Reverend Chris Williamson
Strong Tower Bible Church
Franklin, TN
Sponsor: Rep. Joseph Pitts, (R-PA)
Date of Prayer: 10/27/2009
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in welcoming Pastor Chris Williamson of Franklin, Tennessee, as he serves as our honorary chaplain for today.
He brings with him today the associate pastor from his church, Anthony Hendrix, and also a longtime friend of mine, Scott Roley, who is now the senior pastor of Christ Community Church.
The music industry is really what brought Pastor Williamson to middle Tennessee, and as his music performance career ended, however, he really felt a calling to the pulpit.
In 1995, he founded the Strong Tower Bible Church and has built Strong Tower into one of Franklin's most dynamic and well–known churches. My colleagues will be interested to know that Congressman Joe Pitts' son and his family attend Strong Tower. His commitment to racial reconciliation is evident through his work as an author, his mission work, as well as the intentional multiethnic and diverse background of his congregation. He is a devoted family man, and I appreciate the opportunity to represent his fine family in Congress.
Please join me in honoring him on his service to the House of Representatives today, and I wish him only the best in the years to come.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Our Father,
We thank you for this opportunity to gather together and seek Your wisdom. We acknowledge You as our great God and King and it is our desire to do the things that please You.
In centuries past you have proven your love to us and You have blessed us bountifully to the degree that we constantly ask You to bless America.
But Father, in these pressing times, we rise up and America chooses to bless You. We bless You for Your love. We bless You for Your grace. We bless You for Your power, and we bless You for Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Please guide these men and women as they discuss matters today that affect so many people in our great nation.
We promise to give Your name all of the praise for any good thing that happens as a result of our meeting together.
These and many other blessings we ask in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory