[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 10413]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   WELCOMING REVEREND MICHAEL RUCKER

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Thornberry) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, our guest chaplain today has been the 
pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, for the past 20 
years; but his ministry and passion for spreading the word of God has 
never been confined to the walls of any church building.
  Mike Rucker, known to many as the ``Flying Preacher,'' has been 
combining his love of auto racing and the ministry since 1985 when he 
and his wife of 40 years, Sherrie, began Rucker Racing Ministries. 
Since then, they have traveled to racetracks across the United States, 
spreading the good word while he races and while Sherrie often sings 
the national anthem.
  Pastor Rucker also serves as the chaplain for the Wichita County 
Sheriff's Office and for the Wichita Falls Police Department and is a 
regular on Joe Tom White's ``Rise 'n Shine'' radio show. In short, he 
has never been afraid to roll up his sleeves and be in the world while 
sharing the Gospel with folks across Texas and the Nation.
  Pastor Rucker graduated from the Arlington Baptist College in 
Arlington, Texas. He and Sherrie have two sons, Michael and Matthew, 
and one daughter, Marlene, and five grandchildren.
  I am pleased to help welcome Pastor Rucker, the ``Flying Preacher,'' 
to the House today.

                          ____________________