[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15620]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         IN HONOR OF SHILOH BAPTIST CHURCH'S 145TH ANNIVERSARY

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                            HON. DAVID SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 1, 2015

  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
145th anniversary of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Jonesboro, GA. Since 
the end of the Civil War, this church has stood as a beacon of worship 
and its congregation is a testament to how faith brings a community 
together.
  In 1870, Reverend Frank Q. Graham, Reverend A.D. Delmarta and 
Reverend G.B. Austin, searching for a place to worship, organized 
Shiloh Baptist Church under a Brush Arbor. Meetings were held in the 
Arbor until the group was able to build a church across the street, 
near the church's present location. After the first building was burned 
down by a fire, the worshippers met in an old school until the church 
was rebuilt. In 1962, the church was struck by lightning and completely 
destroyed. Held together by their faith, the congregation met in an 
elementary school cafeteria until Shiloh Baptist was rebuilt.
  Shiloh Baptist Church has also played its part in American history. 
When the NAACP chartered their membership in Clayton County, Georgia, 
Shiloh Baptist church was one of the first to purchase membership. When 
Atlanta, Georgia hosted the 1996 summer Olympics, the church was a 
reception for the Olympic torch.
  The Shiloh Baptist Church of Jonesboro is an example to all of how 
worship and faith can bring a group of people together. Despite 
numerous damages and subsequent reconstruction and renovations to the 
physical structure, the Shiloh Baptist community is celebrating 145 
years of worship. The strength or their congregation's faith has been 
demonstrated time and time again. The church has won awards for their 
wide attendance and continues to attract churchgoers from the Jonesboro 
area. The congregation has not let their spirit falter and for this I 
congratulate them on 145 years of worship.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Shiloh Baptist 
congregation for 145 years of worship. I would like to commend them for 
being a cornerstone in the Jonesboro community as well as within the 
great State of Georgia. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the 
anniversary of Jonesboro's Shiloh Baptist Church. Thank you and God 
bless.

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