[Senate Document 104-15]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Doc. 104-15
Richard C. Halverson
U.S. SENATE CHAPLAIN
MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
IN THE CONGRESS OF
THE UNITED STATES
S. Doc. 104-15
Memorial Tributes
Delivered in Congress
Richard C. Halverson
1916-1995
United States Senate Chaplain
a
Compiled under the direction
of the
Secretary of the Senate
by the
Office of Printing Services
CONTENTS
Biography.............................................
ix
Proceedings in the Senate:
Prayer by the Senate Chaplain Dr. Lloyd John
Ogilvie..........................................
1
Announcement of death by Senator Robert Dole of
Kansas...........................................
2
Resolution of respect..............................
9
Tributes by Senators:
Ashcroft, John, of Missouri....................
23
Biden, Joseph R., Jr., of Delaware.............
17
Bingaman, Jeff, of New Mexico..................
15
Byrd, Robert C., of West Virginia..............
20
Poem, Rose Still Grows Beyond the Wall......
23
Chafee, John H., of Rhode Island...............
3
Coats, Dan, of Indiana.........................
7
Daschle, Thomas A., of South Dakota............
2
Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
15
Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
3
Exon, J. James, of Nebraska....................
19
Feinstein, Dianne, of California...............
10
Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
14
Hatfield, Mark O., of Oregon...................
5
Heflin, Howell, of Alabama.....................
4
Hutchison, Kay Bailey, of Texas................
18
Inouye, Daniel K., of Hawaii...................
14
Jeffords, James M., of Vermont.................
13
Kassebaum, Nancy Landon, of Kansas.............
13
Kempthorne, Dirk, of Idaho.....................
3
Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
12
Lott, Trent, of Mississippi....................
8
Mack, Connie, of Florida.......................
24
Murkowski, Frank H., of Alaska.................
16
Nickles, Don, of Oklahoma......................
9
Nunn, Sam, of Georgia..........................
20
Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
11
Thurmond, Strom, of South Carolina.............
6
Memorial Service for Richard C. Halverson:
Fourth Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, Maryland.....
27
Organ Prelude--Fred Markey.....................
28
Scripture Readings and Comments, Judge Martin
Bostetter, Reverend Bob Strain, Mr. Phil
Jordan........................................
28
Remarks by:
Mrs. Barbara Skinner...........................
29
Remembrances: The Honorable Mark O. Hatfield...
31
Mr. Doug Coe...................................
33
Dr. Billy Graham...............................
34
Louise B. Risk.................................
35
Jim and Betsy Kumnick..........................
36
Concluding Prayer by Richard C. Halverson, Jr..
37
Benediction of Dr. Richard C. Halverson........
37
Postlude--Mr. Ed Weaver........................
38
Congress...........................................
39
Dr. Richard C. Halverson, February 4, 1916-
November 28, 1995.............................
40
Great is Thy Faithfulness--A favorite hymn of
Dr. Halverson.................................
41
Grateful Reflections, Members of the Senate and
Staff, led by Senator Don Nickles.............
42
Tribute to Chaplain Richard C. Halverson, by
Robert G. Ellis, Jr...........................
42
Time Frame, by C.J. Martin.....................
42
Embrace Thee...................................
43
Amazing Grace--Another favorite hymn of Dr.
Halverson.....................................
43
Bendiction.....................................
43
Condolences and Tributes:
Christian Booksellers Association Adding Reverend
Richard C. Halverson to the ``Hall of Honor''....
47
Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award...............
48
Newspaper article from USA Today...............
49
Chaplain Becomes Rough Rider, North Dakota
Tribune.......................................
49
Senate Chaplain Gets Rough Rider Award, Grand
Forks Herald..................................
50
U.S. Senate Chaplain To Get Rough Rider Award,
Grand Forks Herald............................
51
Remarks by Senator Robert C. Byrd..................
50
Sermons on the Hill Become a Trademark of
Senate's Chaplain.............................
53
Letters of Condolence:
From David Gwaltney................................
57
Paul D. Wellstone, U.S. Senator from the State of
Minnesota........................................
57
Bob Smith, U.S. Senator from the State of New
Hampshire........................................
57
Billy Graham.......................................
58
Barbara A. Mikulski, U.S. Senator from the State of
Maryland.........................................
58
The White House, Vice President Al Gore............
59
Alan K. Simpson, U.S. Senator from the State of
Wyoming..........................................
59
Daniel K. Akaka, U.S. Senator from the State of
Hawaii...........................................
60
Pete Wilson, Governor of California................
60
Edward M. Kennedy, U.S. Senator from the State of
Massachusetts....................................
61
George Bush........................................
61
Nancy Reagan.......................................
61
Paul D. Coverdell, U.S. Senator from the State of
Georgia..........................................
62
Christopher S. Bond, U.S. Senator from the State of
Missouri.........................................
62
The White House, President Bill Clinton............
62
Patty Murray, U.S. Senator from the State of
Washington.......................................
62
Robert H. Schuller.................................
63
Paul Simon, U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois
63
Jimmy Carter.......................................
64
Charles and Patty Colson...........................
64
Kent Conrad, U.S. Senator from the State of North
Dakota...........................................
64
James David Ford, Chaplain, House of
Representatives..................................
64
Sandy Mason........................................
65
Dick Baker, Senate Historian.......................
65
Sgt. Kenneth M. Allen..............................
65
Newspaper Articles and Editorials:
Former Senate Chaplain Richard Halverson Dies,
Grand Forks Herald...............................
68
Senate Chaplain Who Retired February 5, Is Dead At
79, Richard C. Halverson Served 14 Years,
Washington Times.................................
68
Deaths Elsewhere, St. Louis Post-Dispatch..........
70
Reverend Richard Halverson Was U.S. Senate
Chaplain; at 79, Boston Globe....................
70
Richard Halverson; Former Senate Chaplain, Los
Angeles Times....................................
70
R.C. Halverson Dies; 14-Year Senate Chaplain,
Washington Post..................................
71
Reverend Richard C. Halverson, St. Petersburg Times
73
R. Halverson, Ex-Chaplain of Senate, Rocky Mountain
News.............................................
73
Richard Halverson, 79, A Senate Chaplain, New York
Times............................................
73
Richard C. Halverson, Retired Senate Chaplain,
Arizona Republic.................................
74
The Reverend Richard Halverson, Indianapolis News..
74
The Soul of the Senate, Christianity Today.........
75
Comments:
President Bill Clinton......................
79
Sam Nunn, U.S. Senator from the State of
Georgia...................................
79
Melvin Jordan, employee at Senate dining
room......................................
79
Mark O. Hatfield, U.S. Senator from the
State of Oregon...........................
79
Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice......
79
Dr. Richard C. Halverson--At Home With Our Lord,
National Christian Choir News....................
79
Chaplain, Kansas City Star.........................
81
Reflections of a Retiring Senate Chaplain, The Hill
81
Most Powerful Man in Washington Retires, York Daily
Record...........................................
83
From Youth in Show Business to Chaplain of the
Senate, Washington Post..........................
84
In Memoriam, International Ministries Fellowship...
87
BIOGRAPHY
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson was born February 4,
1916, in Pingree, North Dakota. He attended then Valley
City State College for 2 years. He received his bachelor
of science degree from Wheaton College in 1939. He earned
a bachelor of theology degree from Princeton Theological
Seminary, Princeton, New Jersey, in 1942.
He became Managing Director, Forest Home Cristian
Conference Grounds, California, from June 1942 to October
1942, and from April 1944 to October 1944. He served as
Assistant Minister of the Linwood Presbyterian Church,
Kansas City, Kansas, from October 1942 to April 1944.
Reverend Halverson served as pastor of the First
Presbyterian Church, Coalinga, California from October
1944 to October 1947; Leadership Education, First
Presbyterian Church, Hollywood, California October 1947 to
May 1956; Fourth Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, Maryland
from December 1958 to May 1981.
He was an associate, International Prayer Breakfast
Movement, Washington, DC, from May 1956 to present.
Reverend Halverson was elected Chaplain, United States
Senate, February 1981 until his retirement, March 1995.
He was a Board Member, World Vision-U.S., 1956-1983;
Chairman, Board of World Vision-U.S., 1966-1983; and
President, Concern Ministries, Inc., Washington, DC.
Reverend Halverson published several inspirational
books: A Day At A Time, Be Yourself . . . and God's,
Between Sundays, Man To Man, Perspective, The Quiet Man,
No Greater Power, We The People, The Living Body--The
Church Christ Is Building, and The Wisdom Series.
In association with World Vision and the Prayer
Breakfast Movement, he participated in pastors' and
leaders' conferences in Asia, Australia, Latin America,
Africa, Europe, Oceania and the United States.
Reverend Halverson is survived by his wife, Doris Grace
Seaton, of Arlington, Virginia, the Reverend Richard C.
Halverson, Jr., of Arlington, Virginia, Stephen S. of
Vista, California, and Deborah Halverson Markey of Laurel,
Maryland, and nine grandchildren.
MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
to
RICHARD C. HALVERSON
Proceedings in the Senate
Wednesday, November 29, 1995.
The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie, made the following
announcement and offered prayer:
The Senate of the United States is a family. We care for
each other, rejoice with each other, and suffer with each
other. This morning, I announce to you that the former
Chaplain, Dr. Richard Halverson, died last night. No
person in recent history has done more to enable the
Senate to be a family of caring people who support and
encourage each other than Dr. Halverson.
Let us pray:
Blessed living Holy God, Sovereign of this Nation and
this Senate, we thank You for the way that You enrich our
lives by the gift of persons who care. We praise You for
the life of Richard Halverson, for 14 years the Chaplain
of this Senate. We praise You for his integrity rooted in
his intimate relationship with You that radiated upon his
face and was communicated by his countenance. We thank You
for the profound way that he cared for all of us and
established deep relationships. He introduced people to
You and helped them to grow as persons.
We bless and praise You now, Lord, as You are here with
comfort and encouragement for us. You are with his wife,
Doris, his sons, Chris and Steve, and his daughter,
Debbie. Put Your arms of love around them, giving them
hope.
Lord, we thank You this morning for the assurance that
this life is but a small part of the whole of eternity and
that death is only a transition in the midst of living for
a man like Richard Halverson.
And so we thank You for him and praise You for Your
enrichment of our lives through him. Through Jesus Christ,
our Lord, Who has defeated the power of death and reigns
forever. Amen.
Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, as the Chaplain mentioned in
his opening prayer, the Senate today is mourning the
passing of Dr. Richard Halverson.
As all Senators know, Dr. Halverson served as our
Chaplain from 1981 until his retirement earlier this year.
Throughout his service as Chaplain, Dr. Halverson was a
friend and counselor not only to Senators, but to the
entire Senate family.
As many of my colleagues said upon Dr. Halverson's
retirement, from Senate staffers to elevator operators to
police force members to electricians, it would be
impossible to tell how many lives Dr. Halverson touched
here on Capitol Hill.
He came to the Senate after many years of service to
churches in Missouri, California, and Maryland. He was
recognized worldwide as a great humanitarian and traveled
extensively through his leadership of World Vision, the
Campus Crusade for Christ, Christian College Consortium,
and the prayer breakfast movement.
Mr. President, perhaps our colleague, Senator Nunn, said
it best earlier this year when he called Dr. Halverson
``our friend, our colleague, our mentor, our adviser and,
most of all, our example.''
Later today, Senator Daschle and I will be submitting a
resolution of condolence to be delivered to the Halverson
family. It is my intent to include all Members of the
Senate as cosponsors of this resolution.
At this time, I ask unanimous consent that the Record
stay open for 15 days so that Senators may offer tributes
to Dr. Halverson, and that these tributes be printed as a
Senate document.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Frist). Without objection, it
is so ordered.
Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, the majority leader has just
spoken for all of us. There is not a person in the Senate
today who has not had the good fortune to benefit from the
friendship of Dr. Halverson.
Someone once said that life has no blessing like that of
a good friend. Dr. Halverson was a good friend to all of
us. Rather than mourn his death, it is appropriate to
celebrate his life, because, indeed, it was a celebration
of joy, of blessing. It was a recognition that through his
religious belief, emanating every morning as he came to
this Chamber, we all felt a little stronger, we all felt a
little better, we all felt perhaps a little wiser, we all
felt a little more able to work with each other. His
contribution to his country and to this body will last for
a long, long time.
So today we celebrate his life. We send our condolences
to his wife, Doris, and his family. We wish them the best.
We recognize that in life comes achievement, and with his
achievement, we all are the better.
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, later on, pursuant to the
wishes of our leader, I will have much more to say about
Reverend Halverson. I considered him to be one of my best
friends in the whole world, but more than that, he cared
for a lot of people. He was a true Chaplain, not just up
here, but in the halls and byways and offices of this
place with families, with people who work for the Senate
from the lowest paid to the highest paid. He took care of
them.
He was very, very sick, particularly the last 3 weeks. I
talked to his wife, Doris, this morning, his son Steven.
Chris, his other son, was not there. It is kind of
wonderful to see their expressions, because they obviously
believe and they are very, very confident he is very happy
today and that he is in everlasting life. That is
marvelous to see, because that is just the way he would
want their faith to be.
So not only to that family, but to all his large family
here and everywhere in this city, and other places that he
served, I think I can join with all of them in saying very
simply that we thank God Almighty for sending people like
Dr. Halverson to us.
Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I think the words that we
``celebrate the life of Richard Halverson'' are
appropriate. Richard Halverson, as has been pointed out,
served as Chaplain here for 16 years.
As has been mentioned, he did not restrict his duties to
just the opening prayer. He came to see us when we had
difficulties. He was a constant mentor, as has previously
been suggested, and a constant good example. He epitomized
what leading the Christian life is all about.
So we have been blessed to have known him. His life is
one we all should celebrate and try to emulate to the
greatest extent possible. So to all of his family, we send
our very best wishes at this extremely difficult time, and
our deepest condolences.
Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, I join in the statements
that have been made here this morning and say that our
lives have been so enriched by Dr. Halverson. He was the
U.S. Senate Chaplain, but he was a friend of the Senators
of this institution.
In our roles, so often we need to have that camaraderie,
that facilitator that can help us in finding that higher
wisdom and the inner peace. Richard Halverson provided
that to us. I know now that he has that inner peace, and
we share, as has been stated in the blessings, having him
as part of our lives here.
Our prayers are with him, as well as with Doris, Chris,
and all of the family. We thank the Lord for providing him
to us.
Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, our long-time Senate Chaplain
and dear friend, Dr. Richard C. Halverson, has passed
away, just 8\1/2\ months after his retirement. He retired
in March, after more than 14 years of distinguished
service to this body. During his tenure as our Chaplain,
Dr. Halverson proved himself over and over again not only
to be a comforting spiritual guide, but an understanding,
knowledgeable counselor. His ministry and support helped
us immeasurably as we wrestled with difficult personal,
political and policy issues.
Dick Halverson was superb at arranging for guest
Chaplains, thereby giving wide representations to the many
diverse religious faiths and denominations in our Nation.
As Chaplain, he provided pastoral services for Members and
our staffs--in particular to staffs, policemen. Every
conceivable person that worked in the Senate felt his
influence, knew him as a friend. He was a tremendous help
to them in their personal problems. His soothing
countenance and understanding manner made us feel more at
home here in Washington.
Sworn in on February 2, 1981, the Reverend Dr. Richard
Halverson was the 60th Senate Chaplain. A native of North
Dakota, he was a graduate of Wheaton College and the
Princeton Theological Seminary. He held honorary doctoral
degrees from Wheaton and Gordon Colleges, and served
churches in Kansas City, Missouri; Coalinga and Hollywood,
California; and for 23 years at his last pastorate at the
Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Halverson was deeply involved as an associate in the
international prayer breakfast movement in Washington, and
I had the personal pleasure of working directly with him
on this project during the time he served here in the
Senate. He was involved with the prayer breakfast for
almost 40 years. He also served as chairman of the board
of World Vision and president of Concern Ministries, and
authored several books, including ``A Day at a Time,''
``Be Yourself . . . and God's,'' ``Between Sundays,'' ``No
Greater Power,'' and ``We the People.''
Richard Halverson was an outstanding example of why the
Senate has always had a chaplain. He was completely
devoted to the Senate and we are grateful for his many
years of service. We appreciate him, we will miss him, and
we extend our sincerest condolences to his wife Doris, his
son Chris, and all their family. Dr. Halverson left his
mark on this body, and it is not the same without him. The
Senate is better for having had his guidance and wisdom
for 14 years, and the Nation and world are better for
having had him for all the years of his life. He was a
true blessing.
Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, last night the U.S. Senate
lost one of its greatest servants. Dr. Halverson left us
in bodily presence but his spiritual legacy will remain
eternal. For 14 years, Dr. Halverson provided guidance and
counsel to the Senate as its Chaplain, continually
reminding us of the true meaning of leadership. For Dr.
Halverson a true leader was first a servant. He reminded
us each and every day, as he strolled these halls, of what
it means to serve the people around you.
I have said before that Dr. Halverson was one of the
most Christlike men I have ever known, and today that
sentiment has not changed. Even in failing health, he
continued his ministries right to the very end. Those of
you who remember him, recall his humble spirit, his
compassionate heart, and his penetrating intellect. All of
these qualities were supplemented with an uncanny ability
to address complex issues with an insightful simplicity
that cut to the core of an issue, illuminating the vital
components so that even a child could understand.
Dr. Halverson will be profoundly missed. He will be
missed by the Senators, but this mournful occasion will
impact all who are involved in the business of Congress.
Dr. Halverson was not just a pastor to the hundred men and
women who serve in this body, but he was a pastor to the
police officers, to the custodians, to the food service
workers, to everyone who was fortunate to cross his path.
He ministered to all he encountered, indiscriminate of
position, background, and stature. He genuinely loved
everyone. I cannot recall him ever uttering an ill word
toward anyone.
I am deeply saddened by this great loss. Dr. Halverson
was my close friend and brother. Now, Dr. Halverson is
experiencing joy and happiness incomprehensible to those
of us here on Earth. But until I see him again, I will
miss this good and faithful servant. I will miss his warm
greetings. I will miss his thoughtful prayers. I will miss
his example of humility. Most of all, I will miss being
his friend.
Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, our Senate family lost one
of our finest and most respected members yesterday with
the passing of the former Senate Chaplain, Reverend
Richard Halverson.
As many in this body know, Reverend Halverson ministered
to the spiritual needs of Senators, our families, and our
staffs for many years. A man who was deeply devoted to his
duties as a servant of God, and to his congregation,
Reverend Halverson selflessly served the Senate and the
Lord almost literally to the end of his life. Despite a
lingering illness in his later years, the Reverend was
never too tired or sick to spend time with someone who
required his guidance and counsel. He was a man who always
had a kind word and a positive thought to share with us. I
remember, Reverend Halverson would often clip newspaper
and magazine articles that he felt were particularly
relevant to the issues of religion and morality and send
them to Members. Along with these articles, he would
include a thoughtful note offering his opinion on the
author's thesis, a gesture that not only reminded us that
the Reverend was looking after our spiritual well being,
but that there are laws and directives as important as
those found in the Constitution and code books that should
dictate our behavior and conduct as leaders of the Nation.
Reverend Halverson was so committed to the cause of
restoring and maintaining righteousness in America, he was
the only natural choice to author the foreward to the book
Right vs. Wrong, written by my good friend and former
Chief of Staff, Harry Dent.
I had the pleasure of knowing Reverend Halverson
throughout his entire tenure in the Senate, and I can
attest that he was one of the most faithful, capable, and
dedicated Chaplains to have served the United States
Senate. Those of us who were here when Reverend Halverson
retired last year felt this Chamber had lost a friend,
those of us who are here today know the world has lost a
kind and compassionate man.
Reverend Halverson is survived by his wife Doris, and I
hope that she knows that each of us joins her in mourning
the loss of her husband. While her husband and our friend
is gone, he has left a little something of himself with
those who knew him and we will never forget the service he
rendered, or the man he was.
Mr. COATS. Madam President, 60 years ago, during the
holiday season that we are now celebrating, a young man by
the name of Richard Halverson, fresh from the humble
upbringing in North Dakota, found himself discouraged and
lonely in Hollywood, California--discouraged by his
struggles to become an actor, and lonely as he was away
from home during Christmas for the first time in his 19
years of life. It was then that Dick Halverson heard a
call from the Lord--first, to believe and follow God, and
then to preach the Lord's gospel and minister to all who
had the great fortune of knowing him.
In 1988, I was privileged to be appointed to the U.S.
Senate, filling the vacancy created by the election of
then Senator Dan Quayle to the Vice Presidency. Several
thoughts occurred to me and my family at that moment, but
one of the greatest was that I would have the privilege of
serving in the same institution where Reverend Dick
Halverson served as Chaplain. My admiration for Dr.
Halverson extended then and now beyond the fact that we
graduated from the same institution, Wheaton College. My
respect for Dick Halverson is based on the way he lived
his life every day in humble service to his God.
The American public primarily saw Chaplain Halverson in
the role of opening each Senate session with prayer. As he
prepared those invocations each day, Pastor Halverson
prayed that God would give him the wisdom to speak the
Lord's truth in what is known as the world's greatest
deliberative body. Without touching on specific bills or
legislation, Dr. Halverson prayed that God would lead
Members of the Senate in reasoned, respectful debate.
For example, Chaplain Halverson prayed here on the
Senate floor, ``God of our fathers, if we separate
morality from politics, we imperil our Nation and threaten
self-destruction. Imperial Rome was not defeated by an
enemy from without; it was destroyed by moral decay from
within. Mighty God, over and over again you warned your
people, Israel, that righteousness is essential to
national health.'' Words of wisdom from a man of great
wisdom.
Those of us privileged to know Dr. Halverson also
experienced the dedicated and loving service he provided
away from the lights of the Senate floor. Washington, DC,
is one of the toughest, most intense places anybody can
live, especially for those of us who work on Capitol Hill.
From overloaded Senate schedules to endless traffic jams,
Washington can grind even the strongest individuals--which
I think is one of the reasons God gave us Dick Halverson.
Pastor Halverson used to say, ``I never try to be in a
hurry.'' While all of us would scurry around from
scheduled event to scheduled event, Chaplain Halverson
lived that phrase, ``I never try to be in a hurry.'' And
he slowed us down. A smile, a hand on the arm, a twinkle
in his eye, and the words ``God bless you'' were delivered
literally thousands, if not tens of thousands of times to
Members of this body.
While our lives can be filled with stress and strife, it
was Chaplain Halverson who always had the time to walk
back with us to our office, chat with us on the telephone,
and when necessary counsel us through our deepest
struggles.
The real greatness of Dick Halverson, however, was
exhibited in the ways that he provided this selfless
service, not just to those of us privileged to serve as
elected officials here in the U.S. Senate, but to all who
crossed his doorstep or came upon his path. Just ask the
Senate staffers, just ask the security guards, just ask
the custodians, just ask the cooks in the kitchens, all of
whom Dick Halverson knew on a first-name basis.
For Pastor Halverson, we are created equal in the sight
of God. Each person is equally important and equally
significant. Each personal need conveyed to him by others
was serious and substantial regardless of who it was who
conveyed that need. Our loss is great and our prayers are
with his surviving family.
But for Richard Halverson this is a new day. He has left
his post in his Nation's Government to sit in the throne
room of the King. He has fought the good fight. He has
finished the race and he kept the faith.
Chaplain Halverson once described himself as ``a servant
to the public servants.'' Because he served his role so
well, we know today with confidence that Dick Halverson is
hearing those loving words from the Lord Almighty, ``Well
done, good and faithful servant.''
Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate
Resolution 196, submitted earlier today by Senators Dole
and Daschle.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
S. Res. 196
Whereas, the Reverend Dr. Richard Halverson became the
60th Senate Chaplain on February 2, 1981, and faithfully
served the Senate for 14 years as Senate Chaplain;
Whereas, Dr. Halverson for more than 40 years was an
associate in the International Prayer Breakfast Movement
and Chairman of the Board of World Vision and President of
Concerned Ministries;
Whereas, Dr. Halverson was the author of several books,
including ``A Day at a Time'', ``No Greater Power'', ``We
the People'', and ``Be Yourself . . . and God's''; and
Whereas, Dr. Halverson was graduated from Wheaton
College and Princeton Theological Seminary, and served as
a Presbyterian minister throughout his professional life,
including being the senior pastor at Fourth Presbyterian
Church of Bethesda, Maryland: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow
and deep regret the announcement of the death of the
Reverend Dr. Richard Halverson, late the Chaplain of the
United States Senate.
Resolved, That the Secretary transmit an enrolled copy
thereof to the family of the deceased.
Resolved, That when the Senate recesses or adjourns
today, it recess or adjourn as a further mark of respect
to the memory of the deceased.
Mr. LOTT. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the
resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the
motion to reconsider be laid upon the table and any
statements relating to the resolution appear at the
appropriate place in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 196) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
Mr. NICKLES. Madam President, I wish to make a couple of
remarks concerning a very sad event that happened this
week, and that was the death of our friend, Richard
Halverson, the Chaplain of the Senate for the last 14
years.
I first want to express my condolences to Chaplain
Halverson's family--his wife, Doris, his son, Chris and
daughter-in-law Maura, his son, Steve and daughter-in-law
Paula, and his daughter, Debbie and son-in-law Fred, and
his nine grandchildren.
Chaplain Halverson was a friend, not only to myself but
to all Senators as well the Senate staff and the entire
Senate family. He certainly was a pastor of exceptional
repute, a person who has been defined by many as ``a man
of God,'' as a person who certainly loved the Lord and
showed that love by his words and by his actions. It was
evident when he would sit in his chair in the Senate
Chamber and greet people on a daily basis. This love for
people was not reserved for Senators only, but it was
generously given to people who sweep the floors or those
who work in the restaurant or the elevator operators.
Chaplain Halverson was a friend, and he will certainly be
missed.
He is loved by many thousands from his service in the
pulpit and for his 14 years as Chaplain of the Senate. I
really consider it a blessing to have known him, to have
worked with him, to have shared many good times with him.
To have been with him with families in prayer. To have
worked along side him with the National Prayer Breakfast,
in which he had been instrumental. He has left a very
valuable mark on our lives.
A friend of mine from Oklahoma once commented to me
about Dr. Halverson. He asked me if I knew him. I asked,
``Why?''
He said, ``I will tell you, I have had the pleasure of
knowing him for years,'' and my friend paid him the
highest compliment I ever heard paid anyone. He said
Chaplain Halverson was the most Christ-like man he had
ever known. I think that was an appropriate definition for
a wonderful servant of God who also served this body.
So we extend our sincerest condolences to the Halverson
family and we want them to know we love Chaplain Halverson
and that our thoughts and prayers are with them and will
continue to be.
I might mention to the Senate that it is our intention--
and I am working with Chaplain Ogilvie on this--to have a
memorial service for Dr. Halverson a week from Tuesday, at
approximately 11:30 a.m. Once the arrangements have been
finalized, I will make a formal announcement to my
colleagues early next week.
Monday, December 4, 1995.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize
and pay tribute to a great friend to the Senate. The
former Chaplain of the Senate, Reverend Richard C.
Halverson passed away last week. For 14 years he tended to
the spiritual needs of this body and all the people who
make it work.
Educated at Wheaton College and Princeton Theological
Seminary, Reverend Halverson worked in several places
including California, his last place of ministry prior to
moving to Washington. As the 60th Chaplain of the Senate
most of our Nation knew Reverend Halverson from the prayer
he delivered every morning. His respectful and quiet
manner was a example to us all for how to conduct
ourselves and treat others with dignity. I remember with
fondness the mornings when I sat as the acting President
of this chamber, and listened to Reverend Halverson speak,
urge and console not only the Members of this body but
everybody listening throughout the Nation.
Besides his duties as Chaplain of the Senate Reverend
Halverson also was a minister to the Fourth Presbyterian
Church in Bethesda, Maryland, and an author of several
books. He took a lifetime interest in trying speak to the
improvement of the moral being of individuals, and the
moral health of our Nation. I will miss Reverend
Halverson, our country will miss Reverend Halverson, and
this body will miss Reverend Halverson, but we are all
better because of his life. I hope the example of his life
will continue to set a standard for us all.
I know that Reverend Halverson's wife Doris and all the
members of his family know better than all of us what an
exceptional and spiritual man he was. I want to express my
sympathy to them with this loss.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I have sought recognition to
honor the memory of our long-time Senate Chaplain and
spiritual leader, Dr. Richard Halverson, who passed away
November 28. Dr. Halverson served as Chaplain for 14
years, joining the Senate in 1981 shortly after I, too,
entered the Senate. He retired this past March after
distinguished service to this body and to the Nation.
As Senate Chaplain, Dr. Halverson played many roles. His
prayers would open each daily session of the Senate, often
reminding Senators of the higher objectives of our work.
When passions ran high over controversial legislation, Dr.
Halverson's opening prayers would give Senators pause for
reflection and helped maintain the Senate's tradition of
reasoned, respectful debate.
I came to know Dr. Halverson well through his attendance
at our Bible study sessions, where he came to learn and
share his thoughts on the Old Testament. He was a
gracious, valued participant and we benefited from his
spiritual insight.
As many know, Dr. Halverson established himself as a
Chaplain who never tired of selfless service. He was
always available to spend time with someone who needed his
time, either for spiritual guidance or counsel. His
energies were not just directed at Senators, but at their
spouses and staffs, and hundreds of Senate employees. In
this role, he played a vital role in keeping the fabric of
the U.S. Senate together.
The Senate was a better place for having had the
compassionate service of Dr. Halverson as its Chaplain for
14 years, and the Nation owes him its gratitude for the
role he played in our midst.
My wife, Joan, and I extend our heartfelt condolences to
Dr. Halverson's wife, Doris, and his many children and
grandchildren. We will all miss his faithful, caring
presence.
Tuesday, December 5, 1995.
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay my
respects to the Reverend Richard Halverson, whose recent
passing saddened all of us in this Chamber. He was, for
us, a spiritual Rock of Gibraltar, always present as a
reminder of eternal values, in the midst of even the most
temporal of debates.
One of the remarkable things about the life of this
faith-filled man is the fact that he became the Chaplain
of the U.S. Senate at a time when most people his age
retire and go fishing or play golf. At 65, Reverend
Halverson undertook the most significant, perhaps the most
difficult, task of his life--ministering to the spiritual
needs of 100 U.S. Senators, their staffs, employees of the
Senate and countless others who came to him for counsel
and prayer. He fulfilled that mission with great honor.
I will always remember Reverend Halverson as a gracious
man, a man of considerable intellect, and especially a
scholar of the Old Testament and the Jewish religion,
about which we had memorable conversations.
We will miss Reverend Halverson, especially in a time
when partisan rancor seems so sharp and divisive here in
Capitol Hill, and in a society where bedrock values like
belief in God and respect for one another seem to be at
such risk. His warm presence always stood in strong
contrast to the trials of the moment. We have faith that
he is in the embrace of a loving God.
Yet, I am confident he is praying for us still. May God
bless Reverend Halverson, and may He grant his family and
many friends solace from the grief we share at his
passing, and confidence that life eternal is the reward
for those who live to His will.
Mrs. KASSEBAUM. Mr. President, last week the Senate and
the Nation lost a gifted spiritual adviser. All of us
mourn the death of Dr. Richard Halverson, who served here
for 14 years as Senate Chaplain before retiring last
February.
As shepherd of his Senate flock, Dr. Halverson always
brought strength of faith and a wealth of patience in his
actions to all, whether on the floor of the Senate or to
the broader national audience. For 14 years, his prayers
began each of our working days and did so with spiritual
substance, expecting from all of us the very best
standards of conduct, understanding and commitment.
I valued his friendship as well as his spiritual
leadership. I will hold a special memory of his committed
caring and the twinkle in his eye.
Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, in one of his books, Dr.
Halverson wrote, ``It is foolish to say there is no God.
But it is infinitely more foolish to say there is and to
live as though there were not.'' Dr. Halverson's special
grace was in his way of helping us to bridge the gap
between faith and practice. As a preacher, Chaplain
Halverson fought against unbelief but, as a pastor, he was
equally concerned about hypocrisy.
Dick, as he was known to all of us in the Senate, loved
his country, loved the Senate as an institution, but more
importantly he loved us as individual Members of the
Senate. His deep caring spirit was evident in his
availability at all times to attend to the needs of
Senators and our families. He knew us all and, even so,
managed to love us whatever our backgrounds may have been.
And, not only the Senators, Dick loved the staffers, the
elevator operators, the police officers, and everyone he
met in the course of a day on the Hill. No one knew more
people than did Dick.
His daily prayers in the Senate acted as a reality check
for each of us. One morning his prayers began:
Gracious Father in Heaven, help us to keep our
priorities straight. In this center of power, secondary
matters have a way of preoccupying our attention and
preempting our time. Help us not to take ourselves too
seriously, forgetting that we are fallible human beings
with many needs. Deliver us from VIP syndrome which
expects or demands preferential treatment.
It is these actions and thoughts which live on in our
hearts and minds as we think of Dick. His words and love
taught us much and each of us is the better for having
known him. He was a special gift to us and we shall
remember him.
Thursday, December 7, 1995.
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I was deeply saddened last
week when I learned of the death of our beloved former
chaplain, the Reverend Richard C. Halverson.
Reverend Halverson served as Chaplain of the Senate for
14 years, assuming this post on February 22, 1981. He
retired on February 5, 1995. I regret that his retirement,
the time he had so looked forward to spending with his
family and many friends, was cut so short.
But, the time and service he gave to the Senate will
always be appreciated by those of us who benefited from
his positive outlook and his constant good humor. Rarely
was Dr. Halverson seen by Senators, staff, or support
personnel without a smile and a ``God bless you.''
And, perhaps the one thing I admired most about Dr.
Halverson was the fact that he served not only the
institution of the Senate, but also Senators as
individuals. He could see beyond policy debates, beyond
partisan politics, beyond institutional glamour and mire.
He could look beyond our roles on this great international
stage and help us carry the burdens we felt as husbands or
wives, parents, neighbors, or friends.
Though ordained as clergy in the Presbyterian
denomination, his ministry reached out to us all.
Catholic, Jew, Methodist, or Mormon, Dr. Halverson helped
us all to remember that our walk in faith was infinitely
more important than any legislative battle of the moment.
Like all Senators, I mourn the death of this man of God,
but give thanks for the opportunity to have known him and
to have served this body with him. I join my colleagues in
extending heartfelt sympathy to his family.
Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, our former Senate Chaplain,
the Reverend Dr. Richard Halverson, will be sorely missed,
especially by those of us who had the great privilege of
knowing him and benefiting from his special ministry.
His daily prayers and his words of greeting, whenever we
met, were most comforting. History should record that as a
result of his guidance, many unfortunate adversarial
crises were successfully averted in the Senate. I believe
he succeeded to helping maintain the Senate on a even
keel.
We will miss him. I will miss him.
Monday, December 11, 1995.
Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, one of the first people I
met when I came to the Senate, and one on whose kind
interest I came to rely, was Richard Halverson, the man
who served as Chaplain of the Senate from 1981 until early
this year.
Many of my colleagues have commented on his service to
the Senate, and to all of us who work here. He considered
what he called the Senate family--from the most senior
cook to the least junior Senator--his flock. His
approachable manner and generous ways endeared him to us
all. ``I try never to be in a hurry,'' he said in an
interview with the Hill last year. Everyone responded to
this gentle, important courtesy in a place where schedules
are demanding and often implacable.
Kipling wrote of those who ``can talk with kings and
keep the common touch.'' Dr. Halverson, in the course of
his ministry here, demonstrated that he was capable of
this skill, and each of us appreciated that when he talked
with us, as well as with kings, we were elevated by his
special attention.
He will be in our thoughts and prayers for years to
come.
Tuesday, December 12, 1995.
Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I was deeply saddened by the
passing of Dr. Richard C. Halverson, our friend and our
Chaplain who served the Senate with distinction for 14
years. Dr. Halverson was a shining example for us all--he
embodied all that we seek to be in the eyes of our
families, our friends, the Americans we serve, and of
course, God.
George Bernard Shaw once wrote: ``There is only one
religion, though there are a hundred versions of it.'' Mr.
President, I would say this is a fitting description of
the community Dr. Halverson so gracefully ministered.
There are as many different opinions in this Senate as
there are Senators. Yet Dr. Halverson, in his kind and
gentle manner, was always able to provide the individual
counsel and insight that helped us reach decisions on
issues both monumental and mundane. Amid the busy hustle
and bustle of events here in the Senate, it is not
difficult to lose grounding, and it becomes ever more
important to remember our place in the universe. Dr.
Halverson, through his daily prayers, helped us to keep
our perspective.
Of course, Dr. Halverson served all the Senate
employees, and those who knew him loved him just as much
as he loved them. He was always available to help and
guide people in need, people in pain, or people who just
needed to talk.
But Dr. Halverson's work extended far beyond the United
States Senate and the Capitol dome. He was minister to the
Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, leader of the
prayer breakfast movement and World Vision, and deeply
involved in several other evangelical organizations. Dr.
Halverson reached out to many, and he will be sorely
missed.
I want to extend to his family my condolences, and
during this difficult time wish for them the hope and
strength that Dr. Halverson inspired in all who knew him.
Mr. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, tomorrow there will be a
memorial service for the late Reverend Dr. Richard
Halverson. I want to take this opportunity to express my
sorrow and sadness over the passing of this man who served
not only as Chaplain of the Senate for 14 years, but also
as model of the Christian life.
Dr. Halverson came to the Senate after serving churches
in Missouri, California, and Maryland. His leadership of
World Vision, the Campus Crusade for Christ, Christian
College Consortium, and the prayer breakfast movement,
established him as a world-renowned figure.
But I always think of him as the Senate family Chaplain.
He did not merely try to give guidance and wisdom to
Senators. He served all in the Senate, including the
family members of staffers at all levels of the Senate.
In moments of great stress, I know many Senators turned
to Dr. Halverson for guidance and counsel. And every day,
when Dr. Halverson opened proceedings with the prayer, he
gave us strength and perspective in understanding the
responsibilities we hold as Senators.
I am proud to have known Dr. Halverson and can truly say
that I will miss him. I know that his family can be
comforted in knowing that today he is with God.
Wednesday, December 13, 1995.
Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, today the Senate is holding a
memorial service to remember Reverend Richard C.
Halverson, our friend and our Chaplain from 1981 to March
of this year, who passed away two weeks ago after a long
illness. To each of us, whatever our individual religious
beliefs, Reverend Halverson was someone special. To some
of us, he was a confidant; to others, a counselor; and to
still others, a pastor in the more traditional sense of
the word. To each of us, he was a friend.
The Senate is, in many ways, a small community with many
of the same dynamics inherent in small communities across
our Nation. We work in close quarters and all know each
other very well. Each of us have forged great friendships
here, and each of us has seen great rivalries develop
among colleagues. We are all public figures whose lives
are all too often an open book. We come from widely
different backgrounds, and each of us brings to the Senate
a different set of values we hold dearly and ideals to
which we are firmly and determinedly committed. And out of
all of that, out of all the differing backgrounds and
competing philosophies, out of the individual strengths
and weaknesses, and out of the personal friendships and
political rivalries, this community of one hundred men and
women must produce public policy that ensures the well-
being of more than two hundred and fifty million of our
fellow Americans. That is an awesome responsibility.
As much as any of us, Reverend Halverson understood both
the sense of community and the awesome responsibility of
the Senate. Each morning, in his opening prayer, he would
try to remind us that the sense of community,
collegiality, and comity that has always been the
trademark of this body is vitally important to carrying
out the tasks that are demanded of us. He would remind us
that the Senator on the other side of a heated debate is
just as committed a public servant as we are. That no
political party has a monopoly on compassion, or
patriotism, or integrity. That the American Dream is
neither conservative nor liberal. And that at the end of
the day that sense of community, as Senators and as
Americans, must prevail if we are to meet the
responsibilities that have been entrusted to us.
Reverend Halverson understood that as Senators, our
lives--official and often personal--are open to more
scrutiny than most Americans would tolerate. He understood
that not only our votes and our speeches, but our families
and our lifestyles are often open to public review. As
public officials we have accepted that. Nonetheless,
Reverend Halverson understood that scrutiny does take a
human toll, reminding us that as we would like to be
treated with understanding, so we must be understanding
ourselves. And reminding us that for all of the public
scrutiny of our lives and our conduct, for all of the
public criticism that we sometimes receive for our votes
and our political and philosophical beliefs, for all of
the questioning of our motives that we must sometimes
endure, the work that we do is so important to so many
people that we must persevere.
Reverend Halverson always understood that election to
public office does not take away the pressures that face
every other American man and woman; work-related stress,
family concerns, health concerns, or the self-questioning
that every individual faces from time to time throughout
their lives. Similarly, he understood that election to
public office does not bestow skills or talents that we
did not possess before; nor does it eradicate any personal
weaknesses we possessed before our election. But Reverend
Halverson was always there to remind us that deep within
each of us is the ability to meet every challenge that our
careers and our lives present.
A few years ago, I was quite ill. I left here one
February night with a headache and did not return until
late in the summer. During those months, as he was during
all of his 14 years here, Reverend Halverson was there for
me. I have never forgotten that, and my family has never
forgotten that.
Throughout his 14 years as the Senate Chaplain Reverend
Richard C. Halverson was a committed public servant and a
friend to each of us. We shall miss him.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, with sadness, tempered by
gratitude, I rise today to mourn the passing of the late
Chaplain of the Senate, the Reverend Richard C. Halverson.
Recently he left this Chamber and this world, but the
impression he left is all around us.
Mr. President, we all know that national politics is
often wracked by deep disagreement. The task of steering
history's most civilized Nation on a wise course through
democratic means arouses strong passions. Only spiritual
guidance and divine grace could steady this Chamber during
the tempests of every age, and we are fortunate to debate
in soft tones, and to determine great questions as a
civilized community. For the last 14 years, America
herself was blessed to have Dr. Halverson, the Senate's
Christian humanist, to keep our civilization decent.
Whenever a member of out little civilization lost a
loved one--or gained one--the Chaplain's office was a
proven source of consolation and hope.
I took the oath here not too long ago, and I remember,
among a flood of invitations, one from the good Chaplain
asked to come to the weekly Senate prayer breakfast. There
are many bipartisan meetings in the Capitol, but the calm
communion of Catholics, Jews, and Protestants was
tripartisan as well as profoundly contemplative. I
treasure those Wednesday morning gatherings as occasions
to make deep and abiding friendships with my colleagues.
Mr. President, John Stuart Mill wrote that ``one person
with a belief is a social power equal to ninety-nine who
have only interests.'' Here in this Chamber, one Chaplain
with unshakeable belief was a social power equal to all
100 of us, each with a host of interests and beliefs. He
calmed our fears, he kept us together, and every morning
he called us to prayer.
Now, as he taught us, I join my colleagues in praying
for his soul.
Friday, December 15, 1995.
Mr. EXON. Mr. President, passage of a wonderful, gifted
and true Christian gentleman, former Senate Chaplain
Richard Halverson, has left another void in our society
and great sadness to this friend of his. My wonderful
wife, Pat and I always felt Dick Halverson was one of
God's greatest gifts to us and our spiritual well-being.
He never let us down, and he always built us up.
The Christian glow of Chaplain Halverson, like a strobe
light in the dark or a beacon in the storm and fog, shone
brightly always and will everlastingly. Few have attained
or maintained the mission of what obviously was God's
wisdom and compassion in creating and sending forth among
us poor sinners this giant workman for faith and good.
I knew him well years before he was called upon to be
the spiritual leader of the Senate. Way back in the early
1970's, when I first met this man, I correctly sensed,
when he came to Nebraska to lead us in a Governors'
Christian retreat, his devotion and his unique ability to
spread our Maker's message of peace and love and
understanding.
While he is gone from us in this life, and we will miss
him, the light and glow of Richard Halverson does not even
flicker. It is brighter than ever. For this wonderful man,
who has been taken from us and from his family, we issue
condolences to that great family of Richard Halverson, but
we commit to continue his gentle but most effective
teachings that he has left all of us for the betterment of
mankind. God bless my brother, Richard Halverson.
I thank the Chair and I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the
Senator from Georgia [Mr. Nunn], is recognized for up to
25 minutes. The Senator is recognized.
Mr. NUNN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that
morning business be extended sufficient time to
accommodate my remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. NUNN. Mr. President, I first wish to express my
gratitude to the Senator from Nebraska for his fine
comments on Reverend Halverson, a man we all dearly loved.
There was a beautiful and wonderful memorial service to
him in the Senate caucus room this week where not only
Senators but, more importantly, Senate family--policemen,
people working in the dining room, doorkeepers--expressed
their profound appreciation for the life and example of
this wonderful, wonderful disciple of God. I will be
making more complete remarks, and I will also, at a later
point, insert in the Record some of the remarks made at
his memorial service so that all Senators can read them.
I certainly join at this juncture with my friend from
Nebraska and thank him for his poignant and very
appropriate observation about this dear brother who meant
so much to this body and the entire Senate family.
Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the founder of Methodism, John
Wesley, declared, ``The world is my parish.'' In a like
fashion, Dr. Richard Halverson might have declared that
the Senate side of the United States Capitol, the city of
Washington, DC, and the United States of America were his
parish.
No one who ever passed Dr. Halverson in the hallways or
in the streets of this Federal community had any reason to
doubt that Dr. Richard Halverson was a man in whom the
Light of God's Love shone brightly. From the men and women
who clean our offices at night to the men and women who
prepare the meals in our dining rooms and cafeterias, to
the men and women who deliver the mail throughout the
office complexes, to the men and women who police the
streets of Capitol Hill, to the men and women who serve in
the offices of Senators and on the elevators and in
committee staffs to the men and women who sit on the Floor
of the United States Senate as elected officials of the
fifty sovereign States, no one was beyond Dr. Halverson's
love, his ministry, and his care. If one followed Dr.
Halverson throughout his daily routine, one would not find
a man more possessed by, as well as animated by, the
Capitol Spirit of the Living God. I have met few men in
any ordained order of the clergy or any denomination, who
fit the phrase ``Men of God'' so well as did Dr.
Halverson.
Dr. Richard Halverson was a man of plain speech and
honest demeanor. His eloquence was often in his
simplicity. No problem brought to him by one of us or by
anyone on Capitol Hill was too small for his attention or
too menial to call forth from him a prayer or a blessing.
Having come from a major Washington parish--The Fourth
Presbyterian Church on River Road--a church numbering
among its members thousands--Dr. Halverson, on assuming
the chaplaincy of the U.S. Senate, shouldered his duties
without missing a beat. During his years of service among
us, he was in much demand nationwide to share his
spiritual maturity and the depth of his insights with
thousands upon thousands of people in conferences across
our country. In spite of the demand upon his time,
however, Dr. Richard Halverson never neglected his primary
duty here in the United States Senate. Working as one man
among ordinary men and women--the men and women elected to
the high position of United States Senator, Dr. Halverson
seemed to grasp instinctively our needs as human beings
first and our needs as Senators second. In all of the
years of his service here, Dr. Halverson sowed seeds of
faith, and kindness, and love that will continue to bear
fruit in all of our lives, and in the life of this
institution long after all of us have departed its halls.
I am particularly grateful to Dr. Halverson for the
pastoral care that he lent to me personally during the
ordeal of the loss of my beloved grandson in a truck
accident. And I remember with thankfulness his ministry to
my wife during her seasons of illness and debility. And I
shall never forget the witness that Dr. Halverson shared
with me of his own faith as he and I opened our hearts to
one another and searched the deeper things of life in
sometimes casual conversations or in moments of profound
insight. If ever there were a model of the ``Priesthood of
all Believers,'' Dr. Halverson was a priest of that order
of ``Melchisedec'' spoken of in the Holy Scriptures. Dr.
Halverson had the enviable ability to share his faith in
God as one might recommend to another his Best Friend. For
Richard Halverson, God was no abstraction, but the first
reality of waking in the morning, traveling forth into the
world by day and returning home at night to his slumber.
I saw the sun sink in the golden west;
No angry cloud obscured its latest ray.
Around the couch on which it sank to rest
Shone all the splendor of a summer day.
And long, though lost to view, that radiant light,
Reflected from the sky, delayed the night.
Thus, when a good man's life comes to a close,
No doubts arise to cloud his soul with gloom,
But faith triumphant on each feature glows,
And benedictions fill the sacred room.
And long do men his virtues wide proclaim,
While generations rise to bless his name.
I have no doubt that Dr. Halverson has indeed now gone
to his reward in that Eternity for which each of us yearns
in his heart of hearts. Death can be no victor over the
life of a man like Richard Halverson--a man whose daily
walk and whose wisdom were rooted in the Eternal Word of
God. Indeed, as Jesus said, when he saw Nathanael coming
to him, we might also say of Dr. Richard Halverson,
``Behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile.''
My wife and I extend our deep deepest sympathies to Mrs.
Halverson and to the family of Dr. Halverson. He was not
slick; he was not even particularly polished, perhaps, but
neither was the Jesus Christ whom he served. This was not
just a vocation, it was an avocation, and what you saw was
what you got.
As I said to his son after Dr. Halverson's passing, I
have no doubt--and I had no doubt that Dr. Halverson
knew--of his son's grief. I felt that way when my own
foster father passed from this earthly life. I felt that
way when my grandson was taken at the age of 17. I felt
that his spirit still lived, and that he knew of my grief.
Dr. Halverson knows today of his family's grief. They
can take solace in the promise that he still lives, and
that they can one day be reunited with him.
rose still grows beyond the wall
Near a shady wall a rose once grew,
Budded and blossomed in God's free light,
Watered and fed by morning dew,
Shedding its sweetness day and night.
As it grew and blossomed fair and tall,
Slowly rising to loftier height,
It came to a crevice in the wall,
Through which there shone a beam of light.
Onward it crept with added strength,
With never a thought of fear or pride.
It followed the light through the crevice's length
And unfolded itself on the other side.
The light, the dew, the broadening view
Were found the same as they were before;
And it lost itself in beauties new,
Spreading its fragrance more and more.
Shall claim of death cause us to grieve,
and Make our courage faint or fall?
Nay! Let us faith and hope receive:
The rose still grows beyond the wall.
Scattering fragrance far and wide,
Just as it did in days of yore,
Just as it did on the other side,
Just as it will forevermore.
Monday, December 18, 1995.
Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to
the life of Dr. Richard Halverson. To many in this body,
he was a spiritual leader. To others, he was a counselor.
To me, he was both of those and he was also a friend.
I got to know Dick Halverson when he responded to my
pleas for help with the Missouri Prayer Breakfast. Despite
his hectic schedule, he helped and encouraged me in
developing the Missouri Governor's Student Leadership
Conference on Faith and Values in Leadership. His display
of kindness and love was remarkable. Even more remarkable,
however, was that this was not remarkable--it was just the
way Dick was.
Dick's legacy will be a lasting one. Words written
during his life endure and will serve as inspirational
challenges not only to us, but to those yet to be born. A
family nurtured by this father, husband, and grandfather
will bear a continuing witness to his love. And the
countless lives that he touched and influenced and saved
help make this world a better place and heaven a more
crowded place.
What is the measure of man's life? Richard Halverson
knew the answer. A man's life is measured by how much he
loves God and how deeply he cares for those that God has
put around him. Dick's life was a full one--measured great
by any standard of earthly success--counted great by the
one opinion that counts. For Dick lived life and lived it
abundantly, knowing what was important and what was not. I
will miss Dick, but I will also rejoice at all God did
through him.
Tuesday, December 19, 1995.
Mr. MACK. I rise today to extend my heartfelt
condolences to the family of Reverend Richard Halverson.
In his position as the U.S. Senate Chaplain for the past
14 years, Reverend Halverson acted as spiritual leader to
me personally, as well as to the entire Senate. His
unwavering devotion, knowledge, and guidance have been a
powerful example of living by one's convictions. It is an
example from which we should derive inspiration as we
search for the true meaning in our lives. I will keep the
family of Reverend Halverson in my thoughts and prayers
during their time of grief.
Memorial Services for
Dr. Richard C. Halverson
MEMORIAL SERVICE
in
CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION
for
Dr. Richard C. Halverson
Fourth Presbyterian Church
5500 River Road,
Bethesda, Maryland
DECEMBER 11, 1995
Organ Prelude
Mr. Fred Markey
Welcome and Opening Prayer
Dr. Rob Norris
Family Greetings
Reverend Chris Halverson
Anthem
When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
Sanctuary Choir; Text: No. 185 in the pew hymnal
Scripture Readings and Comments
Philippians 1:21, For to me to live is Christ, and to
die is gain.--Judge Martin Bostetter.
Acts 20:24, But none of these things move me, neither
count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish
my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have
received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God.--Reverend Bob Strain.
Ephesians 4:7, 11-13, But unto every one of us is given
grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.--Mr.
Phil Jordan.
Song of Praise
it is well with my soul
Instrument of Praise; Text: No. 493 in the pew hymnal
Sharing
Mrs. Barbara Skinner
Senator Mark O. Hatfield
Mr. Doug Coe
Dr. Billy Graham
Louise B. Risk
Jim and Betsy Kumnicks
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Hymn No. 463
Mrs. Barbara Skinner
Jesus told his disciples once, he said from now on I'm
not going to call you servants, I'm going to call you
friends, because a servant doesn't know what his master is
doing, but as a friend, everything the Father has told me
I'm going to tell you. Well, Dick Halverson was first
friend of my husband Tom Skinner, then he became my very
good friend. In fact he joined the two of us together in
matrimony. Now it didn't bother Dick that he was one of
three ministers to perform our wedding ceremony, because I
told him as a 35-year-old black woman, it's so hard to
find a man I don't want to take any chances on one of you
ministers not showing up! So Dick came an hour early! But
he not only came early, he stood there and he greeted 475
people individually. And he said to me a little bit later,
almost in tears, and this was the spirit of the man, he
said, ``Barb, I saw people who I would have never had a
chance to meet but for you and Tom. Why are our worlds far
apart?'' He said, ``Can we make a pact that from now on,
we're going to give away our friends?''
And that's what we basically spent a lot of time doing,
giving away our friends. One of the things that Tom
Skinner, John Staggers and Sam Hines shared with this man
we called Dick, is a very clear understanding of what the
kingdom of God is about. Dick understood that the kingdom
was not about what we were going to do later. He and Tom
would sit around after they preached a lot and talk about
the idea that heaven is that place where Jesus is Lord and
God is in control because in heaven there's no racism or
sexism or violence or broken relationships, but that the
work of God's people is to model that on earth. So that
the unbelievers would know what heaven really was like. So
the idea for Dick was that you did that by the way you
treated people at every level. So Dick would hook up with
Stu Murtoff and Sam Hines and John Staggers and go to
Lorton Prison. That was very natural for him. That
reconciliation was not something you preached about, it
was something you did every day.
If you ran around with Dick on Capitol Hill you saw that
he knew the name of every policeman, every page, every
person who cooked, because people mattered to him. The
Gospel was not about what he preached, his talk and his
walk were the same. And I remember Dick standing with me
as we were going to one of the prayer breakfasts and he
had tears in his eyes and he said, ``You know, Barb, what
Washington, DC, means to me?'' He said, ``I got it first
from a man named Abram Vereide,'' who as many of you know
was the father of the prayer breakfast movement, he said,
``Abram stood at the 14th street bridge once and he looked
at Anacostia on the east, the poorest of the poor live
there, and he looked over to Georgetown on the west, where
the richest of the rich live, he said they will never come
together unless you and I come together.'' And so that's
what Dick's whole life was about, it was about walking
with people who God walked with. And so he was our friend
who could come and have dinner with us and hang out with
us. He loved John Staggers and Sam Hines and Tom Skinner
like brothers. He dreamed about a city in Washington, DC,
where the poor and the non-poor hung out together, spent
time together, and that the walls of fear would only be
broken down when we realized that we were one at the foot
of the cross--we were all equal at the foot of the cross.
And that's what his whole commitment was about. When he
talked about the city of Washington, he almost always
followed it with the gospel message in Jeremiah 29 when it
says if you pray for the city, the city will prosper.
Because it prospers, you too will prosper. And he
absolutely saw Washington, DC, not as a crime capitol of
the world, but as a city that was set on a hill for God.
That the only issue was when would the 84 million of us
who said, according to the gallop poll, that we have had a
personal relationship with Jesus Christ, when would we put
down our fear and our hostility and our stereotypes and
our anger and all of our attitudes about one another, and
accept that the blood of Jesus was the only color that
existed. That at the foot of the cross everybody was seen
as the same by God. So Dick's attitude, frankly, was that
he earned nothing, that God had given him everything. His
whole life was about giving himself away, giving his
friends away, and he only hoped that there would be, like
Abram Vereide, a leadership lead by God on behalf of the
poor.
I believe that the heritage of that is in this room. I
believe that the sons and daughters of many of those who
walked with Dick Halverson must accept, as he accepted,
that we have already been healed by the 39 stripes of
Jesus. That there is no other meeting to be held, here is
no other plan to be laid, that all we need to do is to ask
Jesus, as Dick had said to Tom many times, he said, ``I
simply pray and ask God, who are the black brothers and
the brown and the red and the yellow brothers you want me
to walk with? Lord, just give me enough courage, when you
send them my way, not to qualify them. But to accept, if
you've accepted them, I have.''
Let me just close by sharing, what I consider, really
the testimony of Dick's life and it was the same testimony
that I believe represented the life of John Staggers and
Sam Hines and Tom Skinner, who have all gone to heaven. I
can just imagine these guys up there slapping ``high
fives'' having a serious time! But it says that when I
die, give all that's left of me away, to children and old
people who wait to die. And if you need to cry, cry for
your brother who's walking the streets beside you. And
when you think of me, put your arms around anyone and give
them what you mean to give to me. I want to leave you
something, something better than words or sounds. Love
doesn't die, people do. So when all that's left of me is
love, give me away, I'll see you at home in heaven.
a
Remembrances
the honorable mark o. hatfield
When Dr. Halverson was chosen to be the chaplain of the
United States Senate, he provided for fourteen years the
counsel to that Senate, continually reminding us what true
leadership really meant. It was not an admonition, it was
an example. Because Dr. Halverson, first of all, as a
leader, became a servant. And he reminded each and every
one of us that everyday, we are to serve the people around
us.
I am reminded of one occasion when we were walking
across the plaza to the Capitol building, and one of the
policemen hailed Dr. Halverson and said, ``I need your
prayers.'' Dr. Halverson immediately went over, grasped
this policeman by the arm and prayed the prayer to meet
his need. How many times have we promised or stated so
easily, as a matter of almost routine, I will pray for
you, or I will remember you in my prayers, and then move
ahead with the days routine, and have the commitment slip
our mind? But Dr. Halverson responded on the spot,
quickly, quietly, and with compassion.
I can not begin to share with you this evening, the full
scope of Dr. Halverson's daily compassionate outreach,
exemplified in Jesus' great commandment, Love the Lord thy
God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself. His
ministry was total. He would attend a bible study of the
old testament, hosted by one of the Jewish Senators, at
the same time he could expound upon the Jewishness of our
Christian faith, because he was able to not only speak the
scripture, but he was willing to apply it.
I can remember on one occasion when there had been a
great tragedy, and one of the Senator's staff persons
being murdered. And everyone was in a state of shock. It
was Chaplain Halverson who went to the Senator's office,
offered to gather the Senator's staff together, and to
pray and to ask God's compassion. And that staff, even
though dispersed today, will probably consider that as one
of their rich experiences in coming to understand the
ministry of Richard Halverson.
I can remember, too, that when Senator Byrd's grandson
was killed in a very tragic situation, and it was Dick
Halverson who traveled to West Virginia to conduct the
funeral services. I can remember when our oldest daughter
was to be married, and it was Chaplain Halverson, who
traveled to Portland, Oregon, to marry one of the young
ladies that grew up in this church. So he has shared our
griefs, and he has shared our joys.
I might say too, that his prayers have been very
powerful prayers. I know of no time in history when his
prayers often were not only reported in the media, but
editorialized by the media. Some of his prayers penetrated
our consciousness, and sometimes even our egos, as when
one Christmas season he prayed, Heavenly Father, help us
to be mindful that the proclamation of the coming of Your
Son was made to simple, humble shepherds out on a
hillside, and not to the Roman Senate. His private prayers
were also very, very powerful. One morning he was having
breakfast in the Senate dining room with Dr. Billy Graham.
Not many people in the dining room at that hour, and he
noticed the waitresses were sort of congregated around the
door opening into the kitchen. As they finished breakfast,
walking by he gathered them, as he could so easily do, and
he and Dr. Graham had prayer with our waitresses. It was
that sensitivity to all people in all walks of life.
Dr. Halverson's ministry was reconciling. He recognized
especially those moments of tension in the Senate, when
relationships were ruptured, when animosity prevailed. And
one evening, as it came to the 12:00 midnight hour, and
the rule of the Senate was, at the beginning of any new
session, you shall have prayer, and at 12:01 they invited
Dick Halverson to open the 12:01 a.m. session, again with
prayer. ``Heavenly Father, Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. And all the kings horses
and all the kings men, could not put Humpty Dumpty back
together again, and Lord, help the Senators not repeat
that experience here.''
I have said before that Dr. Halverson was one of the
most Christ-like men, or persons I have ever known. And
even in his failing health, he continued his ministries
when the Secretary of the Senate would take him by one
arm, and Chris would take him by the other arm, and help
him to mount the podium to offer his morning prayer.
I want to encapsule what I would identify my friend and
his ministry, with all of his talents and all of his
skills, he was a singing, a suffering, a praying, a
preaching, a comforting and compassionate presence in the
United States Senate. And we all miss him.
a
Mr. Doug Coe
This evening it's my privilege to represent many
associates scattered throughout the world that are friends
of Dick and his family. Many of them are here tonight, but
most are not. But they also would like to be here. People
from Japan, India, Mongolia, Germany, France, throughout
Africa and Latin America. They would like to say to Dick
Halverson one last time, we thank you, we love you and we
respect you.
Mark Hatfield and I met Dick Halverson some 43 years ago
at Willamette University and we've been together,
practically daily, ever since. I have listened to him
personally preach and teach on six continents, and
listened to him privately counsel me and many others for
that long, and I can tell you honestly, that I have never
grown tired of listening to him expand on the precepts,
the principles and the person of his greatest friend,
Jesus Christ.
As the years have gone on, I have moved, from not only
being his student, to being his friend, partner, companion
and brother. As you can imagine, tonight, along with all
of you, there are a thousand memories which crowd into
one's thoughts, over so long a period of time. But the one
that always pushes its way to the front of my mind, is
Dick on his knees. There has been a lot of mentioning
about Dick's prayers. But, you know, often today we pray,
but not often on our knees. I think of him, when I think
of him in my mind, on his knees. The times are countless
that I met him early in the morning at his home, to go
together for a breakfast, only to find him on his knees.
After I rang his doorbell and there was no answer, I would
look through the crack in the blinds to observe Dick on
his knees. When we traveled together, we were on our knees
first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.
That, my dear friends and colleagues, was the secret to
his life and love for Jesus of Nazareth and everyone else.
I remember when he preached here, ``prayer is the work.''
That's what I remember most.
I grew up in a community out in Oregon, where it seemed
like mostly women and sissies talked about Jesus. Then I
met Dick and observed, little by little, that the
strongest men would fall on their knees for Jesus.
There are no words to describe my feeling of personal
loss today, for this wonderful partner, mentor and friend.
Not again in this life, will we be able to sit together
all day or all night, speaking in audible tones about the
things pertaining to Jesus Christ and his kingdom. But I
must tell you I hear him even more clearly now. Ringing in
my heart and mind every minute, feeling constantly
together, but invisibly. He was a friend who always
answered when you called. And even before. He was a friend
who made our grief less painful and our adversities
bearable. He was a friend who made our disappointments
less hurtful, our problems more solvable. He was a friend
with whom we felt comfortable, who was always loyal, who
put up with our idiosyncrasies and always made us feel
loved. He was a friend who shared our lives and prayed for
us constantly. He was there to encourage us along the path
of our dreams and to give that boost needed, to climb the
mountain. Yes, he was one of those friends that comes, as
a great earthly treasure, to help prepare our eyes, our
heart, our mind and our soul, for that place Jesus Christ
has prepared for them that love Him.
This evening we all want to pay a special tribute to
Doris, Dick's beloved wife and companion for so many
years. Many of us have observed closely how they have
grown in their love for the Lord and for each other. In a
day when families are falling apart, Dick and Doris have a
family that is falling more in love with each other. This,
in the final analysis, in the true measure of a man's
life. So to observe Doris, Chris, Debbie, Steve, their
families, the grandchildren, all together loving Christ
and loving each other, is the greatest example of all.
Yes, along with you, I loved Dick. This occasion gives
us all an opportunity to thank God for our friend who
walked through our lives and taught us that physical death
has no sting. Today we can rejoice, because the fact is,
even though we can not see him, we are bound together more
than ever through the life and power of Jesus Christ, whom
we also can not see. But who is closer than life itself.
a
Dr. Billy Graham
It is a great privilege for me to be here tonight and to
hear all this, because it is all so true, and so much more
than has been said. And nobody can sum it up. Two words I
have heard over and over again tonight that sums it up for
me. One was prayer and the other was love. And that summed
up, in a sense, Dick Halverson's live.
He and I went to school together, I do not ever remember
him in school, and he would never remember me, because he
was an upper classman and he was a very brilliant student
compared to me. And we had no reason to know each other in
those days, except just by sight. But the first time that
I ever really got to know him was at Forest Home in
California, at a summer conference that Henrietta Mears
was chairman of, a college briefing conference of the
First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, of which Dr.
Ogilvie has just come to be the chaplain of the Senate to
succeed Dr. Halverson. And I remember they had at the end
of the week, they had a campfire, and if you wanted to re-
dedicate your life to the Lord, or go into Christian
service, you would pick up a little stick of wood and put
it on that fire. And I remember somebody had pointed out
Dick Halverson to me, and I had met him at that
conference, and he was one of the first people to get up
and go and put that stick on that fire. And I thought, my
goodness, if he needs to do that, I need to put a whole
load of wood on the fire because already, his godliness,
his prayer life, his study of scripture had already
affected me.
And I did not know Dick as well as many of you that have
expressed themselves tonight, but I talked to him many
times, of course, and was with him, I guess, several
hundred times, and there are people here tonight that I
see, that are well known across the country that knew him
much better, and could speak for hours. But I was in a
meeting once in Washington when people were giving their
testimonies and they were speaking, they called them a
popcorn testimony meeting, and there was one fellow that
just kept on and on, and Dick Halverson was the chairman,
he said, ``That is enough, brother, let someone else.''
And he had no hesitancy in doing things like that. And I
see that Chris has inherited all of that.
But I think it would be a wonderful thing tonight, if in
your heart, in your life, you re-dedicated your life
tonight, as I would like to do myself. Because very
rarely, do our lives, no matter who we are, get to cross a
life in a lifetime like Dick Halverson. There are just not
many people like that. And you have had the privilege of
crossing paths with him and being with him, and what he
has meant to all the people that have spoken tonight, he
has meant to you. And he wanted all the glory and all the
praise and all the honor to go to the Lord Jesus Christ,
as has already been said several times here. He did not
want anything for himself. He wanted it all for Christ.
And to Doris and to the family, we love you and thank
God that you gave so much of his time to people like us,
who he blessed. How many times I called him on the phone
to get his advice on things, through all these years, and
he never failed. And he never failed to say, ``Let us pray
about it.'' We would have prayer over the phone. And I
want to thank all of you and to this church for what you
meant to him. God bless you all.
a
Louise B. Risk
Anticipating his big smile, I would sometimes greet Dick
by saying: ``Here he comes, love on the hoof.'' The hoof
referred to his Dakota roots; love was his way of life.
Dick's love for his fellow human beings shone brightly
but was pale compared to his love for Christ. Like Paul,
Dick could say: ``I count everything as loss because of
the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.''
True friends are not supposed to be perfect but to be
understanding. My friendship with Dick began in the
1960's, shortly after I started to attend his Thursday
morning Bible class. Dick's teaching was good, the
conversation over tea and coffee more of a problem. On
this particular Thursday the group was ardently espousing
political and social points of view different from my own.
Walking out the door, on impulse I said to Dick: ``I do
not think I can fit in.'' I was startled by an arm around
my shoulder and the triumphant admonition, ``Do your own
thing!'' From this intuitive, spontaneous comment
developed a life I still enjoy--walking with a Savior
whose service is perfect freedom.
It was not Dick's way to question others' political
views, let alone to judge their souls. He could be awkward
in settings of social affluence, uncomfortable in
corridors of power. His heart was with the poor. Deeply
conflicted yet skeptical of philosophers and theologians.
He turned a blind eye to his own scholarship while
maintaining inviolate daily time with books and Bible.
The last time I saw him, Dick could hardly walk up the
steps to the pulpit at Fourth Church. But he could still
preach loud and clear his unique vision of the gospel of
love.
Love is alive on the hoof--roaming the verdant pastures,
drinking the living water, luxuriating in the celestial
food at the table of the shepherd king.
a
Jim and Betsy Kumnick
The world is poorer today. Who but God could even begin
to calculate the impact of Dr. Halverson's life on this
planet? Everywhere he went, he carried the aroma of
Christ, casting a shadow of blessing and benevolence that
touched thousands--probably hundreds of thousands--of
lives. It will take an eternity to hear all the stories of
salvation, love, and healing that resulted from the
ministry of this dear servant of God. He was truly great
because he was truly humble. The Gospel he preached was
simple, as was St. Paul's: Jesus Christ, Son of God, came
to earth to take our sins all the way to the cross where
He died on our behalf. He rose again, ascended to heaven,
and sent His Holy Spirit to indwell the lives of all His
followers. One day all who trust Jesus as their Savior
will be with Him forever. How often Dr. Halverson reminded
us, ``The Bible is true. Believe it!''
Thank you, Doris, for unselfishly sharing your beloved
husband with so many people through the years. It cannot
have been easy for you as Dick became more and more well-
known around the world. God honored him for faithfully
proclaiming His message every time he stood in a pulpit or
at a lecturn, ultimately raising him to a position of
national prominence and spiritual power. Who knows how he
has affected America for good by his influence on those
who write our laws and govern our land? Who knows how many
individuals bless him for his impact on their personal
lives as he challenged them to follow Christ? Who knows
how many people learned to stop and pray right then and
there upon hearing a prayer request, as he did? Or how
many learned to say, ``I love you'' to brothers and
sisters in the Lord? How many have pondered how they are
to live ``between Sundays''? How many know they ``go
nowhere by accident''? How many have learned that where
they are at a given time is exactly where God wants them,
that this is ``an unrepeatable moment''? Who will ever
hear ``Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on Thee'' and not think of Dr. Halverson singing it
as a benediction at the close of Sunday evening services?
We used to tell our children as we sat in church that
they must be quiet and really listen, for this man is one
of the great men of God in our time. Someone said today
that Dick must be so excited to be gazing into the face of
the Savior he shared with so many. And the response was,
Jesus must be so excited to look into the face of His good
and faithful servant! How true. What a privilege to have
known him at all... We love him, we will miss him so much,
we look forward to seeing him again. We will never forget
him, and never stop thanking God for him. May our Lord
watch over you and bless you in the loss of your dear
husband and father, one of God's great men in this
century.
a
Message in Song
Mr. Steve Halverson
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Hymn No. 43.
Concluding Prayer by Richard C. Halverson, Jr.
Our Heavenly Father,
More than a sparrow has fallen, you must have taken note
of it.
More than a corn of wheat has been sown, you must have
prepared a great harvest.
More than a lily of the field has withered, you must
have arrayed him in glorious apparel.
More than all these, yet not so much than any of
mankind, is this man of God, whose life was Christ and
whose death was gain.
Tonight we rejoice not in what was accomplished through
him, for his work was only to believe in Your Son, and his
body was but to be worn by Your Spirit. Tonight we
rejoice, rather, that his name is written in the book of
life.
Well might we say with the Psalmist, ``What is man that
Thou art mindful of him, and the Son of man that visiteth
him. For that hast made him a little lower than the
Angels, and has crowned him with glory and honor.'' And
again it is written, ``Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of His saints.'' In the victorious name of
Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Benediction of Dr. Richard C. Halverson
You go no place by accident this week; wherever you go,
Christ is sending you.
You are no place by accident this week; wherever you
are, Christ has placed you, has planted you.
A little statement from my favorite devotional writer,
Oswald Chambers: ``Never allow the thought `I am of no use
where I am.' You certainly are of no use where you are
not.''
You go nowhere by accident; you are nowhere by accident.
Wherever you go, wherever you are, Christ is placing you
or sending you because Christ has a job He wants to do
there and He can only do it in your body.
Think. Wherever you are, Jesus Christ is literally
present in the flesh.
Believe that, and go in that confidence.
The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face
to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift
up His countenance upon you and give you His peace, now
and forever. Amen.
Postlude
Mr. Ed Weaver
MEMORIAL SERVICE
in
GRATEFUL MEMORY
of
Dr. Richard C. Halverson
United States Senate
60th Chaplain
FEBRUARY 1, 1981-FEBRUARY 5, 1995
DECEMBER 13, 1995
DR. RICHARD C. HALVERSON
February 4, 1916-November 28, 1995
The Reverend Dr. Richard C. Halverson was one of the
truly great spiritual leaders of our time. He was the
distinguished and beloved 60th Chaplain of the United
States Senate from February 2, 1981 to February 5, 1995.
Dr. Halverson expressed deep care and encouragement to the
Senators, their families and staffs, and Senate employees.
During his 14 year ministry as Chaplain he enabled the
Senate to be a caring family of people who help each other
enjoy the delights and endure the difficulties of life.
Chaplain Halverson's eloquent prayers opening the Senate
expressed his love for God and his patriotism for our
Nation. His preaching and writing made him a pastor to the
Nation.
However, it was Dr. Halverson's radiant countenance and
love-filled ``God bless you!'' that warmed the hearts of
people at the Capitol. He had an amazing knowledge of
people's needs and was a faithful intercessor. As a
spiritual counselor, he helped people experience God's
love and find answers to their deepest questions. He had a
way of making people feel loved, accepted, valued and
special.
Richard Halverson was a native of North Dakota. He was
educated at Wheaton College and Princeton Theological
Seminary. Honorary doctoral degrees were awarded him by
Wheaton College and Gordon College. Prior to coming to
Washington to work with the Prayer Breakfast movement and
subsequently as Senior Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian
Church in Bethesda, Maryland, for 23 years, he was
Leadership Education Minister of the First Presbyterian
Church of Hollywood, California.
As an author, Dr. Halverson published over 20 books and
wrote the popular nationally distributed newsletter,
Perspective. He served on the boards of several Christian
organizations and has been a leader in the movement of the
ministry of the laity.
Our beloved friend is survived by his wife, Doris, and
three children: Reverend Richard C. Halverson, Jr.,
Stephen S. Halverson, Deborah Halverson Markey, and nine
grandchildren.
We are profoundly thankful for the impact of this great
man of God!
Piano Prelude
Leroy Hazzard, piano, Human Resource Department, U.S.
Senate
Cathy Miller, piano, National Christian Choir
Judy Hooks, synthesizer, National Christian Choir
Call To Worship
Dr. Lloyd J. Ogilvie
Choral Praise
National Christian Choir
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Dr. Lloyd J. Ogilvie
Shared Blessing
Dr. Lloyd J. Ogilvie
Reading of Scripture and Personal Word
Reverend Chris Halverson
A Favorite Hymn of Dr. Halverson
great is thy faithfulness (versus 1, 3)
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of fuming with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
To Thy great Faithfulness, mercy and love.
Chorus:
Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
Chorus.
Grateful Reflections
Members of the Senate and Staff, led by Senator Don
Nickles
a
Tribute to Chaplain Richard C. Halverson
(By Robert G. Ellis, Jr.)
When Chaplain Ogilvie asked if I could say a few words
in behalf of my brother and friend, Chaplain Richard C.
Halverson, I considered it an honor. As Chaplain Ogilvie
walked away, the scripture from John 15:13 came to mind.
``Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends.'' More than 53 years ago,
Chaplain Halverson made a commitment to give his life for
me, you, and the world, as an example, so we could know
the love of our Heavenly Father.
Chaplain Halverson not only was the Chaplain to the U.S.
Senate, but to all he came in contact with. He was the
Chaplain to the police officers, the subway drivers, the
cafeteria personnel, the labor personnel, the
electricians, the elevator operators, the elevator
mechanics, the housekeeping personnel and all the staff
here on Capitol Hill. His ministry included the world,
because he knew that everyone is a child of God. He
extended his ministry, because he committed his life to
serving our Father in Heaven. In his special and loving
way, Chaplain Halverson was saying, ``I know that my
Redeemer lives.'' His example was to show the job of
living a Christ-like life, so we can all partake of our
Heavenly Father's gift of eternal life, if we will follow
suit.
The United States Capitol Police appreciated Chaplain
Halverson, and the love he extended to us. It was indeed
special to have his life shared with us. To Chaplain
Halverson's very special family, we extend our love and
appreciation. You too have been special in our lives. May
God bless each of you and comfort you at this time.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I say these things. Amen.
a
Time Frame
(By C.J. Martin)
Born to serve, receive and resend,
Born to fertilize as salt and extend,
Born to give. Perpetuate life,
Serve mankind and friend.
Born to support, nurture, refine and defend,
Born to be called upon and admired through thick and
thin.
Born to admire the race, keep pace, finish with God's
grace
and remember His timing is to be embraced.
Embrace Thee
Peace like a dove in early morning light,
reflecting, measuring, balancing wide and narrow streams
of air that lift to new rewarding heights.
Peering over God's creation, marveling at this joyous
wonderful sight.
Dazzling sun rays miraculously split cloud cover,
revealing
undiscovered, splendid, ordained sights
that might go unnoticed in one's mundane or over-zealous
life.
Oh, God, intercede, let not another day become night,
without respectfully understanding your creative life.
See the flower, smell the rose, plant a tree, smile
peacefully,
sing a song, but hurriedly, swiftly, unashamedly embrace
thy
heart and see, not one but three in Thee.
A Favorite Hymn of Dr. Halverson
amazing grace (versus 1, 5)
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now am found
Was blind but now I see.
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.
A Message of Hope
Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie
Choral Anthem
National Christian Choir
Bendiction
Condolences and Tributes
Christian Booksellers Association
Adding Reverend Richard C.
Halverson to the ``Hall of Honor''
July 1995,
Denver, CO.
Narrator. He's been called ``the conscience of our
Nation's lawmakers'' . . . ``the soul of the Senate.'' For
14 years, the presence of Dr. Richard C. Halverson has
been felt everywhere on Capitol Hill--from the corridors
of leadership and power . . . to both chambers of Congress
. . . even to the Office of the President.
Until his recent retirement from the post of chaplain to
the United States Senate, Dr. Halverson had the unique
privilege and awesome responsibility of opening each day's
Senate proceedings with prayer--and he did so with
remarkable spiritual sensitivity, neither compromising his
own convictions, nor offending those who thought
differently. As one Senator recalls, ``his prayer was
always the soothing balm we needed--the right word to put
some healing into the Senate's contentious process.''
With a passion for moral and spiritual revival in
America that is eclipsed only by a desire to bless
individual lives, Dr. Halverson touched many people in his
daily work on Capitol Hill--congressional staffers,
Capitol policemen, servers and cooks in the Senate dining
room--and of course, Senators on both sides of the
political spectrum. Republicans and Democrats alike sought
him out for counsel, eager for the inspiration he never
failed to give . . . thankful for his consistent Christian
example.
To the fractious din of Washington's politically-charged
atmosphere, Halverson's presence brought a calming effect.
He was available to people at their convenience and in
their time of need. He was a listener . . . an encourager
. . . and an affirmer, who always seemed to know when
someone was troubled, sick or in need of prayer. And
though he sought to turn the hearts of a Nation's leaders
toward heaven, he did so not with confrontation or rebuke,
but with quiet humility, meekness and love.
He prayed for each Senator by name--and he interceded
for their spouses, their children and staff as well. His
daughter, Debbie remembers seeing him early in the
morning, kneeling by his big green leather chair. ``I have
to be sure every morning before I leave home, I have had
some time with the Lord--time in His word,'' he said. ``I
want to be very sure that God knows that as far as I am
concerned, I have nothing to offer except what He does in
and through me.''
And God has done much through Richard Halverson. It was
he who reminded the Senate and the Nation that without
God, a democracy cannot stand. ``Take creator God out of
the formula,'' he wrote, ``and the whole structure
collapses.'' Even today Dr. Halverson continues to remind
us of God's wisdom through his books. Still he prays for
our Nation and its leaders. Still he pauses to affirm and
encourage those around him.
And so, in deep respect and admiration, we pause to
recognize Dr. Richard C. Halverson--and to welcome him
into C.B.A.'s Hall of Honor.
Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award
Saturday, March 26, 1994,
North Dakota Heritage Center, Bismarck, North Dakota.
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson was born February 4,
1916, in Pingree, North Dakota. He attended then Valley
City State College (later university) for 2 years, before
receiving a bachelor of science degree from Wheaton
College, Wheaton, Illinois, in 1939. He earned a bachelor
of theology degree from Princeton Theological Seminary,
Princeton, New Jersey, in 1942.
He has served as the Chaplain of the U.S. Senate since
February 2, 1981. He was pastor of the Fourth Presbyterian
Church, Bethesda, Maryland, from December 1958 to May
1981. Since 1956, he has been active in the International
Prayer Breakfast movement. He was Chairman of the Board of
World Vision-U.S. from 1966 to 1983, and has been an
Associate in the International Prayer Breakfast Movement
since May 1956. He has also written several inspirational
books.
In association with World Vision and the Prayer
Breakfast Movement, he has participated in pastors' and
leaders conferences in Asia, Australia, Latin America,
Africa, Europe, Oceania, and the United States.
Former President George Bush wrote to Governor Schafer
that Reverend Halverson ``. . . is one of the most
thoughtful individuals I have ever met. When I was
President, Dr. Halverson would send me words of comfort
and cheer. He cared deeply, and this caring was so evident
to me and to the Members of Congress whose paths crossed
his. Please give Dr. Halverson a warm embrace from his
friend here in Texas, whose life is a little bit better
because he came my way.''
Reverend Halverson and his wife, Doris, have two sons,
one daughter, and nine grandchildren.
PROGRAM
Presentation of Colors
Welcome and Introduction of Guests
Alvin A. Jaeger, Secretary of State
Musical Selection
Bismarck-Mandan Civic Chorus
Tom Porter, Director
Julie Schwartz, Accompanist
History of Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award
James E. Sperry, Superintendent
State Historical Society of North Dakota
Musical Selection
Bismarck-Mandan Civic Chorus
Personal Tribute
Reverend Arthur H. Grimstad
Award Presentation
Governor Edward T. and First Lady Nancy Schafer
Dr. Richard C. Halverson
Benediction
Reverend Mark A. Bayert
a
[From USA Today, March 25, 1994]
BISMARCK.--Governor Schafer on Saturday inducts the
Reverend Richard Halverson into the Rough Rider Hall of
Fame--the State's highest honor. Halverson, a native of
Pingree, North Dakota, has been chaplain of the U.S.
Senate since 1981. . . .
a
[From the North Dakota Tribune]
Chaplain Becomes Rough Rider
(Associate Press)
Calling him a man with the ability to comfort the
troubled, Governor Ed Schafer on Saturday gave U.S. Senate
chaplain and Pingree native Richard Halverson North
Dakota's highest honor.
``I am so proud to be able to give this award to Dr.
Halverson and recognize his ability to interact with
people, his skills of reaching down inside and
understanding what is happening with another person and to
respond to it to make them feel better,'' Schafer told
about 150 guests at a ceremony at the North Dakota
Heritage Center in Bismarck.
Halverson, 78, a Presbyterian minister, is the 25th
person to receive the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider
Award, the State's highest honor.
He is Schafer's first selection for the award and the
first to receive it for religious work.
``This is like a dream to me,'' said Halverson, who has
been the Senate chaplain since 1981. ``There are no words
to adequately express the gratitude I feel, the honor I
feel, and also--I have to tell you--the unworthiness I
feel.''
Halverson was born in Pingree, a community about 20
miles northwest of Jamestown, and attended what is now
Valley City State University for 2 years.
He was a singer and member of a vaudeville troupe in his
youth and went to Hollywood seeking work as a performer.
After becoming disgusted with life there in 1935, he
attended a church service, converted to Christianity and
decided to enter the ministry.
Halverson plans to retire as the U.S. Senate chaplain
for health reasons, but said he has agreed to stay on
until the Senate has time to find a replacement.
``It has been such a very busy session for them, for all
of the Senators,'' Halverson said. ``It has really
bothered me that they would have the burden of trying to
select another chaplain right now.'' Halverson, who
currently lives with his wife Doris in Virginia, said he
plans to spend several days in North Dakota.
``I am going to rent a car in the morning and drive to
some of my old haunts,'' he said.
Halverson is the fourth Rough Rider recipient within two
years. Former Governor George Sinner named three last
year, his final year in office: Chicago Bulls basketball
coach Phil Jackson, actress Angie Dickinson and author
Larry Woiwode. Woiwode, who lives on a farm near Mott,
attended Saturday's ceremony.
a
[From the Grand Forks Herald, March 27, 1994]
Senate Chaplain Gets Rough Rider Award
(By John MacDonald)
pingree native richard halverson has been u.s. senate
chaplain since 1981, will retire soon
BISMARCK.--Calling him a man with the ability to comfort
the troubled, Governor Ed Schafer on Saturday gave U.S.
Senate chaplain and Pingree native Richard Halverson North
Dakota's highest honor.
``I am so proud to be able to give this award to Dr.
Halverson and recognize his ability to interact with
people, his skills of reaching down inside and
understanding what is happening with another person and to
respond to it to make them feel better,'' Schafer told
about 250 guests at a ceremony at the North Dakota
Heritage Center.
he's 25th recipient
Halverson, 78, a Presbyterian minister, is the 25th
person to receive the Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider
Award, the State's highest honor.
He is Schafer's first selection for the award and also
is the first recipient to receive it for religious work.
``This is like a dream to me,'' said Halverson, who has
been the Senate chaplain since 1981. ``There are no words
to adequately express the gratitude I feel, the honor I
feel, and also--I have to tell you--the unworthiness I
feel.''
Halverson was born in Pingree, a community about 20
miles northwest of Jamestown, and attended what is now
Valley City State University for 2 years.
He was a singer and member of a vaudeville troupe in his
youth and went to Hollywood seeking work as a performer.
After becoming disgusted with life there in 1935, he
attended a church service, converted to Christianity and
decided to enter the ministry.
plans to retire
Halverson plans to retire as the U.S. Senate chaplain
for health reasons, but said he has agreed to stay on
until the Senate has time to find a replacement.
``It has been such a very busy session for them, for all
of the Senators,'' Halverson said. ``It has really
bothered me that they would have the burden of trying to
select another chaplain right now.''
Halverson, who currently lives with his wife, Doris, in
Virginia, said he plans to spend several days in North
Dakota.
``I am going to rent a car in the morning and drive to
some of my old haunts,'' he said.
Halverson is the fourth Rough Rider recipient within 2
years. Former Governor George Sinner named three last
year, his final year in office: Chicago Bulls basketball
coach Phil Jackson, actress Angie Dickinson and author
Larry Woiwode.
Woiwode, who lives on a farm near Mott, attended
Saturday's ceremony.
a
[From Grand Forks Herald, December 18, 1993]
U.S. Senate Chaplain To Get Rough Rider Award
(By Dale Wetzel)
richard halverson is first person given award for
religious work
BISMARCK.--Governor Ed Schafer made his first selection
for North Dakota's highest honor Friday, saying U.S.
Senate chaplain Richard Halverson will receive the
Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award.
Halverson, a Pingree, North Dakota, native, will be
formally presented with the award in March at a Bismarck
prayer breakfast. He is the first person to be honored for
his religious work.
Schafer made the announcement Friday in the Capitol's
Senate chambers as Halverson and his son, Richard Jr.,
looked on. Both men are Presbyterian ministers.
``I cannot imagine any honor that anyone, certainly I,
could receive that would be greater,'' Halverson said. ``I
honestly do not feel worthy of this honor. . . . I knew
about the award, but I could not believe it.''
Halverson, 77, said recently he intends to leave his job
as U.S. Senate chaplain for health reasons. He is staying
on in the position, which he has held since 1981, until a
successor is found.
Schafer's wife, Nancy Jones Schafer, informed Halverson
of the honor about two weeks ago. Nancy Schafer met
Halverson in 1988, when both were involved in organizing
and conducting a religious leadership meeting in Fargo.
one recipient a year
Governor Schafer intends to name one Rough Rider
recipient each year, a custom started by the award's
founder, former Governor William Guy. One of its
recipients is Schafer's father, Harold, who was honored in
1974 for his business success and philanthropy.
U.S. Senator Kent Conard (D-ND), welcomed Schafer's
decision. Halverson ``is a marvelous man. He is somebody
who provides spiritual strength to every Senator. I know
he does to me,'' Conrad said. ``There is some difficult
times in life and he is somebody who is always there for
people.''
Halverson was born in Pingree, an east-central North
Dakota community located about 20 miles northwest of
Jamestown, and attended what is now Valley City State
University for 2 years.
A singer and member of a traveling vaudeville troupe in
his youth, Halverson went to Hollywood to seek work as a
performer in 1935. He became disgusted with life there
within six months, attended a church service, converted to
Christianity and decided to enter the ministry, he said.
25th award recipient
Halverson is the 25th person to receive the Rough Rider
Award. Portraits of award winners line the Capitol's
ground floor.
Award recipients are selected by the Governor, in
consultation with the Secretary of State and
Superintendent of the State Historical Society.
Schafer said he settled on Halverson after spending time
on Veterans Day, November 11, studying the portraits of
previous winners. Veterans Day is a State holiday, and the
Capitol was virtually deserted.
Honoring Halverson is a way to represent the religious
faith and moral values many North Dakotans hold dear,
Schafer said.
``The addition of Reverend Halverson is an
acknowledgment of the strong religious beliefs of North
Dakotans, and our pride in the truly special people like
Reverend Halverson, who dedicate their lives to
Christianity,'' Schafer said.
Halverson is the fourth Rough Rider recipient within 2
years. Former Governor George Sinner named three last
year, his final year in office: Chicago Bulls basketball
coach Phil Jackson, actress Angie Dickinson and Larry
Woiwode.
The honor was established in 1961.
Remarks of Senator Robert C. Byrd
January 31, 1985.
Mr. President, our distinguished Senate Chaplain and my
friend, the Reverend Richard Halverson, is the subject of
a very complimentary and accurate front page story in
today's Wall Street Journal.
Dr. Halverson is a true friend of all of us here in the
Senate. We are indebted to him for his kindnesses and
understanding.
I am particularly indebted to Dr. Halverson, who was of
particular help to me during the period shortly after my
dear grandson, Michael, was lost in a terrible motor
vehicle accident.
Mr. President, I salute Dr. Halverson as an
extraordinary man of the cloth. I also congratulate him on
the very fine article in The Wall Street Journal which
captures what I believe to be the essence of the man: His
concern for all of us here in the Senate.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the article
from today's issue of The Wall Street Journal be printed
in the record at this point.
[From The Wall Street Journal, January 31, 1985]
Sermons on the Hill Become a Trademark Of Senate's
Chaplain
(By David Shribman)
reverend richard halverson gets points across in prayers;
an amen from the press
WASHINGTON.--Let us pray.
``Save us, Lord,'' the preacher says, ``from immaturity
that cannot handle the prestige of high office, from love
of power which breeds abuse and arrogance in power which
corrupts.''
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, a former
vaudevillian, speaks of the heavens to try to bring his
flock down to earth.
Mr. Halverson is the Senate chaplain and, not so
incidentally, one of the shrewdest observers on Capitol
Hill. He addresses his prayers to God, but they often seem
to be sermons on the Hill, directed at his parishioners.
``Dear God,'' he said at the opening of the election
year session last January, ``surprise even Senators by
leading them through a productive legislative session.''
balm for the losers
Two months later, when it seemed as if half the Senators
had limped back to the chamber after decisive losses in
the early presidential primaries, Mr. Halverson greeted
them with a poignant prayer:
``We pray this morning for the Senators who have
withdrawn from the race for nomination,'' he said. ``Be
real to them in their lonely, questioning hours. Minister
to whatever need they experience within. Especially do we
pray for their wives, who probably suffer more than their
husbands.''
