Right Reverend John C. Buchanan
Bishop of West Missouri, retired
Charleston, SC
Sponsor: Rep. Rep. Karen McCarthy, (D-MO)
Date of Prayer: 06/03/2003
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Ms. McCARTHY of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to acknowledge our guest chaplain today, the Right Reverend John Clark Buchanan . What a joy it was to hear his voice once again, inspiring me and others to do good work.
John Clark Buchanan is the retired Episcopal bishop of West Missouri, having served our area from 1989 to 2000. He has a diverse background, having been a lawyer in private practice and in the insurance industry prior to his ordained ministry.
Bishop Buchanan currently serves as a parliamentarian for the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church. We in western Missouri are very grateful for the 11 years he served us. He created the most successful Bishop Spencer Place, a moderately priced retirement center for our elderly.
He also, in his 11 years, established stable financial funding for the church, and also did extensive planning for new churches in the area outside of greater Kansas City. Key among his reforms and his instrumental efforts were, of course, reaching out and creating and establishing Hispanic missions.
Bishop Buchanan lives in Charleston, South Carolina, with his wife Peggy. They have two daughters and two grandchildren. I thank him for taking his time to come and deliver this thoughtful prayer with us this morning.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Almighty God, You gave us this good land for our heritage. May we always prove ourselves a people mindful of Your favor and glad to do Your will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the diverse multitudes brought to this welcoming land. Endow with wisdom those to whom in Your Name we entrust the authority of government, especially this House of Representatives, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to Your law, we may show forth Your praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in You to fail, a prayer we bring to Your throne of grace. Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory