Edolphus Towns: “I rise today to honor Rev. Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook. Rev. Cook is the pastor at the Believers' Christian Fellowship…”

“I rise today to honor Rev. Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook. Rev. Cook is the pastor at the Believers' Christian Fellowship Church, which she founded in 1996 after serving as pastor of the Mariners' Temple Baptist Church in downtown Manhattan for 13 years. In 2002, Rev. Cook became the first woman elected president of the 10,000-member Hampton, Virginia, University Ministers Conference, which represents all the historically African American denominations. Her list of other "firsts" includes: first woman appointed Chaplain of the New York Police Department and the first female baptist minister from the Bronx to receive a White House fellowship. A woman of promise, passion, diligence, and determination, Rev. Cook is the author of eight successful books. In 1997 Rev. Cook was featured by Ebony Magazine as one of the Nation's top 15 women in ministry. Rev. Cook has toured nationally with Bishop T.D. Jakes and the "God's Leading Ladies Conference." Her motto is "If I can help somebody, then my living is not in vain." A faculty member and graduate of Harvard University, she also received a doctorate of ministry degree from Union Theological Seminary, a master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary, and a master of arts degree from Columbia University. Rev. Cook is married to Ronald Cook, and they reside in New York City with their two sons.”