[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 4350]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING PASTOR W. JAMES THOMAS II OF SHILOH CHURCH IN MEMPHIS, TN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, our pastor today was Pastor W. James Thomas 
II.
  Pastor Thomas is God's visionary for Shiloh Church of Memphis, 
located in Memphis, Tennessee. Serving as Senior Pastor since 1994, his 
consistent obedience to God has taken the Shiloh congregation from 
glory to glory. The membership has grown from 75 to 600 and counting. 
During these years, Pastor Thomas has been preaching and teaching God's 
uncompromising Word with a boldness that has changed the lives of the 
people at Shiloh and throughout the country.
  To accommodate the vision and growth of the church membership, Pastor 
Thomas led the congregation in the acquisition of a 19,000 square foot 
worship and educational facility in 1998. In 2003, the sanctuary was 
completely renovated and office complex expanded to accommodate staff 
and daily operational needs.
  Spiritually, Pastor Thomas was saved and received much of his 
spiritual development in the Church of God in Christ. He was called to 
the ministry at the age of 14 and began pastoring at the age of 18 in 
Knoxville, TN. Educationally, Pastor Thomas graduated cum laude from 
Crichton College in Memphis, Tennessee with a bachelor of science 
degree in biblical studies and is currently a candidate for the masters 
of divinity degree. He has also been awarded a doctor of divinity 
degree from St. Thomas Christian College in Jacksonville, FL. Pastor 
Thomas was selected from among 300 clergy nationally to participate in, 
and has completed the first Graduate School of Theological Studies 
Special intensive at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, MA in 
September, 2005 and Yale School of Divinity in September, 2006.
  Pastor Thomas has accomplished many tasks on the local and national 
level. He is the founder and CEO of Grace Community Development 
Corporation and Grace for Living Ministries International and currently 
serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Marchell 
Foundation, a regional scholarship granting foundation. In July of 
1998, he was appointed and installed as the District Overseer for the 
West Tennessee Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. Apostolically, he 
serves as the overseer of True Praise & Worship International Church in 
Raleigh, NC and Fresh Annointing Christian Fellowship Church in 
Clarksville, MS. He is a member and chapter officer of Kappa Alpha Psi 
Fraternity, Inc. He's very active in our community in Memphis, 
Tennessee. He is married to Minister Antonia R. Thomas, who serves 
alongside him in the ministry. And even possibly more important than 
his congregation, Pastor Thomas has two children. One is Private First 
Class Reginald Cleveland, who has been serving this Chamber for the 
past 4 years as an officer with the Capitol Police. His daughter 
Joshlyn Thomas is a student at Craigmont Middle School in Memphis.
  Generations are changed because of his passion for mentoring youth, 
empowering the saints and serving as a spiritual father for Pastors. 
Through the ministry of Pastor Thomas, people are discovering their 
destinies. His favorite Scripture is Psalms 37:4--``Delight thyself 
also in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.''
  I appreciate Pastor Thomas serving the United States House of 
Representatives as our pastor this morning.

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