[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                IN HONOR OF THE REVEREND RICHARD GAMMAGE

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 23, 2017

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and 
solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding 
spiritual and community leader, the Reverend Richard Gammage, Pastor of 
New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Macon, Georgia. Sadly, 
Reverend Gammage passed away on Wednesday, January 11, 2017 at the age 
of 85. A memorial service was held in his honor on Thursday, January 
19, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. at his church in Macon, Georgia.
  Richard Gammage was born in Sylvester, Georgia in 1931. He accepted 
Jesus Christ as his Savior at the young age of twelve. He was a member 
of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church and served in the various roles of 
deacon, Sunday school teacher, choir president and Chairman of the Sick 
Committee.
  Always seeking to improve his craft of Christian ministry and 
discipleship, he furthered his education at Carver Bible College, the 
Morehouse School of Religion, and the Interdenominational Theological 
Center. He earned a Master's degree from Brown College of Transoral 
Science.
  For the past 37 years, Reverend Gammage pastored the New Pleasant 
Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Macon. He loved each member of his 
congregation, and they loved him back. He believed that in addition to 
existing in a building, the church should exist in a community. The 
church took pride in serving breakfast on Sunday mornings to many 
homeless people and people in need who were able to eat a good meal 
immediately after the early service.
  In Reverend Gammage's many years of service, he ordained more than 
one hundred deacons, including seven women to preach. He served as 
President of the Evangelical Ministers Alliance for several years and 
most recently held the title of President Emeritus. Reverend Gammage 
also stood firm as a strong believer in Christian education, providing 
Bibles and other instructional materials to every individual who 
attended his Bible studies.
  Reverend Gammage made a difference both in and out of the pulpit. He 
was a renowned and passionate community leader in Macon, Georgia. For 
more than three decades, he led the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. 
Freedom March in Macon. He also hosted forums at New Pleasant Grove 
during nearly every political election for candidates to discuss issues 
and their campaigns.
  Acts 20:35 says, ``I have shown you in every way, by laboring like 
this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the 
Lord Jesus, that He said, `It is more blessed to give than to 
receive.''' Truly, Reverend Gammage abided by this scripture, 
understanding his calling and purpose to serve God's people and his 
community.
  Reverend Gammage achieved much in his life, but none of this would 
have been possible without the love and support of his wife, Myra 
Gammage, and their three children.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife Vivian, and the 
more than 730,000 residents of the Second Congressional District of 
Georgia in extending our sincere condolences to Reverend Richard 
Gammage's family, friends, and followers during this difficult time. I 
pray that we may all be comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy 
Spirit in the days, weeks and months ahead.

                          ____________________