[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 12518]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN HONOR OF REV. DR. JOHN A. SEVERSON CELEBRATING FIFTY YEARS OF 
                          PREACHING THE GOSPEL

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 29, 2011

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Rev. 
Dr. John A. Severson, who will celebrate fifty years of preaching the 
gospel this weekend. Through these many years, Rev. Dr. Severson has 
remained dedicated to spreading the Word of God and striving to improve 
his community, particularly those less fortunate.
  John A. Severson was born in Calhoun County in Edison, Georgia to the 
late Mr. Lucious B. Severson Sr., and the late Mrs. Annett H. Severson. 
He received his early education in the public schools of Calhoun 
County, and in 1961, felt the call to ministry.
  Rev. Dr. Severson received his Bachelors & Master's Degrees in 
Ministry from Bethany Theological Seminary, and he received his 
Doctorate of Theological Studies from the Bethany Divinity College and 
Seminary, in Dothan, Alabama. Since graduating, Rev. Dr. Severson and 
has been proclaiming the good news of the gospel to this day, serving 
several congregations in both Georgia and Alabama.
  Presently, Rev. Dr. Severson faithfully serves the Union Missionary 
Baptist Church congregation, where he has given spiritual guidance for 
the past thirty-three years. Under his gracious leadership, many in his 
community have developed a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. 
Further, many physical changes have taken place under his leadership: 
Rev. Dr. Severson has organized many new ministries and new outreach 
ministries in the community.
  Dr. Severson is the past moderator of the Camilla Missionary Baptist 
Association; Co-Founder of the Christian Unity--biracial organization; 
past president of the Baptist Ministries Conference of Dougherty 
County; a member of Vision Albany; a member of the General Missionary 
Baptist Convention of Georgia; and a member of the National Baptist 
Congress of Christian Education--National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. 
Inc.
  As the Founder and CEO of the Union Mission Outreach Center, an 
outreach ministry for the Union Missionary Baptist Church and 
community, Rev. Dr. Severson and the congregation continue Jesus' work 
of helping the poor by providing medicine, eye glasses, and dental care 
to those community residents who otherwise could not afford it. In 
addition, Rev. Dr. Severson developed a summer enrichment program held 
at Union Missionary Baptist Church each summer which is available to 
the community free of charge.
  Mr. Speaker, Rev. Dr. Severson's devotion to the improvement of his 
community reminds me of Matthew 25:35-37, in which Jesus says, ``I was 
hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me 
something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed 
clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was 
in prison and you came to visit me . . . Truly I tell you, whatever you 
did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did 
for me.'' Rev. Dr. Severson has done a remarkable job of touching the 
lives of his congregations, his communities, and especially the least 
of these. As we mark his fiftieth year of religious service, I wish to 
extend my heartfelt thanks and sincerest congratulations for his 
incredible contributions.

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