[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 446]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE SERVICE OF DR. DALE PATTERSON, PASTOR OF EAST BRENT 
                  BAPTIST CHURCH IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 12, 2015

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. 
Dale Patterson, Pastor of East Brent Baptist Church, upon the occasion 
of his retirement after 33 years at East Brent Baptist Church in 
Pensacola, Florida, and for more than 50 years of ministry.
  Pastor Patterson is a native of Sumrall, Mississippi, and he started 
his long and distinguished career in the ministry in Mississippi, where 
he served congregations in Hattiesburg, Mendenall, Shuqualak, and 
Picayune, while also pursuing his education at Mississippi College, 
William Carey College, Mississippi State University, and the New 
Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received his master's 
and doctoral degrees.
  In 1981, Pastor Patterson and his family moved to Northwest Florida, 
where he took the important position of Pastor of East Brent Baptist 
Church. During his three-plus decades in Northwest Florida, Pastor 
Patterson became a staple of the community, leading his ministry based 
on a simple plan to minister to those within the church, while also 
reaching out to spread the Gospel to all the members of the community 
in need of the Lord's guidance.
  Under Pastor Patterson's leadership, and with the grace of God, East 
Brent Baptist Church has grown significantly over the past decades. 
Pastor Patterson supervised the purchase of property surrounding East 
Brent Baptist Church to expand the grounds and facilitate the 
construction of many new facilities, including the Family Life Center, 
the Worship Center, the G Building--used to house various events from 
Sunday School classes to GED classes and weddings--as well as the 
reutilization of existing property to provide recreational 
opportunities for children in the church community. In addition, during 
his tenure, East Brent Baptist launched Care Ministries, Inc. to help 
further spread the word of Jesus Christ far and wide.
  There is no question that Pastor Patterson's record of leadership and 
accomplishments at East Brent Baptist are myriad; however, he has also 
served in important leadership positions throughout the state and in 
the larger Southern Baptist Community. During his time in ministry, 
Pastor Patterson has served as President of the Associational Pastor's 
Conference, Moderator of Association and has served on State Board of 
Missions for Florida Baptist Convention. Pastor Patterson has also held 
the chairmanship of various committees, including: the Evangelism 
Committee, Mission's Committee, Sunday School Committee, Program 
Committee, State Order of Business, State Nomination Committee, State 
Loans and Grants Committee, Budget and Allocations Committee, and the 
Health and Hope Committee.
  Pastor Patterson's many accomplishments, however, are only a small 
window into the exceptional work that he has done serving the Lord and 
the congregation of East Brent Baptist Church, and his many successes 
in life are a testament to what can be achieved through faith and 
adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, my wife Vicki 
and I wish Pastor Patterson, his wife Louise, and the entire Patterson 
family all the best as Pastor Patterson enjoys his retirement years 
spending time with his family and the many friends he has made 
throughout the Northwest Florida community.

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