[Street Marker Unveiling for Rev. Dr. EE. Coates]
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LET THIS ESTEEMED CONGREGATION KNOW HOW THIS THING GOT STARTED.
I WAS AWAKENED ONE MORNING AND THE LORD FASTED MY VISION HERE AT WESLEY AND I THOUGHT ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A MARKER DOWN THE STREET FOR A PASTOR.
AND I SAID, REVEREND EE COACH DESERVES A MARKER.
IT CAME TO ME AND I WAS JUST OBEDIENT.
I CALLED CARL DAVIS AND I SAID, CARL, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT A MARKER EEE COAT'S WAY ON THE WEBSTER STREET SIDE? HE SAID, THAT'S A MARVELOUS IDEA.
I SAID, CAN YOU DO THE LEGWORK? HE SAID, I'LL GET RIGHT ON IT AND LET YOU KNOW SOMETHING SOON.
BUT THIS IS WHERE IT CAME FROM, NOT FROM ME.
GOD GAVE IT TO ME AND I GAVE IT TO CARL TO DO THE LEGWORK.
I CALLED HER AND SAID, CALL SOMEWHERE, UH, WESLEY LEGACY AND LET THEM KNOW, BUT I GOT ALL POSITIVE VIBES.
ETERNAL GOD, OUR FATHER, WE COME NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
WE THANK YOU FOR THIS MINISTRY OF REVEREND DR.
EE COATES, THIS FRUIT THAT'S OBVIOUS OF HIS WORK.
THANK YOU GOD FOR A GODLY MAN THAT THOUGHT IT NOT ROBBERY TO FOLLOW YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.
NOW, LORD, WE PRAY THAT THIS WORK THAT STARTED ALREADY TO BE HERE, WE PRAY THAT YOU JUST TAKE OVER AND ALLOW YOUR PLANS TO COME TO FRUITION.
WE PRAY FOR EVERY LEADER THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THIS.
WE PRAY THAT YOU GIVE ALL THAT ARE INVOLVED FOLLOWSHIP AND GOD, WE PRAY THAT WHEN IT'S COMPLETED, IT WILL BE MAGNIFICENT.
IT WILL BE A MECCA FOR TIME AND TIME AND TIMES TO COME.
AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
WE PRAY FOR PASTOR WHITE WHO'S LEADING THE NEW WESLEY.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE THAT PUT IT IN PLACE AND WE PRAY THAT YOU BLESS HIM TO CARRY IT ON TO FRUITION.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE REMARKS FROM, UH, A ESTEEMED MAYOR.
LET'S PRAISE GOD FOR HIM AS HE COMES.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER SHABBAT EVANS, SHABBAT AND PASTOR DAVIS.
BUT REALLY I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COATES FAMILY FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE.
AND REVEREND WHITE, I LOOK FORWARD TO GREATER THINGS WORKING WITH YOU IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE A MOMENT.
UH, THEY WANTED ME UP HERE IN A HURRY 'CAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE WEATHER.
BUT THE LORD HEARS US THIS MORNING AND I'M GONNA HOLD OFF THE RAIN.
LEMME JUST TELL YOU, THERE ARE MANY PLACES I COULD BE AS MAYOR OF THIS GREAT CITY THIS MORNING, PROBABLY A HUNDRED PLACES.
BUT THIS IS WHERE I WANT TO BE.
AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE AN OCCASION SUCH AS THIS, YOU SEE ON THE NORTH SIDE, WHERE I'VE BEEN A STATE SENATOR AND A STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR 50 YEARS, I COULD START NAMING OUR HEROES.
I COULD START NAMING FOLKS REVEREND PRESTON.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT'S AMAZING? EVEN AS A YOUNG STATE REP WENT TO THE LEGISLATURE IN 1963 WITH NIA THOMPSON, MICKEY LELAND BEING REST, I COULD NAME OTHERS.
I'VE GROWN UP IN PUBLIC OFFICE KNOWING WHO EE COATES WAS, EVEN THOUGH I'M ON THE NORTH SIDE AND I DO MY WORK IN THE VINEYARD OF INDEPENDENT HEIGHTS, ACRES, HOMES, OAK FOREST, THE HEIGHTS, WE KNEW THE PIONEER THAT
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REVEREND COATES WAS HERE AT THIRD WARD.AFFORDABLE HOUSING WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE COMMUNITY BANKING.
AND SO IT'S NOT ONLY WHERE I WANNA BE THIS MORNING, IT'S WHERE I NEED TO BE.
AND I WILL LEAVE HERE A BETTER MAYOR THAN THE MAYOR THAT GOT HERE BECAUSE I'M LOOKING IN THE FACES OF SO MANY FOLKS THAT KNOW THE GREATNESS OF EEE COATS.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS MORNING FOR PASTOR WHITE WITH YOUR INDULGENT IS LET YOU KNOW WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE BE HERE THIS MORNING.
BECAUSE YOU SEE, WE NEED TO USE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REDEDICATE OUR LIVES.
I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO COME DOWN FRONT.
WE ACTUALLY HAD AN OFFERING IN MY CHURCH TOO, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TIME.
IT IS TO REDEDICATE OURSELF TO THE VALUES OF EE COATS.
SO TODAY IS A REFRESHER COURSE.
IT'S A REDEDICATION BECAUSE EVERYONE I'M LOOKING IN YOUR EYES, EVERY ONE OF YOU ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT, THINK ABOUT THAT.
WHETHER YOU'RE EVER A RUN FOR OFFICE OR NOT, YOU'RE A PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE WITH ALL MY FAITH, THAT SOMEDAY WE'RE GONNA GET JUDGED.
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE? AND WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK VERY FAR FOR A MENTOR, FOR SOMEONE THAT DID SO MUCH FOR SO MANY OF US AND THIS GREAT SEAT.
AND LET ME CLOSE BY THIS, IT'S, IT IS HEAVY ON MY HEART.
I GREW UP IN HOUSTON, GRADUATED FROM WALTRIP HIGH SCHOOL IN 1968, SEGREGATED, HISD.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN LEAVE HERE TODAY WITHOUT RECOGNIZING, AND THERE'S A LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PASTORS.
I COULD MENTION REVEREND LAWSON, I COULD MENTION OTHERS THAT HELPED US TRANSITION.
AND LORD KNOWS WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE ALL REMEMBER THAT PUBLIC SERVICE I'VE MENTIONED AND CHALLENGE YOU TO.
BUT THINK WHERE WE WOULD'VE BEEN WITHOUT EE COATES, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE RACE RELATIONS THAT WE HAVE TODAY AS BADLY AS WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO.
WE'VE COME A LONG WAYS, AND I THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR 30, 40 OR LONGER THAT SAID, OKAY, LAWYER VOICES, LET'S MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
LET'S TEACH DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, AND INCLUSION.
BUT WE NEVER ALLOWED OUR COMMUNITY TO BECOME SO DIVISIVE.
IT WASN'T A SAFE AND WONDERFUL PLACE TO RAISE OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.
SO I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY.
MAKES ME WANT TO GO WORK AT CITY HALL AND GET SOME MORE THINGS DONE.
AND I ASK YOU TO JOIN ME, JOIN ME, AND CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS AN EVEN GREATER CITY THAN THE ONE WE ENJOYED THIS MORNING.
I'M HERE TO HONOR PASTOR, COACH, THANK HIS FAMILY, BUT HIS CONGREGATION AND REVEREND WHITE, YOU ARE, YOU'RE GIVEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU MY HANDSHAKE AND I WANNA WORK WITH YOU HAND IN HAND.
COMMUNICAL MESSAGE AND SONG THAT A TREE IS GONNA SING.
I THINK IT'LL TOUCH THE HEARTS OF EVERYBODY HERE.
AND, UH, WE JUST GONNA DO WHAT WE DO.
AND YOU RESPOND THE WAY YOU KNOW WHAT TO RESPOND.
IF I CAN HELP, IF I CAN HELP SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY AS I PASS ALONG, AS I PASS ALONE, IF I CAN CHEER, IF I CAN CHEER SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY WITH THE WORD, WITH THE WORD A SONG.
IF I CAN SHOW IT, IF I CAN SHOW SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY, HE IS GOING WRONG, HE IS GOING WRONG, THEN MY LIVING, THEN MY LIVING, YOU KNOW, IT SHALL NOT BE, SHALL NOT
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BE IN VAIN.IF I CAN DO, IF I CAN DO MY DUTY, MY DO.
IF YOU WANT, AS A CHRISTIAN ARTIST, AS A CHRISTIAN, IF I CAN BRING BACK, IF I CAN BRING BACK BEAUTY BY BEAUTY TO A WORLD, TO A UNR, IF I CAN, I CAN SPREAD, CAN SPREAD GOD'S MESSAGE, GOD'S MESSAGE.
THAT THE MASTER TALK, THAT THE MASTER, HALLELUJAH.
MY LIBERTY SHALL NOT, SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN.
COME ON NOW, THEN MY LIVING BE MY LIVING SHALL NOT, SHALL NOT, SHALL NOT, SHALL NOT BE IN VAIN.
IF I CAN HELP ANYBODY, WANNA HELP SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY AS I PASS ALONG.
MY LIVING, MY LIVING, MY LIVING, MY LIVING.
UH, THANK YOU V MICHAEL MCKAY WESLEY.
JUST KNOW I'M LINING ALL SONGS FROM NOW ON ON SUNDAY.
UM, BE JUST LIKE BROTHER V MICHAEL MCKAY.
I CAN'T SING BROTHER V MICHAEL MCKAY, BUT I'M GONNA LINE THE SONGS JUST LIKE THAT.
WE GONNA HEAR NOW FROM, UH, ONE OF OUR DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS WHO HAPPENS TO BE 101 YEARS OLD.
NEXT MONTH WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE HER TURNING 102, UH, WHO STILL DRIVES, UH, STILL GETS AROUND.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL Y'ALL WHERE SHE LIVES, SO I DON'T WANT Y'ALL GOING BY HER HOUSE.
UH, AND JUST A SWEET, SWEET SPIRIT.
SISTER JUANITA WILLIAMS. COME ON.
WHY DON'T YOU TO COME NOW? OKAY, GIRL.
I AM JUANITA WILLIAMS AND I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF WESLEY FOR OVER 80 YEARS.
I'M BLESSED TO STAND HERE AS THE OLDEST MEMBER OF THE WESLEY CHURCH FAMILY.
REVEREND COPES AND I WERE THE SAME AGE.
I WILL BE 1 0 2 YEARS OLD NEXT MONTH.
NOW, YOU KNOW, AT MY AGE I HAVE LOTS OF MEMORIES.
I WAS TOLD I ONLY HAD 10 MINUTES, SO I CAN'T TELL YOU ALL THAT I REMEMBER ABOUT REVEREND COAST.
NOW THAT SONG, IF I CAN HELP SOMEBODY.
AND ALONG THE WAY, REVEREND COAT WAS THE VERY TRULY LIVED ENTIRE LIFE HELPING PEOPLE.
AND I GO WAY BACK TO THE 1930S, THEN DECADES LATER, 1965, REVEREND COS SHOWED UP AT WESLEY AS MY NEW PASTOR.
HE WAS MY PASTOR FOR 37 YEARS.
ALL THOSE YEARS REVEREND COS WAS WORKING TO DO EVERYTHING HE COULD TO HELP PEOPLE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
REVEREND COS HAD A HARD, HE WAS A HARDWORKING PASTOR.
HE WOULD GET YOU GET UP EARLY ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNING TO PICK UP THE CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO BRING THEM TO CHURCH FOR YOUTH ACTIVITIES.
BUT I WAS SO GLAD WHEN HE FINALLY GOT A CHURCH BUS SO HE COULD STOP DRIVING THAT OLD RAGGEDY STATION WAGON
I MET, I MET A LOT OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE ALL CAME TO OUR CHURCH TO GET ADVICE AND
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SUPPORT.REVEREND COATES, THE NEW, THEY KNEW REVEREND COATES HAD A LOT OF INFLUENCE ON PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THEY KNEW HE CARED ABOUT HIS CHURCH MEMBERS.
THEY KNEW THAT HE CARED ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THIRD WARD.
REVEREND COAT WORKED HARD IN THIS COMMUNITY AND MADE SURE WE DO TOO.
HE KNEW ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS TO CALL US PRECIOUS.
AND HE AND HE WOULD, AND WE WOULD DO WHATEVER HE WANTED US TO DO.
I REMEMBER WHEN REVEREND COACH BILL WESLEY SQUARE APARTMENTS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIRD WARD WOULD HAVE A NICE PLACE TO LIVE AND THEY COULD AFFORD.
HE DID A LOT OF GOOD IN THIRD WARD FOR THIS CHURCH ON THIS CORNER FOR OVER 37 YEARS.
REVEREND COATES WAS A GOOD PASTOR.
HE WAS A GOOD SINGING PREACHER.
I LOVE TO HEAR HIM SING AND PREACH, ESPECIALLY WHEN HE WOULD PULL HIS EAR
REVEREND COACH WAS A GOOD COMMUNITY LEADER AND HE WAS JUST A REALLY GOOD MAN.
I'M PROUD THAT HE WAS MY PASTOR AND I'M HAPPY THAT HIS NAME WILL ALWAYS BE ON THIS CORNER.
I'M SO HONORED AND BLESSED TO BE HERE TO SEE HIM GET THIS RECOGNITION AS HE REALLY DESERVES.
THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SITE.
I'M JUST KIND OF OVERWHELMED RIGHT NOW.
UH, I AM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVAN SHABAZZ, THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT D, WHAT I CALL THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYOR, I HAD ALREADY TALKED TO THE LORD, SO HE TOLD ME HE WAS GONNA HOLD OUT.
AND YOU KNOW, I TOLD YOU NOT TO GET HERE TILL 9 55
BUT I'M ALWAYS SO HONORED TO STAND WITH YOU AND THAT YOU ARE HERE THIS MORNING.
AND CERTAINLY, UH, JUANITA WILLIAMS, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE REMEMBERS, BUT SHE WAS MY NEIGHBOR FOR MANY, MANY YEARS ON ROSEDALE STREET.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE KNEW VERY WELL IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO, UM, IT'S KIND OF HARD WHEN YOU SEE SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE OUT HERE.
BUT I CERTAINLY WANNA RECOGNIZE A FEW PEOPLE.
UH, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE METRO POLICE, CHIEF VERA BUMPERS, AND CERTAINLY MY COLLEAGUE, UH, MS. PASTOR REVEREND WILLIE DAVIS.
WE HAVE THE HOUSING DIRECTOR MIKE NICHOLS, MY WONDERFUL BROTHER IN CHRIST BE MICHAEL MCKAY, I BELIEVE BROTHER RUDY RASMUS MAY BE HERE.
HE TOLD ME HE WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB
HE WAS OUT THERE HELPING ME FIND A PARKING SPACE, AND HE SAID, WHEN YOU'RE NOT PREACHING ANYMORE, YOU DON'T HAVE A JOB.
YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.
BUT CERTAINLY, JUST ALWAYS A WONDERFUL PLEASURE, UH, MICHAEL CROCKETT AND SONS.
I SEE FOR INSTANCE, PI SEE SO MANY, MANY PEOPLE, BUT I'D LIKE TO ALSO, WE HAVE OUR CITY CONTROLLER, CHRIS HOLLANDS HERE, WHO'S ALSO A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT D.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE MINISTRY OF REVEREND EEE COATES, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED? YES, THANK YOU.
AND OF COURSE, I SEE ALGIN SCOTT DAVIS AND MY WONDERFUL, I GOT TO SAY THIS, MY JACKIE'S CLASSMATE CARL DAVIS, MR. A ME HIMSELF.
BUT WE GATHER AT THIS HISTORIC SITE, THE FORMER HOME, WHICH I WILL ALWAYS THINK OF THIS AS BEING THE HOME OF WESLEY CHAPEL, A ME CHURCH TO PAY TRIBUTE TO A MONUMENTAL FIGURE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I AM HONORED AGAIN TO STAND HERE WITH YOU, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED LEADERS TO UNVEIL THIS HONORARY STREET MARKER.
IN REVEREND COAT'S NAME, REVEREND COAT'S TENURE AS PASTOR OF WESLEY CHAPEL, WAS MARKED BY MORE THAN JUST SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP.
HE WAS A TIRELESS ADVOCATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DEDICATED TO SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS THAT HELPED SCULPT OUR COMMUNITY INTO WHAT I PROUDLY REFER TO AS THE DISTRICT OF DESTINATION.
HIS UNWAVERING COMMITMENT OVER 37 YEARS, LAID A FOUNDATION OF COMPASSION AND UNITY THAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US TODAY.
AS WE CELEBRATE REVEREND COAT'S LEGACY, WE ALSO EMBRACE THE RESPONSIBILITY
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TO UPHOLD THE VALUES HE CHAMPIONED.THIS STREET MARKER DOES MORE THAN COMMEMORATE A GREAT MAN.
IT SYMBOLIZES OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY.
HE STOOD FOR, I EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO THE COATS FAMILY.
I BELIEVE YOU ARE HERE, RIGHT HERE, WONDERFUL.
AND, UM, AGAIN, FOR THE MAYOR, FOR HIS LEADERSHIP, AND TO ALL WHO CONTRIBUTED TIRELESSLY TO MAKING OUR DISTRICT A BEACON OF OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSIVITY.
AND CERTAINLY THIS IS GOING TO BE SO PHENOMENAL BECAUSE OF THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOSPEL MUSEUM.
SO WHAT BETTER PLACE TO HAVE THE NAME OF REVEREND EE COATES.
SO LET US CARRY FORWARD THE LEGACY OF REVEREND COATES AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
MAKING DISTRICT DA PLACE WHERE DIVERSITY IS NOT JUST WELCOMED, BUT CELEBRATED.
HISTORY IS NOT ONLY REMEMBERED, BUT HONORED.
AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THRIVE IF I CAN DO MY DUTY.
THANK YOU EVERYONE, AND HAVE A WONDERFUL AND BLESSED DAY AND HAPPY BELATED MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU WONDERFUL WOMEN OUT HERE.
WE HAVE SINGING AND PREACHING COMMISSIONERS.
LET ME, UH, CAN WE CELEBRATE THE COLTS FAMILY? THEY ARE COMING RIGHT NOW.
COME ON, LET'S PUT OUR HANDS TOGETHER.
PRAISE GOD FOR THEY'RE WITNESS.
I I'M JUST SHOCKED THAT THEY GETTING UP HERE TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY DON'T EVER WANNA TALK.
AND SO WE GOING TO JUST ALL BE QUIET AND LISTEN TO THEM.
WE ARE SO HONORED AND HUMBLE THAT THEY ARE STILL HERE WITH US.
COME ON, LET'S PRAISE GOD FOR THE COACH FAMILY.
LADIES, GENTLEMEN, HONORED GUEST CHERISH FAMILY MEMBERS ON BEHALF OF LUCILLE COATES, THE DAUGHTER OF REVEREND EE COATES, AND THE ENTIRE COATES FAMILY.
TODAY WE GATHER HERE TO COMMEMORATE A REMARKABLE INDIVIDUAL, A PERSON WHOSE LEGACY HAS LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK ON OUR HEARTS AND IN THE ANNALS OF HISTORY.
AS THIS HONORARY MARKER IS UNVEILED, WE NOT ONLY CELEBRATE HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AND A LIFE WELL LIVED, BUT ALSO EXPRESS OUR PROFOUND GRATITUDE TO THE ORGANIZERS AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS.
YOUR DEDICATION AND METICULOUS PLANNING HAVE MADE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE, WHICH REFLECTS THE LOVE AND RESPECT WE HOLD FOR THE HONOREE.
THANK YOU TO MAYOR JOHN WHITE.
TO MAYOR JOHN MEYER, COUNCIL LADY CAROLYN, EVAN SHABAZZ, OTHER LOCAL OFFICIALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, YOUR SUPPORT HAS TOUCHED OUR HEARTS.
THE APPROVAL OF THIS MARKER SERVES AS A TESTAMENT TO REVEREND E ECO'S IMPACT BEYOND HIS FAMILY CIRCLE.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE LEFT AN ENDURING IMPRINT ON ALL OF US.
AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS RECOGNITION NOW TO PASTOR JOHN WHITE WESLEY, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, YOUR KINDNESS HAS SUSTAINED US.
YOUR WORDS OF COMFORT, PRAYERS, SHARED MEMORIES, AND WARM EMBRACE, HAVE BEEN A BOMB TO OUR SOULS.
AND FINALLY, TO OUR BELOVED REVEREND DR.
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THOUGH YOU ARE NO LONGER WITH US IN THE PHYSICAL REALM, YOUR LEGACY LIVES ON YOUR WISDOM, LAUGHTER, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, AND STEADFAST LOVE CONTINUE TO GUIDE US.AND IN CLOSING, LET US REMEMBER THAT THIS MARKER IS A BRIDGE, CONNECTING THE PAST TO THE PRESENT.
A BEACON OF REMEMBRANCE AND A SYMBOL OF ETERNAL GRATITUDE.
MAY IT STAND TALL, JUST AS REVEREND COATES DID, INSPIRING GENERATIONS TO COME.
NOW THAT I'M THE MAYOR, DO I GET MAYOR PRIVILEGES? MAYOR, SINCE UH, I'M THE PASTOR AND THE MAYOR, UH, AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES, LET ME ASK THE, UH, GREAT FOLKS OF WESLEY, UH, CHURCH TO STAND ALL THE MEMBERS, UH, UNDER THE TENTS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR KINDNESS, UH, FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
WE ARE SO GRATEFUL, UH, AND THIS FAMILY IS ALRIGHT.
SO WHILE Y'ALL STANDING, COME ON, REMAIN STANDING.
UH, THE COACH, FAMILY'S GONNA FOLLOW BEHIND THE MAYOR, AND WE GONNA, UH, PULL THE CURTAIN, UH, DOWN ALONG WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS OF SO WE CAN SEE THIS.
LET THE MAYOR AND THE FAMILY AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS GO FIRST SO THEY CAN BE IN PLACE.