Reverend Lawrence L. Vollink
National Chaplain, American Legion
Ypsilanti, MI
Sponsor: Rep. Mike Rogers, (R-MI)
Date of Prayer: 03/03/2009
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. I'm very honored to be here to welcome Chaplain Larry Vollink and his wife, Susie, who was also in the counterintelligence field in the United States military during her day. They're in Washington, D.C. for the annual Washington American Legion Conference. The chaplain is the national chaplain for the American Legion. He lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, a graduate of South High School, the very same high school that Gerald Ford attended.
He's retired from the Army after 20 years of service to his country. He was stationed in Germany, Fort Campbell, Fort Carson and Selfridge Air Base in Michigan.
He has pastored churches in Ohio and Illinois and Michigan. He has served as a pastor and continues to serve as a pastor in hospitals and Hospice around the mid–Michigan area.
He has committed and dedicated his life to the military families that he loves and respects and is a part of. He has nourished their souls and strengthened their faith. We are honored to have him today lead us in prayer and through the challenging days that lie ahead of this great Nation. And we welcome not only his wife, Susie, but the entire Michigan delegation that has joined him. He's got one heck of a cavalry in his reserve.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Let us pray.
Always, Lord God, You have been our Help in days past, and our awesome Hope for the days ahead. We are overwhelmed that out of Your love, You lead, protect, sustain, and bring comfort to Your people, sometimes miraculously and other times from a distance. To us is given that sacred trust to bring honor and goodness to all people.
We again ask for your wisdom be given to all of our Representatives, as they uphold what is right and true. May You always be near to guide in their decisions, to comfort them in their failures, and to keep them humble in their successes. Give us faith that we can see in every difficulty, an opportunity; in every blessing, a responsibility, and in every task, a purpose.
Lord, we ask especially for Your watchful eye to be upon our troops wherever they are serving. Be with their families that love them dearly, and for those who are grieving their loss at this time. Thank you for all of our organizations who have given support to make our troops return safe and sure.
Wherever we are serving, help us to accomplish great and good things for our state and nation, now and forever. We pray, for Your glory.
AMEN.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory