Visionary Pastor's Awards held at the George R. Brown Convention Center

Area pastors were recognized during a May 18 celebration in Houston.

Wells Fargo, Cadillac, United Airlines, Music World Gospel and the City of Houston presented the 2012 Visionary Pastor's Awards at the George R. Brown Convention Center. The evening's theme was "The Black Church and the Black Press: Power to Influence."

Proceeds will benefit the Julius and Lenora Carter Scholarship and Youth Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, and assist in awarding scholarships and giving intern students practical work experience in journalism and digital communications.

The evening’s honorees were Bishop I. V. Hilliard, New Light Christian Center; Pastor Manson Johnson, Holman Street Baptist; Pastor Remus Wright, Fountain of Praise; Pastor Harvey Clemons, Pleasant Hill Baptist; Pastor Gusta Booker, Greater St. Matthews; Pastor Rudy Rasmus, St. Johns United Methodist; Pastor Ralph West, Church Without Walls; Pastor Walter August, The Church at Bethel's Family; Bishop Prince E. W. Bryant Sr., Island of Hope; and Bishop James Dixon, Community of Faith.

Also during the celebration was the induction of the following pastors into the Hall of Fame: Rev. J. J. Roberson, pastor emeritus, Mount Hebron Baptist; Rev. C. L. Jackson, Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist; Rev. C. W. Kimble, pastor emeritus, Good Hope Baptist; Rev. A. Louis Patterson, Mount Corinth Missionary Baptist; Dr. S. J. Gilbert, pastor emeritus, Mt. Sinai; and Bishop A. C. Nelson, Memorial COGIC.

Hosts were Music World recording artists Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Brian Courtney Wilson, who also performed. Also performing during the show were national gospel recording artist Lady Tramaine Hawkins, 2012 Grammy Award winner and Music World gospel artist Le' Andria Johnson, world renowned violinist Omar Lopez, Holman Street's God's Silent Voices mime group and the Houston Mass Choir.