And as the vote on the school prayer issue approached,
he prayed: ``Help the people to understand, Lord, that no
Senator is against prayer whatever his or her position on
the issue.'' A few days later, he asked God to protect his
Senate flock from ``zealous advocates who often are very
nasty and abusive.''
Mr. Halverson, who was the minister of the Fourth
Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland, for nearly a
quarter-century, has transformed the normally invisible
chaplain's post into one of Washington's bully pulpits.
His prayers often drew humorous responses from Howard
Baker of Tennessee, the former majority leader, who would
ask--only partly in jest--for equal time.
``He used to pray for the President, for Congress, and
even for the pages and telephone operators,'' says Mr.
Baker, now a Washington lawyer. ``But the day he started
praying for the tax collectors, I told him he had started
meddling.''
With his shock of white hair and his domineering
presence, Mr. Halverson is one of the few figures in the
capital who can go over the head of Congress without fear
of political repercussions. ``Help the Senate to avoid
superfluous issues that retard rather than advance
progress,'' he said last February. As the Senate gathered
for a new session recently, he prayed, ``May the pressure
of special interests and public clamor not have priority
over truth and justice.''
Mr. Halverson's appeal is bipartisan. ``In telling us
not to be so pompous around here, he lets us know that not
only our constituents are watching what we do,'' says
Senator John Melcher, the Montana Democrat.
Mr. Halverson, who is the 60th Senate chaplain, is not
the first to find inspiration in the events of the day.
Jacob Douche, an Episcopal clergyman who was chaplain to
the Continental Congress, read the 35th Psalm when told--
wrongly, it turned out--that the British had fired upon
Boston: ``Let them be turned back and brought to confusion
that devise my hurt.''
Four days after the Declaration of Independence, Mr.
Douche again led the Continental Congress in prayer, this
time for the survival of the frail young nation. ``Look
down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American
states, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the
oppressor,'' he intoned.
In the beginning, and unto this day, the notion of
congressional chaplains has generated great controversy.
In 1774, John Jay of New York and John Rutledge of South
Carolina complained that the presence of
Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Anabaptists,
Episcopalians and Quakers in the Continental Congress made
a single prayer impossible. But Samuel Adams of
Massachusetts put an end to the debate when he responded,
``I am no bigot. I can hear prayers from a man of piety
and virtue, who is at the same time a friend of his
country.''
Four years before the outbreak of the Civil War, when
the country was being torn apart by the slavery question
and was most in need of divine intervention, a group of
Congressmen questioned whether a legislative chaplain
``conflicted with the spirit of the Constitution and
tended to promote a union of church and state.''
In our own time, Mike Royko, the icono-clastic Chicago
columnist, wrote, ``If you Senators and your 6,000 staff
members need somebody to hold your hand or pray for you,
his $52,000-a-year salary should come out of your own
pockets, not ours.'' (Mr. Halverson's salary, which is set
by the Senate, now has risen to $61,887, and his House
counterpart, the Reverend James D. Ford, is paid $73,300 a
year.)
The Supreme Court in 1983, however, upheld the ``deeply
embedded'' practice of opening legislative sessions with
prayer.
Mr. Halverson, the latest Senate chaplain, grew up among
the 50 wheat farming families of Pingree, North Dakota,
sang for nickels outside a pool hall, toured the West with
a Canadian vaudeville troupe called the Winneepeg Kiddies
and sought glamour in the studios of Hollywood. But a
dramatic religious awakening pushed him to the pulpit
rather than the stage.
``I think of myself as a pastor to all of the Senate and
their families, and all of the staffs and their
families,'' he says. ``I spend most of my time doing
pastoral calls, the way other clergymen do.''
Those calls take him to the Senate floor itself. He
tries to sense, as he puts it, ``where people are hurting
and where there is hostility.'' A theme that runs through
his prayers is the notion that Senators are people, too.
``I like to remind them,'' he says, ``to be spouses and
parents when they go home, not Senators.''
In a prayer he gave a year ago, he offered a stern
warning: ``Pressure, tension, urgency build, and it is
easy to justify neglecting spouses and children. Help us
to realize that there is no adequate substitute for a
husband and wife, no adequate substitute for a father and
mother.''
Senator Mark Hatfield, who has known Mr. Halverson for
three decades, and who orchestrated his appointment,
believes that the chaplain, for all his political acumen,
is only marginally interested in politics. ``He is
interested in the people of politics, the Oregon
Republican says. But each one of us has felt that he has
captured an insight on the issue of the day, verbalizing
it in a prayer.''
Mr. Halverson believes his parish also includes the
congressional press corps, and he often visits the press
gallery. Sometimes his invocations even have journalistic
themes.
``Help the press and the media not to be hardened when
they suffer the wrath of opening legislative sessions with
prayer.
Mr. Halverson, the latest Senate chaplain, grew up among
the 50 wheat farming families of Pingree, North Dakota,
sang for nickels outside a pool hall, toured the West with
a Canadian vaudeville troupe called the Winneepeg Kiddies
and sought glamour in the studios of Hollywood. But a
dramatic religious awakening pushed him to the pulpit
rather than the stage.
``I think of myself as a pastor to all of the Senate and
their families, and all of the staffs and their
families,'' he says. ``I spend most of my time doing
pastoral calls, the way other clergymen do.''
Those calls take him to the Senate floor itself. He
tries to sense, as he puts it, ``where people are hurting
and where there is hostility.'' A theme that runs through
his prayers is the notion that Senators are people, too.
``I like to remind them'' he says, ``to be spouses and
parents when they go home, not Senators.''
In a prayer he gave a year ago, he offered a stern
warning: ``Pressure, tension, urgency build, and it is
easy to justify neglecting spouses and children. Help us
to realize that there is no adequate substitute for a
husband and wife, no adequate substitute for a father and
mother.''
Senator Mark Hatfield, who has known Mr. Halverson for
three decades, and who orchestrated his appointment,
believes that the chaplain, for all his political acumen,
is only marginally interested in politics. ``He is
interested in the people of politics,'' the Oregon
Republican says. ``But each one of us has felt that he has
captured an insight on the issue of the day, verbalizing
it in a prayer.''
Mr. Halverson believes his parish also includes the
congressional press corps, and he often visits the press
gallery. Sometimes, his invocations even have journalistic
themes.
``Help the press and the media not to be hardened when
they suffer the wrath of those who resent it when truth is
exposed--or by the hypocrisy, caprice and weakness of the
human flesh, remembering that they also are human,'' he
said last year. ``Save them from cynicism and help them
not to impregnate the public mind with seeds of
cynicism.''
To which we add, ``Amen.''
Letters of Condolence
W. David Gwaltney,
502A Woodland Terrace, Alexandria, VA 22302,
November 29, 1995
Dear Mrs. Halverson,
I am one of the many Senate employees touched by your
husband through his year here as our chaplain and wanted
to express my love, support and sympathy during this time
of loss.
It was in the early 1980's that I turned my life over to
Christ and attended Dr. Halverson's lunch time Bible
study. For the first time he made the Word of God come
alive to me and have revelance.
So, I thank and praise God for his life. Dr. Halverson
truly carried Christ's love to those around him.
May God's strength and peace sustain you and your family
during this time.
Most Sincerely,
David Gwaltney.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC,
November 29, 1995
Mrs. Richard C. Halverson,
1200 Crystal Drive, Apt. 413,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Doris:
I am very sorry about the passing of your husband, Dr.
Halverson. He was a remarkable man who made a significant
impact on people's lives.
I will remember Reverend Halverson as a wonderful
friend, and as a respected United States Senate Chaplain.
He will be missed by all of us who knew him.
Sheila and I extend our deepest sympathy to you and your
family during this sad time.
Sincerely,
Paul D. Wellstone,
U.S. Senator from the State of Minnesota.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
November 29, 1995
Mrs. Doris Halverson,
1200 Crystal Drive, Apt. 413,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Doris:
It was with great sadness that I learned the news of
your husband's passing last evening. He was such a
wonderful man and a devoted pastor.
Reverend Halverson will always be remembered by myself,
my colleagues, and the many staff for his dedication to
this institution, for his lack of partisanship, for his
kindness and his great spirituality. We were so blessed to
have him serve in the Senate for so many years even in
failing health. As I am sure you have heard from others,
he was not just our chaplain, but he was our dear friend.
He will be deeply missed by so many here in the Senate and
all around the Washington area.
Please know that Mary Jo and I are keeping you and the
entire Halverson family in our thoughts and prayers. If
there is anything we can do, please do not hesitate to let
us know.
I miss him very much. He was always ``there'' for all of
us.
God Bless You.
With sincere sympathy,
Bob Smith,
U.S. Senator, from the State of New Hampshire.
a
Billy Graham,
Montreat, North Carolina,
November 29, 1995.
The first time I met Dick Halverson was at a fireside
dedication service on top of a mountain outside Los
Angeles in 1949. We both had just laid a piece of wood on
a fire indicating our rededication to the service of
Christ. We became close friends.
His impact on our Nation as a pastor and as the Senate
Chaplain cannot be calculated. He was probably the most
loved and respected chaplain the United States Senate has
ever known. He ministered not only to the Members, but to
their families and to the people who worked in the Senate
office buildings. Only the computers of Heaven will have a
complete account of the lives he touched through his
preaching, personal contacts, and many writings. His
quiet, humble, effective ministry touched millions. He was
a spiritual giant.
His involvement in the early days of the National Prayer
Breakfasts with Dr. Abraham Vereide and Doug Coe helped
make it what it is today.
If every clergyman in America patterned their life and
ministry after Richard Halverson, we could have a
different country.
I pray that God's grace will be sufficient for those
that knew and loved him, especially his wife Doris and the
family.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
November 29, 1995
Mrs. Doris Halverson,
1200 Crystal Drive, Apt. 413,
Arlington, VA 22202
I was saddened to hear Dr. Richard Halverson has passed
away. There are not any words that could ever express my
feelings but, at a time like this, I hope it is comforting
to know that my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Dr. Halverson was very special. He touched all of our
lives during his tenure as Chaplain of the United States
Senate. He was always there to help in any way that he
could. His death is a loss to us all and he will be missed
very much.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski,
U.S. Senator from the State of Maryland.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington, DC
November 30, 1995
Mrs. Doris Halverson,
1200 Crystal Drive, Number 403,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mrs. Halverson:
Tipper and I were deeply saddened to learn of your
husband's passing. We know that words are of little
comfort, but we want you to know that you and your family
are in our thoughts and prayers.
During my tenure in the Senate, I was often inspired by
his strong faith and distinguished service. I and
countless others will greatly miss him.
Again, please accept my most sincere condolences.
God Bless.
Sincerely,
Al Gore.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
November 30, 1995
Mrs. Doris C. Halverson,
2220 North 24th Street,
Arlington, VA 22207.
Dear Doris:
We just wanted you to know that we are thinking of you.
A dear and magnificent man has passed from our midst. I
was so saddened to learn of Richard's death. Certainly
there is a most intimate form of grief brought on by the
loss of one's spouse.
Indeed, I know personally some of the pain you are
feeling for the Simpson family has felt with hammer blows
of grief with the passing of my dear father in 1993 and,
more recently, with the loss of my dear mother in January
of this year. Their loss weighs heavily on the hearts and
minds of all the Simpsons. There is a feeling of being
left behind--I know it well.
Richard Halverson was a truly inspirational man. He was
a friend, a confident and a wonderful counselor. I
remember so well his love of music and entertainment--and
how he loved a great story! I shall never forget how his
eyes would twinkle as he listened to me spin a yarn--or
told one himself! His humor, his patient sensitivity, his
dedication and his faith made a tremendous impact upon us
all. He was always a joy to be around.
Richard mastered the greatest of life's lessons--how to
love and be loved. His was a life to be celebrated. He was
indeed a wondrous man. A majestic tree has disappeared
from our horizon but we shall see him again on some
unknown day. He was truly one of nature's noblemen. My
life is richer for having shared a portion of it with him.
He will be deeply missed.
I know that with the passing of your dear husband part
of the fabric of your life has been torn away. It is a
harsh and difficult reality that we lose those we love
before we are ready.
I just wanted you to know that we are thinking of you. I
am certain that this is a most difficult time for you. I
trust that time alone will serve to heal the pain of your
loss. Please know that our thoughts and our prayers go
winging out to you. God bless you and sustain you. Ann
joins in sending our love and our sympathy to you and to
all your dear ones.
My fondest memory of Dr. Halverson is that smile. That
love of others. That sparkle in the eyes. And that
wonderful sense of humor--and a rare patience for our
foibles.
He knew my dear Dad and Mother and loved them both--and
he took Ann and me under his wing.
We knew some unknown day he would be taken from us--but
we were not ready. We celebrate his life. He is gone--but
he will live in our hearts forever. God bless you with his
presence.
Most sincerely,
Alan K. Simpson,
U.S. Senator from the State of Wyoming.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
November 30, 1995
Mrs. Doris Halverson,
1200 Crystal Drive, Apt. 413,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mrs. Halverson:
I felt a deep sense of loss when I learned that our
beloved Dick Halverson has passed away and want to express
my heartfelt condolences to you and your family. As our
spiritual leader in the Senate, I always looked forward to
his words of faith and counsel as he opened our sessions
with a prayer.
As a Member of the Senate, I got to know Dick not only
as our chaplain, but as a warm human being who took a
personal interest in us. I enjoyed participating with him
in our Weekly Prayer Breakfast sessions and the National
Prayer Breakfasts, and appreciated his notes of
encouragement which he sent to me from time to time. I
shall miss his constant care and presence.
Thank you, Doris, for sharing Dick with us. As a brother
of a reverend who spent his life as a ``kahu,'' or
``shepherd of the flock,'' I know that Dick's efficacy and
dedication to his ministry was possible because you and
your family shared fully his values and commitment to our
Lord.
Well done, good and faithful servant.
Aloha pumehana,
Daniel K. Akaka,
U.S. Senator from the State of Hawaii.
a
November 30, 1995
Gayle joins me in sending our deepest sympathies. Dick
was not only special to us because he married us but
because he was such a wonderful and generous friend. He
was truly one of the finest men I have ever known, and we
both feel we were blessed by having our lives touched by
Dick.
Thanks, Doris, for sharing him and giving him so much
happiness. Accept our love and know that we will always
honor Dick's memory.
Sincerely,
Pete Wilson,
Governor of California.
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
December 1, 1995
Mrs. Doris Halverson,
1200 Crystal Drive, #413,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mrs. Halverson:
It was with great shock and sadness that I learned about
Dick's passing, and I want to express my heartfelt
sympathy to you and your family in this time of your
tremendous personal loss.
During his tenure as Chaplain of the Senate, Dick
Halverson made a real difference. His inspirational
prayers and his spiritual guidance kept us focused on what
is really important in our lives. He gave his heart and
soul to the office of the Senate Chaplain, and we are all
better people because of his service.
I will always remember Dick with great affection and
admiration. It was my great pleasure to know him, and my
privilege to call him my friend. I share your loss and
send my deepest condolences to your children and
grandchildren.
Sincerely,
Edward M. Kennedy,
U.S. Senator from the State of Massachusetts.
a
December 1, 1995
Dear Doris:
Barbara and I send you our most sincere condolences. We
loved your husband very much. He was a friend, an
inspiration.
To you and your wonderful family we send our family's
respects. May God bless Dick Halverson.
Sincerely,
George Bush.
a
December 4, 1995
Dear Doris:
Ronnie and I were so sorry to learn of Richard's
passing. He will surely be missed by countless friends,
including us, but I know his absence will be felt most by
your and your family.
Although there are no words that can ease the pain at a
time like this, we find comfort in knowing you are
surrounded by loved ones, like your children and
grandchildren, who will help in the grieving process
during the days and weeks ahead.
Please know that our thoughts and our prayers are with
you and your entire family at this difficult time.
Fondly,
Nancy Reagan.
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
December 4, 1995
Mrs. Doris Seaton Halverson & Family,
c/o Concern Ministries Inc.,
P.O. Box 7800,
McLean, VA 22106
Dear Doris:
Nancy and I are sorry to learn of the death of your
husband and wish to extend our heartfelt sympathies to
your family. Reverend Halverson was one of the finest
gentlemen I had ever known. His devotion to God and to
helping others, will always be remembered.
Sincerely,
Paul D. Coverdell,
U.S. Senator from the State of Georgia.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
December 4, 1995
Dear Mrs. Halverson.
It was with real sorrow that we learned of your great
loss. Pastor Halverson was a dear friend and real leader
for all of us in his senatorial flock. Our thoughts and
prayers are with you and yours.
Christopher S. Bond,
U.S. Senator from the State of Missouri.
a
THE WHITE HOUSE
Washington, DC
December 5, 1995
Dear Doris:
Hillary and I were deeply saddened to learn of the loss
of your husband. As the 60th Chaplain of the United States
Senate, Dr. Halverson generously gave of his time and
talents in service to his fellow Americans. The Nation
shares in your grief.
Your husband led a life and ministry that exuded his
love for God, compassion for humankind, and patriotism for
our Nation. Our hearts go out to you at this difficult
time, and we hope that your sorrow will be eased by the
love of your family and friends.
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
December 7, 1995
Dear Mrs. Halverson:
I was so sorry to hear of the passing of our friend and
chaplain, Richard Halverson. We will all miss his quiet
guidance and friendship.
Please know my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sincerely,
Patty Murray,
U.S. Senator from the State of Washington.
a
The Crystal Cathedral,
12141 Lewis Street, Garden Grove, CA 92640,
December 7, 1995
Mrs. Richard Halverson and Family
c/o The Waterford House #413,
1200 Crystal,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mrs. Halverson:
How very saddened I was to learn of the death of my dear
friend, Richard.
He will long be remembered for his distinguished record
of service for 14 years, as the finest chaplain who has
ever served the U.S. Senate.
Richard was everything, and more, that we could ever
hope for in a true Christian brother. He exemplified the
meaning of a true ``spiritual shepherd'' . . . who
responded to the high calling of devotion to God's work--
strengthening faith, kindling hope, and manifesting the
charity of God toward His children. How profoundly
grateful we are for Richard Halverson's life.
We pray that God will be very near to your family at
this difficult time, and help you move on through life,
remembering the joyful, happy times spent together.
May God now give you His blessing of comforting peace
and touch your hearts with His healing hand.
In Christ's care and keeping,
Robert H. Schuller.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
December 8, 1995
Mrs. Richard C. Halverson,
#413, 1200 Crystal Drive,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Mrs. Halverson:
Just a note to join the many others who have extended
their sympathy on Dick's death.
His work as Chaplain of the Senate was superb.
All of us benefited by his counsel, advice and warmth.
Please extend my sympathy to your children, and tell
them they have a heritage to be proud of.
