[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 4793]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          INTRODUCTION OF REV. TYRONE SKINNER, GUEST CHAPLAIN

  (Mr. SCHIFF asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Reverend 
Tyrone Skinner of the Metropolitan Baptist Church in Altadena, 
California, as guest Chaplain of the House of Representatives.
  Pastor Skinner embarked on his career as a preacher at a remarkably 
young age. He delivered his first public sermon at the age of 10. While 
at Bishop College in Dallas, Texas, in pursuit of his bachelor's 
degree, he joined the First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park. He earned 
his Master's of Divinity Degree from the Perkins School of Theology at 
Southern Methodist University in 1989. One year later, he became pastor 
of Metropolitan Baptist Church.
  Under Reverend Skinner's charismatic leadership, the Metropolitan 
Baptist Church has seen incredible transformations. Pastor Skinner has 
enriched the worship experience for 800 members and has overseen 
significant infrastructure improvements to the church facility. Pastor 
Skinner was instrumental in engaging church members in a Body and Soul 
program by serving as a judge at a men's cook-off and encouraging 
members to become more healthy physically as well as spiritually.
  Pastor Skinner helped establish Praise Team, Praise Dancers, Soldiers 
for Christ Stomp Team, and several other ministries in the church. He 
also established a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the Metropolitan Community Action 
Services Corporation, which has been a sponsor of the Young African 
American Male Conference.
  The list of Reverend Skinner's accomplishments is long, his altruism 
is broad. Last year, Metropolitan celebrated its 100th anniversary, and 
today is a fitting capstone to his service to the church, the community 
and now to the country.

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