E1604 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 21, 2012 

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH DENBIGH 

150TH ANNIVERSARY 

HON. ROBERT C. ‘‘BOBBY’’ SCOTT OF VIRGINIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today to congratulate a legacy of faith in Virginia’s Third Congressional District. This year, 

First Baptist Church Denbigh in Newport News 

is celebrating its 150th anniversary, and I 

would like to take a moment to reflect on the 

history of this esteemed institution and its contributions to the greater Hampton Roads community. 

The story of First Baptist Church Denbigh 

begins in July 1862 as the Civil War raged. A 

Recognizing Council was called to meet at the 

old Denbigh Baptist Church. They chose Rev. 

Peter Banks to lead the congregation. Rev. T. 

G. Wright became the second pastor, serving 

from 1863 to 1869. During his administration, 

the white community returned to claim their 

church building. Rev. Wright and congregation 

moved to the current location, building a small 

house of worship. 

During the tenure of Rev. T. G. Nettles 

(1870–1881), a larger house was built to accommodate increased membership and the 

church was renamed to ‘‘First Baptist Church 

of Warwick County.’’ Other ministers were 

Reverends Watt Talton (1882–1883), J. B. 

Whiting (1883–1887), Robert H. Nazareth 

(1887–1912), T. C. Williams (1912–13), A. A. 

Hudgins (1913–26), Isaac Daniel (1926–32), J. 

D. Atkins (1933–40), and Joseph H. Brown 

(1941–48), all of whom added to the church in 

both physical form and spiritual leadership. 

During this period, the church was renamed 

‘‘First Baptist Church Denbigh.’’ 

For the next ten years, the church received 

sermons from Reverends B F. Burton and I. L. 

Buie along with other leaders. Later ministers 

were Reverends Samuel Fladger (1959–63), 

T. T. Brown (1963–67), and Albert L. Hill 

(1968–73), who initiated a bond sale to build 

a new air conditioned facility, with an indoor 

baptismal pool, which held its first services in 

1972. 

Rev. Herbert A. Hill, Jr. began his pastorate 

in 1974 and gave the church the strength to 

endure though a tragic fire in 1986 which destroyed the church edifice. For a time, services were held in schools and other places in 

the community. In 1987, Rev. Hill’s tenure as 

pastor ended and associate pastors provided 

guidance to the flock. 

In 1987, Edward Talton, a deacon for more 

than 40 years, was called into the ministry. 

Rev. Talton preached only two sermons from 

the pulpit before his death, but his life was a 

sermon in itself. In 1988, Rev. Haywood 

Barnes was voted to serve as interim pastor. 

Since 1988, Rev. Ivan T. Harris has led services, assuming the full-time pastorate in October 1991. Through Pastor Harris’ efforts, the 

church’s 25 year mortgage was burned on October 9, 1994—after only 61⁄2 years. 

Over the years, the First Baptist community 

has continued to flourish. Successful fundraising has afforded the church handicap-accessible transportation, a new Church Bell, an 

Education Center, Child Development Center, 

Family Life Center, and modern technologies. 

In addition to Sunday prayers, the church offers Summer Bible School, The Bible Institute, 

and GED, Homebound and Short Term Suspension programs. It provides over 30 ministries and is home to several choirs. The 

Church leads charitable causes including the 

The Hunt Food Locker, Food Mobile, Summer 

Feeding Program, an Outreach Center for 

women’s transitional housing, a Clothes Closet, and the adoption of a low-income neighborhood. 

Perhaps the most notable activity of the 

church is their African Village Adoption 

Project, initiated in 2005. Members have selected a native from Benin, Africa for adoption. 

The Church as a whole has provided a water 

well, microbanking program, motorcycles, 

books, a Christian School, and medical and 

worship facilities. 