Sincerely,
Paul Simon,
U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois.
December 8, 1995
Mrs. Doris Halverson,
Waterford House,
1200 Crystal Drive, #413,
Arlington, VA 22202
To Doris Halverson:
Rosalynn and I were saddened to learn of your husband's
death. Please know that you are in our hearts and prayers
during this difficult time.
We hope that your warm memories and the love and prayers
of your family and friends will be of comfort to you in
the days ahead.
Sincerely,
Jimmy Carter.
a
Charles W. Colson,
P.O. Box 17500, Washington, DC 20041,
December 13, 1995
Dear Doris:
Patty and I were so glad we could be with you for
ceremony and tribute to Dick. You must have been very
proud and bursting with pride for your kids. They are
yours and Dick's greatest legacy.
Still as things quiet down, you will feel the loneliness
and the grief. It is normal as C.S. Lewis wrote in Grief
Observed. Let is go and in due course the great Comforter
will turn tears of grief to tears of joy at the memories
of a great yet humble man who was caring husband, father
and servant to so many. Dick was a truly remarkable man
and a great friend to love.
Love,
Patty and Me.
a
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC 20510,
January 4, 1995
Doris Halverson,
1200 Crystal Drive, #413,
Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Doris:
Lucy and I want to express our sympathy at the loss of
your husband Dick. We will miss him greatly. He was filled
with warmth and always ready to listen. He had a twinkle
in his eye and was excited about life. The U.S. Senate has
suffered a great loss.
Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.
And let us know if there is anything we can do.
Sincerely,
Kent Conrad,
U.S. Senator from the State of North Dakota.
a
Office of the Chaplain,
U.S. House of Representatives,
January 8, 1996
Dear Mrs. Halverson.
Mrs. Ford and I express to you and your family our deep
sorrow at the death of your husband.
He faithfully served people of all backgrounds and in as
many different places and we have all felt his blessing.
May the peace of God that passes all human understanding
be with you now and evermore.
Sincerely,
James David Ford,
Chaplain, House of Representatives.
a
Dear Debbie:
My deepest sympathy to you and your family. Your father
was so special and so loving and kind to me. It was like a
beam of sunshine every time I saw Dr. Halverson.
I know you will miss him very much. However, we can
thank God for his life here, and you and your family have
so many wonderful memories of him.
I will miss him too. I will keep you in my prayers.
Sincerely,
Sandy Mason,
Senate Foreign Relations.
a
Senate Historical Office,
Washington, DC 20510-7108,
Dear Deborah:
May this help express the sympathy that words cannot
convey. I miss his warm smile, his gentle manner, and his
friendly ``God bless you, brother.''
With sincerest condolences,
Dick Baker,
Senate Historian.
a
My Fondest Memory of Dr. Halverson Is
February 27, 1996
As a former supervisor of the Senate Chamber Detail,
both for uniformed officers and for plain clothes
personnel on the U.S. Capitol Police, I have many fond
memories of this wonderfully kind man. His demeanor was
consistent, that of a saint, and he was a great friend and
a staunch ally of the Force. His coffee and doughnut
breakfast meetings and his Senate opening prayers which
praised the U.S. Capitol Police were acts of pure love and
his way of letting the world know through the
Congressional Record that there was a very special police
force at work and he wanted all to know about it. Upon his
passing we truly lost a dedicated member of the force, as
anyone who looked to him for advice and guidance will
quickly proclaim he was considered to be a member of the
Department. I will never forget this great humanitarian.
Sgt. Kenneth M. Allen.
Newspaper Articles and Editorials
[From the Grand Forks Herald, November 30, 1995]
Former Senate Chaplain Richard Halverson Dies
(Associated Press)
north dakota native spent 14 years in washington post
WASHINGTON.--The Reverend Richard Halverson, who retired
in March after 14 years as chaplain of the U.S. Senate,
died Tuesday. The North Dakota native was 79.
Halverson, who was born in Pingree, was the 60th Senate
chaplain. He died Tuesday. His successor, the Reverend
Lloyd Ogilvie, issued a statement giving the cause of
death as ``declining health.''
Halverson was awarded North Dakota's highest honor, the
Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award, in March 1994.
Governor Ed Schafer, who presented Halverson with the
award, said at the time that Halverson was a man with the
skill of ``reaching down inside and understanding what is
happening with another person.''
The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday night honoring
Halverson.
Earlier, in a tribute on the Senate floor, Senator Mark
Hatfield, (R-OR), said the chamber had lost ``one of its
greatest servants.''
``Dr. Halverson left us in bodily presence but his
spiritual legacy will remain eternal,'' Hatfield said.
``He reminded us each and every day, as he strolled these
halls, of what it means to serve the people around you.''
Evangelist Billy Graham, who first met Halverson in
1949, called him ``probably the most loved and respected
chaplain the United States Senate has ever known.
He had the ``kindest, most loving words . . . for
everyone of anyone I have ever known,'' said Senator Pete
Domenici (R-NM).
Others praised the guidance Halverson gave not only to
them, but to the police officers, janitors, food service
and other workers in the Senate.
a
[From the Washington Times, November 30, 1995]
Senate Chaplain Who Retired February 5, Is Dead At 79;
Richard C. Halverson Served 14 Years
(By Larry Witham)
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, who recently retired
from a 14-year Senate chaplaincy praised for warmth and
fairness in a raucous political era, died Tuesday night at
Arlington Hospital of congestive heart failure. He was 79.
He first visited Washington as a Los Angeles pastor with
the prayer breakfast movement and returned in 1958 to lead
the Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland, now
one of the area's largest congregations.
Elected by the Republican Senate in 1981, Mr. Halverson
was asked to stay in 1986 when Democrats regained control.
Facing illness in 1992, he stated an interest in
retiring but again heeded a call to minister until a new
Senate chaplain was found.
``I think it is the greatest opportunity a pastor can
have,'' Mr. Halverson told the Washington Times a few
weeks before his retirement on February 5--the day after
he turned 79.
One of his last morning prayers in the week before
retirement was: ``Our Father in heaven . . . we thank Thee
for Democrats and Republicans and independents. We thank
Thee for liberals and conservatives, for moderates and
radicals.''
Considering himself on the side of every incumbent
Senator, he wished each one success in re-election bids.
A native of North Dakota, Mr. Halverson graduated from
Princeton Theological Seminary in 1942 and after
ordination served his first church in Kansas City,
Missouri.
Two years later he went to California, serving a small
congregation and then becoming minister of leadership
education at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood from
1947 to 1956.
It was there that he joined what became the
International Prayer Breakfast movement. He was called to
Fourth Presbyterian in Bethesda in 1958, and served there
23 years.
Beginning the Senate chaplaincy at age 65, Mr. Halverson
was known for driving to work in his old car and roaming
the buildings and Press Gallery to greet everyone from
Senators to janitors.
He prayed across the spectrum, on occasion raising a
small controversy over those for whom he prayed. At times,
his prayers became a minisermon to lawmakers.
``If you are going to pray aloud, you want your prayer
to be meaningful to the people there,'' he once said.
``But I have really struggled to feel I am not preaching
to the listeners.''
An author of 21 books on the Christian life, for decades
he also wrote a biweekly devotional letter called
``Perspective'' and as chaplain was a frequent speaker at
church conferences.
``He was uniquely qualified for the position,'' said the
Reverend James Ford, House chaplain. ``He spent many years
in a church situation working with people, and he just
carried that on here. He was respected among Senate
members and among staffers.''
In his final days at the Senate, Mr. Halverson was not
pleased by the pressures lawmakers face.
``I have sensed a growing frustration in the Senate and
a kind of futility about the law never accomplishing what
it is intended to accomplish,'' he said.
Lawmakers, he said, also faced an angry, cynical public
and hostile ``self-appointed vacuum-cleaner
journalists''--the name he gave reporters, even as he
prayed for them.
``Gracious Father,'' he said in 1992, ``seeking their
own reputation, they destroy another's as they search
relentlessly, microscopically for some ancient skeleton in
a person's life.''
A 1993 prayer was more typical.
``If we separate morality from politics, we imperil our
Nation and threaten self-destruction,'' he prayed.
``Imperial Rome was not defeated by an enemy from without;
it was destroyed by moral decay from within.''
Mr. Halverson is survived by his wife, Doris Seaton
Halverson; two sons, Richard Jr., and Stephen; a daughter,
Deborah; and nine grandchildren.
Viewing will be held at Joseph Gawler's Sons, 5130
Wisconsin Avenue, on Monday from 5 to 9 p.m. A memorial
service will be held December 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Fourth
Presbyterian Church, Bethesda.
In lieu of flowers, contributions supporting Mr.
Halverson's ministries may be sent to Concern Ministries
Inc., P.O. Box 7800, McLean, VA 22106.
[From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 30, 1995]
Deaths Elsewhere
(Editorial)
Richard C. Halverson, 79, who retired in March after 14
years as chaplain of the U.S. Senate, died Tuesday
(November 28, 1995) in Washington. His successor, the
Reverend Lloyd Ogilvie, issued a statement giving the
cause of death as ``declining health.''
A native of North Dakota, the Reverend Halverson held
degrees from Wheaton College and Princeton Theological
Seminary. Before his appointment as the 60th Senate
chaplain, he had pulpits at Presbyterian churches in
Kansas City, Missouri Coalinga and Los Angeles,
California; and Bethesda, Maryland.
He is survived by his wife, Doris Grace Seaton; three
children; and nine grandchildren.
a
[From the Boston Globe, November 30, 1995]
Reverend Richard Halverson Was U.S. Senate Chaplain; At 79
(Associated Press)
WASHINGTON.--Reverend Richard C. Halverson, who retired
in March after 14 years as chaplain of the Senate, died
Tuesday at age 79.
His successor, Reverend Lloyd Ogilvie, said Reverend
Halverson ``expressed deep care and encouragement to
Senators, their families and staffs, and Senate
employees.''
The North Dakota native held degrees from Wheaton
College and Princeton Theological Seminary. He had
positions at Presbyterian churches in Kansas City,
Missouri; Los Angeles and Coalinga, California; and
Bethesda, Maryland.
Reverend Halverson was chairman of World Vision-U.S.
from 1966 to 1983, and participated in pastors'
conferences around the world.
On his last day as chaplain, Senators applauded him
after his final session-opening prayer and then lined up
to shake his hand.
Senator Howell Heflin (D-AL), called him ``a wonderful
friend and adviser to the entire Senate family.''
He had the ``kindest, most loving words . . . for
everyone of anyone I have ever known,'' said Senator Pete
Domenici (R-NM).
Others praised the guidance Reverend Halverson gave not
only to them, but to the police officers, janitors, food
service and other workers in the Senate.
a
[From the Los Angeles Times, December 1, 1995]
Richard Halverson; Former Senate Chaplain
(By the Times Staff and Wire Reports)
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, who retired in March
after 14 years as chaplain of the U.S. Senate, has died.
He was 79.
Halverson, who was the 60th Senate chaplain, died
Tuesday, his successor, the Reverend Lloyd Ogilvie,
announced Wednesday.
The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday night honoring
Halverson and expressing its ``profound sorrow and deep
regret'' at his death.
Evangelist Billy Graham, who met Halverson in 1949,
called him ``probably the most loved and respected
chaplain the United States Senate has ever known.''
The North Dakota native held degrees from Wheaton
College and Princeton Theological Seminary, and worked in
churches in Kansas City, Missouri, Bethesda, Maryland, and
Coalinga, California.
In Los Angeles, he was minister of leadership education
at Hollywood First Presbyterian Church from 1947 to 1956
and served periodically as manager of the Forest Home
Christian Grounds in the San Bernadino Mountains.
Discussing his California years at a San Diego prayer
breakfast last year, Halverson said he originally moved to
Hollywood in the 1930s intending to seek his fame and
fortune in the entertainment industry.
But six months after arriving, he said, ``I signed my
life over to Jesus Christ.''
Halverson was chairman of World Vision-U.S. from 1966 to
1983, and participated in pastors conferences around the
world.
On his last day as chaplain, Senators applauded him
after his final session-opening prayer and then lined up
to shake his hand.
He is survived by his wife, Doris Grace Seaton, three
children and nine grandchildren.
a
[From the Washington Post, December 1, 1995]
R.C. Halverson Dies; 14-Year Senate Chaplain
(By Bart Barnes)
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, 79, a Presbyterian
clergyman who served 14 years as chaplain of the U.S.
Senate and 23 years as minister of Fourth Presbyterian
Church in Bethesda, died of congestive heart failure
November 28, at Arlington Hospital.
Mr. Halverson also was a leader in the Prayer Breakfast
Movement, which has drawn the support and participation of
hundreds of men and women in positions of influence in
Washington, and he was a former chairman of the board of
World Vision-U.S., an international Christian relief and
development agency with programs in almost 100 countries.
Mr. Halverson, of Arlington, was the author of 10 books
and a regular weekly devotional newsletter, and he
preached, gave speeches and participated in conferences
around the world.
As the Senate chaplain, Mr. Halverson's only official
duty was to open each session with a prayer, a task that
seldom took more than a minute or two. On many occasions,
there were no more than a half-dozen Senators in
attendance, but the low turnout did not upset him.
``I pray to God for the Senate,'' he once said.
``I feel, as the chaplain, I must be like a pastor to
the Senators, their families and staffs, to just be a
faithful servant to all these people, to the Capitol
Police, to the people who work in the cafeteria, to the
women who clean.''
In March of this year, Mr. Halverson retired from the
position he had held since February 1981, when the Senate,
then under a new Republican leadership, picked him as its
spiritual leader.
In taking the job, Mr. Halverson left his position as
senior Senator at Bethesda's Fourth Presbyterian Church,
which he had served for 23 years and built into a social
and evangelical force in the Washington area, increasing
its membership from about 600 to 2,100.
His appointment as Senate chaplain came as no surprise,
newspapers said at the time, observing that the
Presbyterian Church often has been called ``the Republican
Party at prayer.'' In subsequent years, the Senate, under
Democratic control, reappointed Mr. Halverson as its
chaplain. As a pastor and preacher, Mr. Halverson was
known for a warm and easy rapport with his congregation,
both on Capitol Hill and in Bethesda, and for a flair for
showmanship that emerged during his boyhood in his native
Pingree, North Dakota. Driven by what he would later call
a ``penchant for entertaining,'' the young Mr. Halverson
used to stand outside a pool hall in his home town and
sing for nickels. Later, he toured Canada with a
vaudeville troupe, but his show business career was cut
short after 6 months because his voice changed.
As a young man, he held a variety of jobs in California
while still dreaming of a career in show business. Feeling
lonely and ill at ease one New Year's Eve, he decided to
attend a service at a small Presbyterian church.
``I had a very dim view of churches and pastors at the
time,'' he said in a 1981 interview with The Washington
Post. ``In my view then, a minister was a man who had
failed at everything else.''
But he accepted an invitation to join the choir at the
small church, and later, after a heart-to-heart talk with
its young pastor, who had just completed seminary
training, Mr. Halverson ``gave my life to Christ.''
He graduated from Wheaton College and Princeton
Theological Seminary, then served in ministerial positions
at churches in California and in Kansas City, Missouri.
In 1956, he came to Washington to work with the Prayer
Breakfast Movement, and 2 years later, he was named
minister at Fourth Presbyterian Church, which had just
moved from 13th and Fairmont Streets in Northwest
Washington to River Road in Bethesda.
Under Mr. Halverson's leadership, the congregation
tripled, drawing new members not only from Montgomery
County but also from points as distant as Manassas and the
suburbs of Baltimore. The two Sunday morning services
became so crowded that an 11 a.m. Bible study class was
begun at Kenwood Country Club, just across the street,
that often drew as many as 300 participants.
During this period, Mr. Halverson maintained his ties
with the Prayer Breakfast Movement, attending several
prayer group meetings each week at which men and women who
often operated in the public spotlight got together to
pray and discuss their spiritual needs. From 1956 until
1983, he served on the board of World Vision, and he was
its chairman from 1966 to 1983.
With the backing of Senator Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR), a
onetime member of Fourth Presbyterian Church, and others,
Mr. Halverson was appointed Senate chaplain, replacing
Reverend Edward L.R. Elson, also a Presbyterian, who had
served there for 12 years.
He was the 60th person to hold the position and one of
the more outspoken. In a 1985 profile, the Wall Street
Journal said he had ``transformed the normally invisible
chaplain's post into one of Washington's bully pulpits. .
. . He addresses his prayers to God, but they often seem
to be sermons on the Hill, directed at his parishioners.''
According to the Journal, Mr. Halverson said at the
opening of an election year session: ``Dear God, surprise
even Senators by leading them through a productive
legislative session.''
Mr. Halverson was very nearly the last Senate chaplain.
In the enthusiasm for budget cutting after the election
last fall of Republican majorities in the House and
Senate, there was talk of eliminating the House and Senate
chaplaincies, thereby saving the treasury Mr. Halverson's
$115,700 salary and the $123,000 paid his House
counterpart. But Congress eventually decided to retain the
positions.
Mr. Halverson's survivors include his wife, Doris of
Arlington; three children; and nine grandchildren.
a
[From the St. Petersburg Times, December 1, 1995]
Reverend Richard C. Halverson
(Editorial)
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, 79, who retired in
March after 14 years as chaplain of the U.S. Senate, died
Tuesday in Washington. As the Senate's 60th chaplain, his
duties included opening each workday with a prayer. He
also provided pastoral care to Senators and staff members
as well as to other Senate workers from cooks to committee
chairpersons. The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday
honoring the Presbyterian minister.
a
[From the Rocky Mountain News, December 1, 1995]
R. Halverson, Ex-Chaplain of Senate
(Associated Press)
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, who retired in March
after 14 years as chaplain of the Senate, died Tuesday in
Washington. He was 79.
His successor, the Reverend Lloyd Ogilvie, said the
cause of death as ``declining health.''
The North Dakota native held degrees from Wheaton
College and Princeton Theological Seminary.
On his last day as chaplain, Senators applauded him
after his final session-opening prayer and then lined up
to shake his hand.
Senator Howell Heflin (D-AL), called him ``a wonderful
friend and adviser to the Senate family.''
a
[From the New York Times, December 1, 1995]
Richard Halverson, 79, a Senate Chaplain
(Associated Press)
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, who retired in March
after 14 years as chaplain of the United States Senate,
died on Tuesday at Arlington Hospital in Virginia. He was
79 and lived in Arlington.
Mr. Halverson's successor, the Reverend Lloyd Ogilvie,
said Mr. Halverson had been in ``declining health.''
The Senate passed a resolution on Wednesday honoring Mr.
