Reverend Dr. Karl D. Eastlack
Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church
Williamsville, NY
Sponsor: Rep. Hon. Tom Reynolds, (R-NY)
Date of Prayer: 06/28/2006
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
(Mr. REYNOLDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize an inspiring and devoted leader from my district who just opened our House with a moving prayer.
Pastor Karl Eastlack heads up one of the largest congregations in the 26th Congressional District of New York. The thousands who are drawn to Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church in Williamsville, New York, are there because they see something special in Pastor Eastlack .
Pastor Eastlack's words provide guidance and comfort in an often rough and uncertain world. The words, he will tell you, are not his own but those of God who called him into service decades ago.
Pastor Eastlack arrived at Eastern Hills in 1987 to just 19 parishioners. The church has grown to 4,000 strong under the leadership of Pastor Eastlack , his family and staff, but Pastor Eastlack will tell you that more important than the number of bodies in the pews any given week are the number of lives being touched, changed and made better through the work of Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church. That is how he measures success.
Today, he is active in western New York's community, which he and his family call home, but he has been called to preach and teach throughout the world.
When Pastor Eastlack accepted his call to ministry, God had no boundaries for where he would serve. In the parable of the Good Shepherd, John 10:4 reads, ‘‘I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.''
A good shepherd, too, leads the flock of Eastern Hills Wesleyan Church, and Mr. Speaker, in honor of his spiritual leadership, I ask that this honorable body join me in honoring Pastor Karl Eastlack .
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Dear God and Father of all, we pause in this quiet moment, before this day comes rushing at us from all sides, to give you thanks and praise. Your world, even with its wrinkles and problems, is still a most beautiful place in which to live.
I thank you, God, for the incredible talent and brain–power in this room. The qualities of strong leadership and personal confidence are evident everywhere I turn. May You, O Lord, help us to balance these power gifts with the heart gifts of compassion and humility.
As smart as we are, we confess that the times are too complicated and the issues are too large and looming for us to think we can deal with them without Your guidance. So I ask, on behalf of these who have come to this hall in order to lead, that you would also grant us humility and wisdom for this hour. We need You today more than ever.
This is our confession and our prayer, in Your Holy, Awesome and Majestic Name. Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory