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[Pages S1380-S1381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING BISHOP McKINLEY YOUNG
Ms. HARRIS. Madam President, our Nation mourns the loss of one
of the country's greatest servant-leaders, The Right Reverend, Senior
Bishop McKinley Young, whose life work ministering to countless
individuals and whole communities in search of both hope and democracy
exemplifies faith in action.
Senior Bishop McKinley Young was born on November 10, 1944, in
Atlanta, GA; the eldest son of Reverend Lonnie C. Young and Mrs. Nellie
Cummings Young. He attended Morris Brown College, where he earned his
bachelor's degree and later received two master's degrees from Andover
Newton Theological School and the University of Chicago Divinity School
respectively.
Early in his ministry, Bishop Young pastored churches in the first,
fourth, and sixth Episcopal Districts, including the historic Big
Bethel A.M.E Church in Atlanta, GA. After being elected and consecrated
the 109th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1992, his
first episcopal assignment was to the 15th District of Angola, South
Africa, and Namibia where he led the Centennial Celebration of African
Methodism. Bishop Young would later serve as presiding prelate in
Texas, Florida, and the Bahamas. His final episcopal assignment was
with the third District, which includes Ohio, West Virginia, and
Western Pennsylvania, where he served until his transition to the
church triumphant on Wednesday, January 16, 2019.
Bishop Young's commitment to the church community was as strong as
his commitment to voter education, voter registration, and getting
people from the pews to the polls. This passion came from his lifelong
belief that ``a vote-less people is a hopeless people.'' For decades,
Bishop Young organized voter registration drives across the United
States, empowering those who were historically voiceless in the voting
process. His commitment to democratic values led him to South Africa,
where he worked on voter registration efforts during the first free
democratic election of the President of South Africa.
Throughout his journey and in addition to his ministerial and civic
work, Bishop Young worked diligently to increase educational
opportunities for African-American students, especially those attending
historically black colleges and universities. He served on the board of
trustees for Payne Theological Seminary, led the church in financially
stabilizing Paul Quinn College, helped raise $2 million to secure
Edward Walters College's accreditation, and would later serve as
chancellor of Wilberforce University.
Bishop Young has served the ecumenical community faithfully for over
40 years. He was a devoted leader of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church Service and Development Agency, Inc., SADA for over 20 years and
served as
[[Page S1381]]
chair of the board. Bishop Young's leadership among other faith
councils only amplified the effectiveness of his advocacy across the
faith community, including as a member of the Central Committee of the
World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the World
Methodist Council, and the Conference of National Black Churches.
Bishop Young was a courageous servant leader, activist, and champion
for civil and human rights whose service and dedication to countless
communities will continue to inspire others for generations to come.
We wish every member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church that
he served and those whose lives were touched by Bishop Young peace
during this difficult time, especially his wife Dr. Dorothy Jackson
Young, his children, Karyn, Deana, Andrea, and Stephanie, and eight
grandchildren:
____________________
