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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E826-E827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO DR. FRENCH HARMON
______
HON. HAROLD ROGERS
of kentucky
in the house of representatives
Friday, September 11, 2020
Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to
my long-time friend and pastor, Dr. French Harmon, who has been elected
to lead the Kentucky Baptist Foundation.
During a time of great unrest in our nation, the church remains our
guiding light as an invisible enemy attacks the health of Americans,
our economy, and our way of life. It is spiritual leaders like Dr.
Harmon who will ensure that our sovereign God is still recognized as
the cornerstone of our blessed and sovereign nation.
His servant's heart has never been resigned to ministry inside a
building. Rather, Dr. Harmon has embodied the love of Christ through
his outreach in every community where he has resided, and through
mission work in foreign countries, including Brazil, Israel, Kenya, and
South Africa. Successful ministries are often defined by congregation
size, tithing growth and doctoral achievements; to that end, Dr. Harmon
is among the elite as a Doctor of Philosophy, a Doctor of Ministry, a
Master of Theology, a Master of Divinity and upwards of
[[Page E827]]
200% growth in church membership and giving throughout his pastoral
assignments. However, it is with great humility that Dr. Harmon would
suggest that there is no greater success in ministry than simply
sharing the gospel of Christ to a lost world in need of a Savior. As a
member of his congregation at First Baptist Church in Somerset,
Kentucky, I can personally attest that countless lives have changed as
a result of his dedication to Christ's Great Commission.
In recent years, Dr. Harmon has been a consummate advocate for the
needs of the people of southern and eastern Kentucky. He organized an
anti-drug abuse march and rally in partnership with Operation UNITE to
combat the opioid abuse epidemic in our Appalachian region. I recruited
him to share his wisdom and expertise as a board member, and now Vice
Chair, of SOAR--Shaping Our Appalachian Region, an initiative to
revitalize and diversify our coal-producing region. I deeply appreciate
his ingenuity and guidance as we collectively work to inspire and
generate new economic development opportunities in the mountains.
In addition to serving as my pastor, I count Dr. Harmon as a true
friend and trusted advisor. In fact, I invited him to lead prayer on
Capitol Hill for the U.S. House of Representatives and to join me
during meetings with prominent leaders over the years, including
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He has been a tremendous
ambassador for the United States, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the
City of Somerset.
For those reasons, I find it bittersweet to congratulate Dr. Harmon
as he begins a new chapter as President of the Kentucky Baptist
Foundation. My prayer for Dr. Harmon and his family is written in
Numbers 6:24-26, ``The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his
face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face
toward you and give you peace.''
____________________