The Office of the Chaplain United States House of Representatives

Reverend Donald Young

12th Street Baptist Church
Rainbow City, AL

Sponsor: Rep. Robert Aderholt, (R-AL)
Date of Prayer: 09/20/2005

One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:

Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize our guest chaplain, the Reverend Donald J. Young . Reverend Young's life has been one of service to God and to his country.

After graduating from the University of Illinois in 1969, he joined the United States Army and served in Korea. When he left the Army in 1973, he worked in Illinois as a manager of Finance America. He could have had a long career for Finance America, lived in Illinois and raised his family. Instead, he again answered a call to serve and entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, graduating from there in 1981. Since entering Seminary his service has taken him to communities in Virginia, in Florida, and most recently in the State of Alabama.

In 1995, he was an Associate Pastor of Education and Senior Adults at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Enterprise, Alabama. In 2002, he began serving in his present role as Minister of Education and Senior Adults at the 12th Street Baptist Church in Gadsden, Alabama. He and his wife have one daughter, Dawne, who resides in Orlando, Florida.

Reverend Young is joined today by his wife, Deborah, and several members of the 12th Street Baptist Church in Gadsden, along with several others from the Fourth Congressional District. I appreciate the prayer that Reverend Young has offered this afternoon. It is an honor to have him as our guest here in the United States House of Representatives.

Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:

O God, we acknowledge You as giver and sustainer of life and through Your Son, Jesus Christ, provider of eternal life. We pray Your wisdom and Your guidance upon our leaders as they meet here today to deliberate on matters which affect not only here, but across the world.

We acknowledge Your blessings upon us and give thanks to You for Your care and watching over us. We thank You for the freedoms and liberties which have been given to us. Help us as we and others attempt to preserve them. We pray Your wisdom and leadership upon our President and the leaders of our Congress as they guide us during this time of national disaster. We pray for our fellow citizens who have been in harm's way and for those who care for them. We also ask Your watch and care for those serving in our place in the military across this world.

Help us to be generous not only in our prayers, but in our resources as well.

Guide all our leaders across this land during this difficult period in our history.

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