As First Baptist Church Denbigh gathers to 

celebrate this historic milestone, the church 

can truly remember its past, celebrate its 

present, and focus on its future. I would like to 

congratulate Pastor Harris and all of the 2,500 

members of First Baptist Church Denbigh on 

the occasion of their 150th Anniversary. I wish 

them many more years of dedicated service to 

the community. 

f 

GARTH PATTERSON—FRIEND OF 

THE FISHERMEN, FRIEND OF 

MASSACHUSETTS, AND MY 

GREAT FRIEND 

HON. BARNEY FRANK OF MASSACHUSETTS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, 

I have never had to learn more about an issue 

in my life than when I learned in 1992 that the 

City of New Bedford and its fishing industry 

was included in the new Congressional district 

that I have proudly represented. New Bedford 

is one of the most successful fishing ports in 

the county, and in fact for the 12th consecutive year New Bedford had the highest-valued 

catch of any port in the United States. Fishing 

is not only a vital part of the economy of the 

region, but an integral component of its culture 

and social makeup. I could not represent the 

needs of such a unique community without a 

talented staff, and I am honored that my longtime aide, Garth Patterson, is the recipient of 

the 2012 Friend of the Fisherman Award recognizing his exemplary work. 

He received this award from the fishing 

community of New Bedford because of the 

high quality of the work he has done to provide the kind of first-rate public service and 

advocacy that is so essential to the continued 

survival of the fishing industry. In some cases, 

our advocacy can be uncomplicated, but there 

are also cases where mastering a very complex body of data is essential if we are to do 

our job right. Garth provided me with an extraordinary degree of technical expertise, practical knowledge, political savvy, and an ability 

to understand all viewpoints and articulate his 

own. He has been an enormous asset not 

only to me, but also to those concerned with 

the survival of the fishing industry. 

Mr. Speaker, I join the fishermen in thanking 

Garth. He is a tireless advocate for the community, and his nearly quarter century of public service is the quintessential model of how 

constituent relations should be conducted. I 

am proud that he is receiving this award, 

proud of his hard work for the people of Massachusetts, and proud to call him my friend. 

f 

RECOGNIZING DR. PAT STROH 

HON. GEORGE MILLER OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Mr. 

Speaker, I rise with my colleagues Congressman JOHN GARAMENDI, Congresswoman BARBARA LEE, Congressman JERRY MCNERNEY, 

and Congressman PETE STARK to recognize 

Dr. Pat Stroh, the Director of the Family and 

Children’s Services Program in Contra Costa 

County and congratulate her on her wellearned retirement. 

Dr. Stroh earned her Master’s Degree from 

Ball State University and her Doctorate in 

Education Early Childhood Focus from Walden 

University. Prior to coming to Contra Costa 

County in 1998, she served as Director of 

Head Start in Lexington, Kentucky and directed a U.S. Army Child Development Program in Europe. 

Over the years, Dr. Stroh’s outstanding work 

in public service has demonstrated her strong 

commitment to the children and families of 

Contra Costa County. Under her leadership, 

Contra Costa’s Head Start Child Development 

Program’s enrollment more than doubled and 

expanded from a part-day, part-year schedule 

to close to a full-day, full-year program. In addition, during very difficult economic times, Dr. 

Stroh was also able to more than double the 

program budget. 

Dr. Stroh’s interest and influence extends 

well beyond our county’s borders. As a member of the Board of the National Head Start 

Association as well as the California Head 

Start Association, she has worked diligently to 

enhance and expand the collaborative efforts 

of these organizations. Pat has also served as 

Validator and Mentor with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. 

As a result, the United States Congress was 

quick to recognize Dr. Stroh as the 2008 California Head Start Association Administrator of 

the Year for Invaluable Service to the Community. 

Our community and Dr. Stroh’s colleagues 

have honored her numerous times, recognizing her passion for children and her ability 

to develop programs that improve their chance 

of success in the world. As we well recognize, 

the success of our children bodes well for the 

success of our families and our entire community. 

Today, we invite our colleagues to join us in 

honoring Dr. Pat Stroh once again for her 

dedicated service to the families and children 

of Contra Costa County. We are pleased to 

join her family, colleagues and friends in congratulating her on a long and highly successful 

career and wish her a happy and healthy retirement. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS