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IN RECOGNITION OF 80 YEARS OF MESSIAS TEMPLE CHURCH
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HON. DEBBIE DINGELL
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Mrs. DINGELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Messias Temple Church located in Ypsilanti, Michigan on the occasion of their 80th anniversary. For the past eight decades, this church has been the embodiment of faith and service. Their commitment to serving the Ypsilanti community in the past, present, and future is worthy of commendation.
Formed in 1940, a vision inspired Elder John T. Elders and Sister Laura Elders to create a sanctuary for the people of Ypsilanti. They began holding prayer meetings in a wooded area they named Messias Grove at the corner of Monroe and Hawkins and later in the home of the Barfields until they moved into their first church building on Monroe Street in 1941. Faithfulness, dedication, service, and spreading the word is what this church has focused on since their founding. Today, the vision of the Elders lives on through Bishop Harry Grayson, as he has led the Messias Temple congregation in faith and service for the past thirty years.
In the years since that first meeting, Messias Temple Church has grown tremendously, and the church is known as a place where warmth, compassion, support, and fellowship will always be found. The congregation's charitable work has sustained those in their time of need. The ``We Care We Share'' outreach ministry provides hot meals and clothing for those in need. Through this program they have served over ten thousand neighbors. Additionally, they host a food pantry and run programs for local youth and families. Even when faced with challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, this congregation has never faltered in their commitment to serving the people of the community and ensuring that they are taken care of. Their dedication to carrying out the teachings of their church is unparalleled.
The Messias Temple Church has positively impacted the lives of so many through their outreach and for that we are grateful. The church has been under the steadfast leadership of Bishop Harry Grayson since 1991 and has only grown since then. Their ministry reaches not only across Ypsilanti, but around the globe. Those who know the spirit of Bishop Grayson know his compassion, wisdom, and tireless devotion to our community and to the faith that drives him as a servant of God.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Messias Temple Church for their 80 years of faith and service. Please join me in congratulating Bishop Grayson and the entire Messias Temple congregation on eight faithful decades and in wishing them the best of luck in the years to come.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 164
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