The Office of the Chaplain United States House of Representatives

Reverend Andrew Gibson

Maine Army National Guard
Augusta, ME

Sponsor: Rep. Michael Michaud, (D-ME)
Date of Prayer: 06/12/2013

One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:

Mr. MICHAUD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Colonel Andrew Gibson as today's guest chaplain.

Colonel Gibson is from Pittsfield, Maine. He is a decorated veteran who served in the Maine Army National Guard for 25 years. Before being deployed to Afghanistan in 2006, he served in Bosnia in 1997 as one of the first two National Guard chaplains to ever be deployed to a hostile fire zone.

Currently, Colonel Gibson is the Joint Forces Headquarters Maine chaplain and the director of Deployment Cycle Support. In these roles, he oversees the spiritual needs of the Maine Guard's soldiers and families. He also coordinates a team of health professionals who provide support to our servicemembers, veterans, and military families.

Colonel Gibson's service also extends deep into our communities. He is a key organizer of Maine's annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast. Colonel Gibson is a true asset to our State of Maine and our country. I'm proud that he is my constituent, and it's an honor to have him deliver today's prayer.

Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:

Gracious God, we thank You for allowing us to live in a land that is free, and we thank You for the men and women who have served to ensure that freedom.

As this body convenes to create the laws of this land, might we faithfully plan for a day when war is forgotten, but that we would never forget the warriors who will have brought us to that day.

Guide us that we might through inspired legislation be a healer of all nations, a healer of our own Nation, and a healer of those who have willingly traveled far from their homes to secure our liberties, in the current generation and extending back to the formation of our great Nation.

Bless the men and women of this House. Give to them an ample portion of Your wisdom, Your courage, and especially Your love this day and forevermore.

Amen.

To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory