[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5468]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     WELCOMING BISHOP FRED T. SIMMS

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. 
Rahall) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to welcome to the House 
of Representatives our guest chaplain today, Bishop Fred T. Simms, 
D.D., pastor and founder of the Heart of God Ministries in my hometown 
of Beckley, West Virginia.
  It is an honor to have such a distinguished West Virginian here with 
us today, and it is particularly fitting to have Bishop Simms join us 
in offering the morning prayer on behalf of our Congress and our Nation 
on this somber day. Today we will act on a congressional resolution 
honoring the courageous miners who lost their lives in the tragic 
explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine and recognize the heroic actions 
of the rescue teams who also risked life and limb to search for the 
missing miners.
  Bishop Simms was called to the ministry and preached his first 
message in December, 1977. Since that time, Bishop Simms has continued 
his Biblical studies through Aenon Bible College and the Institute of 
Biblical Studies in Lynchburg, Virginia. He received his doctorate of 
divinity degree from the St. Thomas Christian College in 2008. He has 
received numerous awards for his community service, which includes the 
Citizen of the Year award from the Mountain State Bar Association, 
Mountain State University's School of Leadership and Professional 
Development's Living Leadership award, and recognized by the Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr., Holiday Commission of the State of West Virginia with 
its ``Sharing of Self'' award.
  Bishop Simms, one of eight children born to George Simms and Audrey 
Simms Totten, is married to Marilyn Staples Simms, and the father of 
five daughters and 11 grandchildren. His greatest strength perhaps may 
be his humbleness of heart and his ability to become less, so that God 
gets all the glory. He teaches his congregation by example, as he lives 
what he preaches.
  Bishop Simms' two mottos are, ``It's not about Fred T., but about 
God,'' and ``Come on, let's have church.''
  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to honor Bishop Fred Simms today, and 
proud that he gave our invocation.

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