Recognizing the 40th Pastoral Anniversary of Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr.

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join with the congregation of Cathedral International in honoring Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr. on his 40th Pastoral Anniversary. Bishop Hilliard's dedication to faith and community are truly deserving of this body's recognition.

As Senior Pastor of Cathedral International, Dr. Hilliard has ushered immense expansion of the church. When Dr. Hilliard became Senior Pastor at the age of 26, there were 125 congregants; today membership has grown to 10,000 and serves the communities of Perth Amboy, Asbury Park, and Plainfield. His vision to embrace technology and add streaming capabilities to the church not only allows the church to reach those who are unable to worship in person, but also served the full congregation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout his tenure, Dr. Hilliard has encouraged his congregants to practice faith in action, serving the needs of people through several worship and outreach ministries. Likewise, the Cathedral Community Development Corporation that Dr. Hilliard founded provides support and services to uplift the local community. His leadership has fostered greater spirituality, fellowship, and community involvement of diverse populations.

His contributions to the community have been recognized with several awards and board positions, including the Drew University Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award, the National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Award, and the Perth Amboy Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year Award. Additionally, he is a lifetime member of the NAACP.

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely hope my colleagues will join me in congratulating Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr. on his 40th Pastoral Anniversary. Dr. Hilliard continues to provide outstanding spiritual leadership to the Perth Amboy, Asbury Park, and Plainfield communities and his service is to be celebrated.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source