[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16082]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




ON THE OCCASION OF THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF ST. GEORGE ANTIOCHIAN 
                            ORTHODOX CHURCH

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 22, 2013

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the occasion of 
St. George Orthodox Church of Troy's Centennial to congratulate 
Reverend Joseph Antypas and the congregation on this great milestone in 
the celebration of their faith.
  The Greater Detroit community is a region that mirrors the United 
States, both in the cultural diversity of it residents and their 
commitment to the American values of equality and freedom. A century 
ago, newly arrived Orthodox Christian immigrants from Lebanon and Syria 
came to the Greater Detroit to share in the American Dream, an 
opportunity for their families to freely observe their faith and access 
their full potential. When they arrived, they joined the American work 
force and began the hard work necessary to secure a brighter future for 
their children. As an important part of establishing their community 
and families in their new homeland, they founded the St. George Parish 
of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in 
1913. Just a short time later, the parishioners of St. George laid the 
cornerstone for their church in Detroit.
  Named in honor of the Great Martyr George, a staunch defender of the 
Antiochian Orthodox Christian faith, the Church has been an integral 
part of the community, allowing its members to continue their 
traditions and pass them along to future generations. Over the course 
of its existence, the sanctuary of St. George has called several 
different sites in the Greater Detroit area home in an effort by its 
leaders to house an ever expanding congregation. As the congregation 
has prospered, it has undertaken many different outreach initiatives, 
designed to support new congregation members and the broader Southeast 
Michigan community.
  Under its current leader, Reverend Joseph Antypas, the congregation 
of St. George has continued to thrive and moved its current home in 
Troy in 1994. In 2005, to better serve the community, the leaders of 
St. George oversaw the construction of a youth education and activities 
center that will allow younger church members to fully explore and 
develop their abilities. Furthermore, the Church has been instrumental 
to its members' continued welfare as our nation has faced the 
challenges of a difficult economy. It is a testament to the strength of 
the congregation of St. George that its members will also be 
celebrating the burning of the mortgage for its current home in Troy 
while they are celebrating its centennial.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to again congratulate Reverend 
Antypas, as well as the other leaders, and congregation of St. George 
Orthodox Church on achieving this great milestone in their community 
and in the celebration of their faith. I know St. George will continue 
to serve its members and community well and I wish its leaders and 
congregation success in their future endeavors.

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