Nathaniel 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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Marshall Elks Lodge No. 683 as it celebrates 125 years of service to the people of Marshall, Harrison County, and communities across East Texas.

Chartered on April 19, 1901, the Lodge built its first home in 1903 on North Washington Street, now a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. Over the years, Elk's members have given more than $12 million back to the community through charitable giving, service projects, and volunteer effort. Behind that number are the things East Texans remember: a holiday meal on the table, help arriving after a disaster, a scholarship for a student headed to college, and a blood drive that helped a stranger.

The Lodge has long stood with our veterans and first responders. It invests in young people through the Hoop Shoot Free Throw Contest and drug awareness programs, and it supports Texas Elks Children's Services and Special Grant Programs for children with special needs. In 2016, the Marshall Economic Development Corporation and the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce honored the Lodge as Non-Profit Organization of the Year.

For 125 years, generations of members have given their time, their talents, and their treasure, guided by the four principles of Elkdom: charity, justice, brotherly love, and fidelity. That is the East Texas way of caring for a neighbor.

I thank every member, past and present, and their families. May God bless the members of Marshall Elks Lodge No. 683, and may He continue to bless East Texas and the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Noonday Baptist Church and its pastor, Scott Gorbett, as the congregation celebrates its 150th anniversary of faithful service to the Noonday community.

The congregation's roots trace back to 1866, when settlers in the Neches River area organized the Seven League Baptist Church in Christ. In 1876, several members withdrew to form a new congregation at the crossroads of the Seven League area, naming both the community and the church Noonday. On October 10, 1876, the Cherokee Baptist Association formally received Noonday Baptist Church into its membership--the beginning of a legacy that continues to this day.

In 1888, the congregation purchased the land on which the church still stands, and the original building was constructed soon after. Since 1912, the church has been remodeled and expanded many times over, reflecting the growth and resilience of a congregation deeply rooted in its community.

For a century and a half, Noonday Baptist Church has remained a steadfast presence in the lives of its members and neighbors offering Bible study, worship, and fellowship for children, youth, and adults alike. Under the leadership of Pastor Scott Gorbett, the church continues to embody its founding philosophy: that faith is more than what happens on Sunday mornings, but a part of who its members are, inside and out.

Noonday Baptist Church has faithfully shared the gospel, served its community, and welcomed all who walk through its doors for 150 years.