[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11136]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              A TRIBUTE TO REVEREND DR. MARK V. C. TAYLOR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 17, 2010

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Reverend Dr. 
Mark V. C. Taylor for his dedication to his faith and tireless service 
to his community.
  Reverend Dr. Mark V. C. Taylor is a native of Chicago, Illinois. He 
was licensed in 1978 and ordained in 1979 at the Living Hope Baptist 
Church in Chicago under the leadership of Rev. James F. Jordan. From 
1978 to 1981 he attended the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ under 
the leadership of Bishop Carliss L. Moody, who was one of the 
participating ministers at Dr. Taylor's ordination in 1979.
  Dr. Taylor received his B.A. in History from Northwestern University, 
Master's of Divinity in Theology and Church History, Master's of 
Philosophy in Church History and a Ph.D. in Church History from Union 
Theological Seminary in New York.
  Dr. Taylor is currently the Pastor at The Church of the Open Door in 
Brooklyn, New York where he has developed several new programs; a 
Council of Ministries, including nine ministries specifically 
addressing the needs of the community and Black Male Emphasis Sundays. 
He has developed an extensive outreach ministry through outdoor 
services. He works closely with the youth and conducts a monthly bible 
study where the youth of the church openly discuss pertinent issues of 
the day and how they relate to the Word of God.
  Recently he has formed a Bible Institute, which seeks to provide a 
pleasurable and informative encounter with the Word of God. He has 
sponsored a new church school curriculum and a new summation of the 
Church's Doctrine called the Doctrine of Christian Wholism. He is very 
active and can often be found at public hearings and in community 
meetings.
  Dr. Taylor has published many articles and his dissertation was 
titled ``Godless Spots in Paradise: Social Christianity and Public 
Housing 1932-1955''. His most recent publication titled, ``In Times 
Like These: Sermons of Christian Power for Post-Modern Urban America'', 
is an uplifting collection of his sermons dealing with today's issues.
  Dr. Taylor also is an evangelist. In addition to outdoor services in 
the community surrounding the church, he preaches at many local 
congregations and has preached in churches from New York to Los 
Angeles. Dr. Taylor defines the focus of his ministry as ``Progressive 
Pentecostalism,'' the attempt to link the best of western rationality 
and the democratic tradition to the need to be filled with the Holy 
Spirit.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
contributions of Reverend Dr. Mark V. C. Taylor.

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