HONORING THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH OF TYLER, SAND FLAT, TEXAS

On 2026-10-09, Representative Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-1) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH OF TYLER, SAND FLAT, TEXAS" in the House.

HONORING THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH OF TYLER, SAND FLAT, TEXAS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 159 (Friday, October 9, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 159 (Friday, October 9, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1059] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE 175TH ANNIVERSARY OF ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCH OF TYLER, SAND FLAT, TEXAS ______ HON. NATHANIEL MORAN of texas in the house of representatives Friday, October 9, 2026 Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Antioch Baptist Church of Tyler, Texas, located in the Sand Flat community of Smith County, as it celebrates its 175th anniversary on Sunday, October 11, 2026. Founded in 1851 by local residents, Antioch has been a cornerstone of faith, fellowship, and service in East Texas for generations. Since 1851, Antioch Baptist Church of Tyler has stood through the early Texas settlements, the Civil War, and the Great Depression, and carries on today in the modern digital age. Through every season, this congregation has been a spiritual and social anchor for the Sand Flat community and the greater East Texas family around it. Generation after generation, families have called Antioch their church home. Grandparents, parents, and children have worshiped together, served together, and leaned on one another in good times and hard times. That is the work of a church. It is the faith of its founders, the fellowship of its families, and the faithful service of its members, passed down year after year. East Texans are grateful people, and we are grateful to God for Antioch. A church does not last 175 years by accident. It lasts because faithful people kept showing up, kept serving their neighbors, and kept trusting God with the rest. The strength of a church is measured not by its walls but by the lives it touches. For 175 years, Antioch Baptist Church has fed the hungry, encouraged the discouraged, raised up young people, and stood by families in their times of need. Its legacy lives on in the many members and neighbors whose lives have been shaped by its ministry. ____________________