[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17431]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF MADISON

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                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 29, 2010

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the First 
Baptist Church of Madison, located in Morris County, New Jersey as they 
celebrate their 115th anniversary year.
  In the spring of 1895, a small group of individuals began to organize 
in what was known as Odd Fellows Hall in Madison, New Jersey in an 
effort to create a Baptist Mission so they would have a place to gather 
and worship. Two years later, the Baptist Mission became the First 
Baptist Church of Madison, and members selected Reverend R.L. Harris to 
be its first pastor. As membership grew, land was purchased to build a 
larger place of worship. On the first Sunday of June 1901, a ground 
breaking service was held, and by February 1902 the church was 
completed at its current site.
  In 2003, the Arthur D. Brown Enrichment Center was opened to provide 
a place for meetings, offices, the Smith Library and personal 
meditation. The church is continuously renovating and improving their 
105-year-old building. They plan to further expand their church by 
creating education facilities.
  An important aspect of the First Baptist Church of Madison is their 
service to others. The church participates in a wide variety of 
missions to help those in need. They provide books to poor areas of 
Africa, visit residents in nursing homes, provide hygiene kits to the 
poor, assist in paying bills for those in need or aid and provide 
Thanksgiving meals. The First Baptist Church of Madison has always 
provided a warm welcome to new parishioners and visitors, and has done 
a commendable job serving the community.
  Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in 
congratulating the First Baptist Church of Madison as they celebrate 
their 115th anniversary.

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