Reverend Richard Elliott
New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church
Gilbertsville, PA
Sponsor: Rep. Rep. Pat Toomey, (R-PA)
Date of Prayer: 09/21/2000
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. TOOMEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to our guest pastor, the Reverend Richard Elliott of New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. The House is privileged to have Pastor Elliott deliver such an inspirational opening prayer for us today, Thursday, September 21, 2000.
His message to ‘‘strive for justice and strength in order to pursue peace'' is reflected in the long history of his congregation and its wisdom to lead by example. Founded in 1700, the congregation is currently celebrating the church's 300th anniversary. It is the oldest German Lutheran congregation in the United States.
New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church has nurtured a nation with its creative and energetic congregation, with character, with humility, with kindness and compassion. During the War for American Independence, the church served as a temporary hospital for General George Washington's troops after the Battles of Brandywine and Paoli.
Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives is indeed privileged to have Pastor Richard Elliott of new Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church deliver the opening prayer today. Pastor Elliott and his congregation are a true reflection of what our Founding Fathers envisioned when they fought for the birth of our Nation.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Eternal and most gracious God, before your face empires of the past have risen and fallen away.
We pray this day for our nation; a nation entrusted to us by your gracious hand and rooted in the sacrifices and patriotism of previous generations; a nation nurtured by you with expansive freedom, limitless opportunity, bountiful natural resources, and creative and energetic citizens.
Bless your servants, gathered here this day; enable them to flourish; give them wisdom to lead with character, power to serve with humility, kindness to respond with compassion, courage to strive for justice and strength to pursue peace.
Give to us, your children, the vision to see the seeds of your kingdom in our lives and to dream and reach for your future.
Amen
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory