HONORING MARY SPRINGHILL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

On 2026-10-13, Representative Cleo Fields (D-LA-6) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING MARY SPRINGHILL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH" in the House.

HONORING MARY SPRINGHILL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 160 (Tuesday, October 13, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 13, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1068] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING MARY SPRINGHILL AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ______ HON. CLEO FIELDS of louisiana in the house of representatives Tuesday, October 13, 2026 Mr. FIELDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mary Springhill African Methodist Episcopal Church of Shreveport, Louisiana, a historic congregation and steadfast community institution located at 4426 Linwood Avenue. Under the leadership of Dr. Lorenzo Neal and the Central North Louisiana Conference within the 8th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mary Springhill AME continues to serve as a beacon of faith, fellowship, worship, and community engagement. Mary Springhill AME Church recently celebrated its 127th church anniversary in late 2025, reflecting a history that reaches back to approximately 1898. For more than a century, the congregation has provided generations of worshippers with a spiritual home where individuals and families can gather, grow in faith, and support one another through life's joys and challenges. The designation ``African Methodist Episcopal'' carries profound historical meaning. The denomination was organized by people of African descent in response to racial discrimination within the white Methodist Episcopal Church and was legally established in 1816 by Richard Allen in Philadelphia. ``Methodist'' reflects the church's doctrinal roots, while ``Episcopal'' describes its governance by bishops. The name ``Mary Springhill`` also reflects the ways in which African American congregations have preserved faith, family, and local history in their names. ``Springhill`` may refer to the location of an original church site, a natural landmark, or a historic community settlement, while ``Mary'' may honor a biblical figure or an important person connected to the congregation's founding and heritage. As a traditional AME congregation, Mary Springhill is grounded in a Wesleyan-Arminian theological tradition. The church affirms the Holy Trinity--God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost--as one eternal God, as well as the true resurrection of Jesus Christ. Mary Springhill AME also upholds the Holy Scriptures, accepting the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments as containing all things necessary for human salvation. Its ministry emphasizes grace, forgiveness, inclusivity, and the opportunity for individuals to receive second chances through the teachings of Jesus Christ. The congregation further demonstrates that faith is expressed through action. Through community service, social empowerment, outreach, traditional hymns, contemporary worship, and youth ministries, Mary Springhill AME seeks to strengthen families, encourage young people, and respond to the needs of the Shreveport community. Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Lorenzo Neal and the faithful congregation of Mary Springhill African Methodist Episcopal Church for more than a century of worship, perseverance, service, and Christian witness. May Mary Springhill AME continue to be a source of hope, spiritual growth, community empowerment, and fellowship for the people of Shreveport and for generations to come. ____________________