
Washington Club in its 84-year history. While in Washington, Reverend 
French has been involved in many community activities, including 
working with St. Luke's in establishing a neighborhood shelter for men.
  Dr. French has been appointed to the following boards and commissions 
during his ministry in Washington: President Clinton appointed him to 
represent the White House on the USO governing board. In this capacity, 
he visited various military installations and helped to provide a 
support program for the Armed Forces and their families. Dr. French was 
appointed by the National Institutes of Health to serve as a 
representative of the National Conference on Health Fact Finding Board. 
The board was designed to research and explore the needs in minority 
health and education. He was selected for the Board of National 
Conference on Ministry to the Armed Forces. This board provides 
opportunities for all denominations who so wish to have chaplains from 
their faith in the various military services. They also work closely 
with the Chief of Chaplains in helping to provide ministry to the 
troops. Reverend French served on this board for 12 years. And, lastly, 
Dr. French was asked to be a delegate on the United States Attorney 
General's Commission on Pornography. This study ended with 
recommendations presented to Congress.
  For the past 25 years, he has represented the parent church of his 
denomination in governmental affairs, providing liaison service to the 
various agencies of the government as well as to the Congress. On 
occasion he has been invited to offer the opening prayer for both the 
House and Senate.
  Dr. French is married to E. LaVon Crum French, a lawyer who served 
the U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee for 9 years, 
who is sitting in the galley. The following 17 years she served in a 
special magisterial appointment as Special Master for the National 
Childhood Vaccine Injury Program for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. 
She retired in April of 2005. A son, Colin V. French, is a tax lawyer 
in Dallas, Texas. He is married to Amanda, also a lawyer, and they have 
two daughters, Carolyn and Kelsey. Dr. Kelsey French is a clinical 
psychologist and is married to Vince Bzdek, the news editor for the 
Washington Post. They have two children, a daughter, Zola, and a son, 
Xavier, and live in Washington, DC.

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