The Office of the Chaplain United States House of Representatives

Reverend Christopher Weidner

St. Luke Lutheran Church
Gilbertsville, PA

Sponsor: Rep. Ryan Costello, (R-PA)
Date of Prayer: 11/18/2015

One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:

Mr. COSTELLO of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome and introduce our guest chaplain for today, Pastor Christopher L. Weidner, the pastor of St. Luke Lutheran Church in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania.

In 1985, Pastor Chris was ordained as a minister of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. For 30 years, he has played an active and important role in our local community, engaging in programs such as the companionship ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod Council Finance Committee, the Bear Creek Lutheran Camp board of directors, and he has helped provide affordable housing for seniors through the St. Luke Knolls program. Additionally, he volunteers his time as a hospital chaplain.

This coming Sunday, after 20 years, Pastor Chris will serve his final worship service at St. Luke's. We wish him blessings on the next chapter in his ministry.

It is with great pleasure that I welcome Pastor Christopher L. Weidner to the people's House today and offer our most heartfelt thanks for leading us in prayer this morning as our guest chaplain.

Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:

O God, You are our help in ages past, our hope for years to come.

We remember Your servant leaders who have come before us, speaking light out of darkness, fashioning order out of chaos, and, mindful of the voiceless, daring decision and deploying power for the life of our Nation and the care of the Earth.

Move us by their witness, O God, and guide us by Your wisdom in every opportunity that comes before us now.

And when our way is uncertain, untraveled, or unclear, when failure or fatigue drive us apart, restore our footing, reconnect us, by the gravity of Your grace.

Remember us as one body, Members of this one House, faithful in our one service.

Give us courage, inspire our imagination, nudge us to dare the possible in Your gift of today with our gifts for tomorrow, in Your holy name, we pray.

Amen.

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