Recognizing Reverend Emmett Scott Aniton, Jr.

Floor Speech

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Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you today to offer my heartfelt congratulations and well wishes to an exceptional mentor, devoted leader, Vietnam War Veteran, faithful servant of God, and cherished longtime friend, Reverend Dr. Emmett Scott Aniton, Jr., as he concludes his 45 years of service at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. A special celebration marking his 45th Anniversary and retirement from preaching the Gospel will take place on April 7, 2024 at the church in Columbus, Georgia.

Born on March 8, 1940, in Oneonta, Alabama to Mr. Emmett Scott Aniton, Sr. and Mrs Estella Aniton Woods, Rev. Aniton graduated from Southside High School in Etowah County, Alabama before earning his Bachelor of Theology from Selma University in 1964. Following his service in Vietnam, he furthered his education at Alabama A&M University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology.

Having answered the call to preach, Rev. Aniton began his ministry at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Alabama, where he served his congregation faithfully. In November 1978, he accepted the call to pastor at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia, where he has led with passion and dedication since April 1979. Under his guidance, the church has flourished spiritually, numerically, and in its physical facilities.

Rev. Aniton's impact extends beyond the church walls, with his involvement in various community organizations and leadership roles. He has been recognized with awards such as the NAACP Religious Affairs Award and the Rainbow PUSH Coalition Lifetime Achievement Award, among others. His commitment to service and leadership exemplifies the quote by George Washington Carver when he said ``How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. Rev. Aniton has used his ministry to reach people from all walks of life. Spurred by the example of Jesus, he has used his life's work to help the ``Least of These.''

In reflecting on his achievements, Rev. Aniton acknowledges the unwavering support of his late wife, Mrs. Dorothy Rigby Aniton, his children, grandchildren, and extended family. Personally, I have been blessed to benefit from Rev. Aniton's wisdom and friendship for over four decades. He never told me what I wanted to hear; he always told me what he felt I needed to hear. Rev. Aniton has inspired and mentored many with his sterling example of what a man of God should look like. He is truly a man after God's own heart.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in The U.S. House of Representatives to join me, my wife Vivian, and the 765,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District in expressing our deepest gratitude and best wishes to Reverend Dr. Emmett Scott Aniton, Jr. as he embarks on a well-deserved retirement after 45 years of devoted service at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. May God continue to bless him and his loved ones as he enters this new chapter in his life.

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