Halverson and expressing its ``profound sorrow and deep
regret'' at his death. A number of Senators and religious
figures, including the Reverend Billy Graham, issued
statements praising Mr. Halverson's work.
He was chairman of the charity World Vision-U.S. from
1966 to 1983 and participated in pastors' conferences in
the United States and around the world. He was sworn in as
Chaplain of the Senate in 1981.
A native of Pingree, North Dakota, he held degrees from
Wheaton College, earned in 1939, and Princeton Theological
Seminary, earned in 1942. He had held positions at
Presbyterian churches in Kansas City, Missouri; Coalinga
and Los Angeles, California; and Bethesda, Maryland.
He is survived by his wife, Doris Grace Seaton Halverson
of Arlington; three children, the Reverend Richard C.
Halverson, Jr., of Arlington, Stephen S. of Vista,
California, and Deborah Halverson Markey of Laurel,
Maryland, and nine grandchildren.
a
[From the Arizona Republic, December 3, 1995]
Richard C. Halverson, Retired Senate Chaplain
(Editorial)
The Reverend Richard C. Halverson, who retired in March
after 14 years as Senate chaplain, has died. He was 79.
The Reverend Halverson, who died Tuesday, was the 60th
Senate chaplain. He had held positions at Presbyterian
churches in Kansas City, Missouri; Coalinga and Los
Angeles, California; and Bethesda, Maryland.
He was chairman of World Vision-United States from 1966
to 1983 and participated in pastors' conferences around
the world.
a
[From the Indianapolis News, December 8, 1995]
The Reverend Richard Halverson
(Editorial)
Richard Halverson had a way of rising above the
political battles he witnessed as chaplain of the U.S.
Senate.
He certainly saw his share of those skirmishes, both as
Senate chaplain for 14 years and as a Washington, DC-area
pastor before then. He died last week, a few months after
retiring as Senate chaplain.
It was his personal faith in Jesus Christ that enabled
him to rise above partisan politics and be a friend and
pastoral counselor to Members of Congress, both
Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, as
well as officials in other offices, in the Nation's
capital.
He was not one to seek publicity for himself, and
Members of Congress felt free to come to him for wise
counsel. His most visible contribution was to open the
Senate in prayer on a regular basis. He brought a sense of
humor to that aspect of Congress, as well as a grasp of
the tensions and challenges of the political process.
But his most important work was of a pastoral nature,
helping Members of Congress and their staffs with such
matters as marriage counseling or their own
responsibilities in terms of personal faith.
He had the ``kindest, most loving words . . . for
everyone of anyone I have ever known,'' said Sentor Pete
Domenici (R-NM).
Halverson assumed the Senate chaplain post in 1981, at
the invitation of Senator Mark O. Hatfield (R-OR), when
Republicans were taking over the Senate and Ronald Reagan
was taking over the Presidency. When Democrats took back
the Senate in 1987, they apparently gave no thought to a
new chaplain.
Upon his retirement earlier this year, he drew praise
from people at different ends of the political spectrum.
``Since we have been in Washington, it has greatly
encouraged me to think of the powerful ministry Dick
Halverson has had at the other end of Pennsylvania
Avenue,'' said Bill Clinton. ``I only wish we had more men
and women like him--people who truly live out their faith
and strive to live their lives the way Jesus lived His.''
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, certainly of
a different persuasion than the President, offered this
compliment: ``Dr. Halverson's crowning glory is that he
showed us how to walk in Christ's steps for this day. He
never said, `Put the Bible in your judicial ruling.' He
was ministering to us as human beings who happened to be
in the judiciary.''
Halverson once explained the key to any success he
enjoyed this way: ``I have to be sure every morning before
I leave home that I have had some time with the Lord, time
in his Word. I want to be very sure that God knows that,
as far as I am concerned, I have nothing to offer except
what He does in and through me.
``That is a tremendously important part of this job.''
That is a worthwhile legacy and lesson for anyone in any
job.
Meanwhile, the Nation can be thankful for a Senate
chaplain who practiced that challenging principle on a
daily basis as he fulfilled his important duties.
a
[From Christianity Today, January 9, 1995]
The Soul of the Senate
(By Karen M. Feaver)
With the retirement of U.S. Senate Chaplain Richard C.
Halverson, many in Washington are adjusting to the
departure of a devoted Christian servant. Before
Halverson's retirement, Karen Feaver, a former
congressional aide, returned to her old stomping grounds
to survey the legacy of the chaplain's tenure.
Dr. Halverson would often walk into our Friday lunch-
break Bible study with a bounce in his step, singing an
old Cole Porter tune. His ruddy complexion, snow-white
hair, twinkling eyes, and vaudevillian manner sometimes
seemed humorously at odds with his role as the chaplain of
the United States Senate. But congressional staffers like
me, eager for a sweet hour of spiritual encouragement in
the midst of the commotion of Capitol Hill politics, saw
Christ's peace enter the room with the chaplain's welcome.
That was 5 years ago. These days Chaplain Halverson
walks to the Senate floor a bit more slowly, but his eyes
still twinkle with the same joyful presence that used to
make me look forward to Friday lunches. Those he greets
throughout the Senate respond to his ``God bless you''
during the closing days of this congressional session with
a deep sense of gratitude tinged with sadness. After 14
years of service, the man Florida governor Lawton Chiles
calls the ``soul of the Senate'' is retiring.
In a city where it is all too easy for the political
mission to eclipse the spiritual, Chaplain Halverson has
been a beacon, quietly calling us back to first things.
His witness reminded us not to allow our zeal in the
political to ``shut the door to dialogue'' on the eternal.
Following prayer each Friday, his benediction sent us out
in the knowledge that the greater opener of hearts is the
Spirit of Christ cloaked in our bodies wherever we worked
and went. No one lived out that example better than he.
The humble heart he brought to the Senate in 1981 was
characteristic of his pastoral ministry, which began with
a life-changing decision in 1935. After an early stage
career as a 10-year-old member of a vaudeville troop
called the Winnipeg Kiddies and a later stint as a teenage
vocalist for a barnstorming dance band, Dick Halverson
left his native North Dakota to make his mark in
Hollywood. Lonesome and a bit fearful of the lifestyle
patterns he was developing, after spending a year in the
glitter of ``Tinsel Town,'' he decided on New Year's Eve,
1934, to visit a church in southwest Los Angeles. Two
months later, a young preacher--whose stage presence and
command of the audience struck Halverson as better suited
to acting than the pulpit--asked if he would like to know
God's plan for his life. Halverson, who had not been sure
there was a God, let alone that he might have a plan for
his life, accepted the pastor's invitation to make a
commitment to Christ. By 1937 he was in Henrietta Mear's
college department at Hollywood Presbyterian Church, one
of a great number of young men upon whom she exercised an
enormous influence.
Wheaton College and Princeton Seminary followed before
several pastorates, ending in a 23-year tenure as senior
pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda,
Maryland. It was one of his Fourth Presbyterian
parishioners, Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield, who asked him
in 1980 if he would be interested in serving as Senate
chaplain. The Republicans had just won the Senate
majority, and with the retirement of Edward L.R. Elson,
the previous chaplain, the Republican leadership had the
important task of selecting a shepherd for this most
singular flock. After a great deal of prayer, Halverson
decided it was God's calling.
a servant's servant
His first task as Senate chaplain, says Halverson, was
to figure out what the job was really all about. The job
description merely states that the chaplain must open the
Senate with prayer each day the Senate is in session.
Beyond the invocation, the chaplain's job had
traditionally been thought of as a ministry to the
Senators alone. But Halverson felt God directing him to be
a servant-pastor to everybody on the Senate side of
Capitol Hill. His secretary and assistant in ministry,
Martie Kinsell, has a sign above her desk that beautifully
says it all: ``Servant to the servants of the Servant.''
When one might expect to see the chaplain only on the
Senate floor for the morning prayer, his ``presence is
everywhere,'' states Senator Hatfield. He brought with him
a lesson he had learned years earlier about the importance
of simply being available to people at their convenience
and in their time of need. In his book The Living Body,
Halverson recalls that as a young minister he asked God to
direct him to people in the congregation whom he should
make a concerted effort to befriend. He felt God's Spirit
lead him to contact a dentist he had seen in the pews. The
dentist invited him to lunch but, at the end of their time
together, was shocked to find that the pastor had no
agenda, wanted no money for the church, but simply wanted
to get to know him.
Governor Chiles pinpoints this emphasis on one-on-one
relationships as the chaplain's ``greatest of all gifts,''
noting, ``he always took the time.''
A Senator told me of waking with Halverson when they
were stopped by a policeman who asked the chaplain to pray
for his sick wife. The chaplain prayed on the spot,
leaving the officer both surprised and comforted by
Halverson's quick response.
Capitol police officer Robert Ellis reflected on the
chaplain's special friendship with the Senate police,
recalling how Halverson regularly reserved a room in the
Capitol, providing coffee and donuts for the officers so
that he could listen to their concerns. ``He never brushes
anyone off,'' said Ellis. ``Of any minister I have ever
known, he has touched me the most.''
And one does not have to spend long in the Senate dining
room to discover how much the chaplain's care has meant
there. During my visit there, one after another, servers
and cooks spoke of his greeting them each morning with an
``I love you'' or ``God bless you, sister.'' He sometimes
gathered the workers in a circle for morning prayer,
asking God to bless their day. Leila Dais, who has served
in the dining room for 30 years, told how Halverson once
opened the Senate with a special prayer for her after her
father passed away. Dorothy Taylor, another waitress, said
it ``seemed like he always knew when we needed prayer.''
Chaplain Halverson also makes it a point to stay in
communication with the White House. As he has done with
previous President, from time to time, Halverson sends
notes to President Clinton containing Scriptures that God
has laid on his heart for the man. ``I always get a
personal response from President Clinton when I do that,''
he says.
The chaplain has carefully stayed the pastoral course
God set for him, rising above the political din to meet
the primary need for God's love on all sides. Though he
holds deep Christian convictions about the great moral
issues of our day that surface in the political arena, a
group of Democratic and Republican Senators who meet
weekly with the chaplain for lunch and prayer say he has
responded to their political and moral questions without
showing partiality, always answering with scriptures that
he thinks will help shed God's wisdom on the subject. He
has often listened to their floor speeches, complimenting
them on the thoughtfulness of their presentations, never
offering criticism, only encouragement in Christ.
And many Senators express deep gratitude that he bore
their burdens in times of both individual and corporate
need. They remember Halverson's willingness to answer
Senator Byrd's request for him to conduct his grandson's
funeral in West Virginia shortly after the chaplain came
to the Senate and how he gathered one former Senator's
staff together for prayer after one of their coworkers was
killed. And I personally remember the chaplain asking our
Friday group to uphold then-Tennessee Senator Al Gore's
son in prayer when he was seriously injured by a car in
1989.
The Senators have also appreciated Chaplain Halverson's
constant care for their staffs, who face daily Senate
pressures in addition to the natural anxiety of election
years. Chaplain Halverson was looking forward to his last
opportunity to make the rounds after the November election
to encourage those working in the offices of Senators who
lost their races for re-election.
a legacy of compassion
The Senate's opening invocation remains a major
responsibility, and many attest to the great spiritual
sensitivity with which the chaplain carries out this
function. Indiana Senator Daniel Coats says the chaplain's
morning invocations have usually reflected the
undercurrents he detects beneath the surface of the
Senate's tension-filled debates. ``He always had a sense
of the kind of admonition or encouragement or soothing
balm that the Senate needed. The next day's prayer was
always the right word to put some healing into the
Senate's contentious process.''
Above all, Senators have felt Chaplain Halverson's deep
love for them personally. According to Hatfield, Halverson
is the ``greatest defender of the Senate,'' who does not
hesitate to take Christians to task for unfairly
criticizing those he knows and cares for as friends. He
sees the Senators' frustrations as they seek to address
the great problems of our day, encouraging them with the
reminder that, according to the Book of Romans, even God's
perfect law could not produce a perfect society. Observes
Halverson: ``I am there as the Senators share their
frustrations, share their love for Christ, and share their
weakness and their vulnerability. I see them in an
entirely different way. I see them as human beings, as
sinful and as needy as anyone else--but, generally
speaking, trying to make a difference in the Nation.''
In spite of the sensitive nature of the job, the
Senators have placed no restrictions on the office of the
chaplain. Halverson recalls that early in his tenure a few
Jewish Senators gently reminded him that they felt
excluded when he prayed ``in the name of Jesus.'' Not
wanting to offend them--but also not wanting to compromise
his calling--the chaplain has sometimes closed his prayers
in the name of Jesus and, at other times, in an analogous
title like ``the Way, the Truth, and the Life.'' And he
has often said to his Jewish friends in the Senate, ``You
know everything about my faith is Jewish, and my best
friend (Jesus) is Jewish.''
In a day when increasing scrutiny is being given to
taxpayer support of any religious activity, the
announcement of Chaplain Halverson's retirement has raised
serious questions about the constitutionality of the
position of Senate chaplain. Nevertheless, no doubt
because of Halverson's heartfelt management of the role, a
clear consensus emerged in the Senate that his position
should be filled when he steps down, although a
replacement has yet to be named.
When asked what qualities or disciplines were necessary
for the job, Halverson told me: ``I have to be sure every
morning before I leave home that I have had some time with
the Lord, time in his Word. I want to be very sure that
God knows that, as far as I am concerned, I have nothing
to offer except what he does in and through me. That is a
tremendously important part of this job.''
Herein lies the true legacy of Halverson's chaplaincy to
the Senate and, indeed, to the Nation: the witness of the
power of Christ through a man who took seriously the call
to serve--without regard to station or party. A man who
followed his Savior's example and showed us how by
becoming our servant.
chaplain halverson on the american church
Attempting to gauge the impact of the church on
leadership and society is as effective as dropping a
saltshaker on food. When the salt is doing its work, it is
scattered and unseen. Likewise, when the church is doing
its work, it is not visible. When the church is visible,
it is doing ``church work,'' not the real ministry in the
world. When you can see and measure what it is doing, you
are seeing and measuring something other than its real
impact.
The invasion of secularism into the church has caused it
to embrace secular criteria for ``success''--number and
size and influence and visible impact. Paul said, ``That
which is seen is temporal. That which is not seen is
eternal'' (2 Cor. 4:18). But we have the churches today
measuring their effectiveness by that which is seen, the
temporal. The most important thing is taking seriously
Christ's call to serve. It is the greatest force in the
world.
comments
``Since we have been in Washington it has greatly
encouraged me to think of the powerful ministry Dick
Halverson has had at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
I only wish we had more men and women like him--people who
truly live out their faith and strive to live their lives
the way Jesus lived his.''
President Bill Clinton.
a
``He is a wonderful preacher and, more importantly, he
is a wonderful pastor who has adopted the whole Senate
family.''
Georgia Senator Sam Nunn.
a
``Even though we are the low man on the totem pole, he
always remembers at the end of the year to make a
statement for the Congressional Record, thanking us for
our good service.''
Melvin Jordan, employee at the Senate dining room.
a
``Chaplain Halverson's obvious humility and compassion
is a tremendous--and needed--contrast to the culture of
the Senate, which is power and the exercise of power.''
Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield.
a
``Dr. Halverson's crowning glory is that he showed us
how to walk in Christ's steps for this day. He never said,
`Put the Bible in your judicial ruling.' He was
ministering to us as human beings who happened to be in
the judiciary.''
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
a
[From the National Christian Choir News, Winter, 1995]
Dr. Richard C. Halverson--At Home With Our Lord
Dr. Richard C. Halverson has gone to be with the Lord.
If there are men of greatness in this life, Dick Halverson
was certainly one of them. He was a man of God who
influenced the lives of untold numbers to live more
productively for Jesus Christ. He was pastor of Fourth
Presbyterian Church in Bethesda for more than 20 years
before he became the Chaplain of the United States Senate.
Dr. Halverson was instrumental in the founding of The
National Christian Choir. In 1980, he invited Harry Causey
to come to Fourth Presbyterian to serve as Minister of
Music. During Harry's first week in the city, he shared
with Dr. Halverson his dream of a national Christian
choir. Dr. Halverson enthusiastically supported the idea
and offered his help. When that opportunity arose in
January of 1984 for Harry to form and conduct a choir and
orchestra in Constitution Hall--the first concert of The
National Christian Choir--Dr. Halverson served as
narrator. Following that occasion, he said: ``I have
learned for the first time what it means to truly worship
the Lord. This choir must continue!'' And it did. Dr.
Halverson served as a member of our founding Board of
Directors, offering much advice and encouragement.
On December 11, 1995, thousands of friends and
colleagues gathered at Fourth Presbyterian Church to
remember the incredibly positive life of this Christian
leader. The sanctuary filled to capacity an hour before
the announced time, and many people were led to an
overflow area to watch on closed-circuit television. There
was a wonderfully satisfying moment just as the service
began when Dr. Billy Graham surprised those in attendance
by walking in and sitting with the Halverson family. Many
had come far for this tribute, but Billy Graham's presence
said it all.
In the midst of our sense of loss, there were light
moments and laughter as we celebrated the life of this
wonderful man. It was a special moment when his daughter,
Debbie, reminded us of her father's love of music.
Debbie's husband, organist of the church, had asked her,
``Do you suppose Pops has met Bach in heaven yet?''
Debbie's answer: ``No, I doubt he's had time. He's too
busy jamming--with Glenn Miller!'' It was a joyful moment
as we imagined this man of dignity enjoying some of his
pleasures eternally.
One person told us how they had asked Dick, ``Dr.
Halverson, what is your secret for such success in the
ministry?'' He answered, ``I have an advantage.'' The
person leaned forward to grasp the wisdom about to be
shared. Dick continued: ``My advantage is that I have a
low self image. I have discovered that in my weakness, He
is strong.'' Dick, we are still learning from you, dear
brother.
Two days later, The National Christian Choir joined with
the Members of the United States Senate on Capitol Hill
for a private memorial service led by the new Senate
Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie. It was a very similar event,
but the audience consisted of names from the headlines--
Dole, Kennedy, Hatfield, and many others. Just as
important, the service staff of the Senate was present. Of
all the speeches, in fact, the most moving was from a
diminutive black lady who had served in the Senate
cafeteria for 20 years. It was gratifying to see how the
famous leaders of our Nation and the support staff all
came together on one level of humility and love. Dick
Halverson had a wonderful way of helping to bridge such
gaps.
One of the Senators made a statement that went something
like this: ``Dick Halverson is now in heaven. This
occasion is a reminder to all of us that entrance into
heaven is not accomplished by majority vote!'' Well said.
Dick Halverson would have been embarrassed by the
attention afforded him at those services. He would have
wanted us all to focus more on the Lord Jesus Christ--and
he would have said so. As we step into yet another new
year, may we all do just that.
Thank you, Dick, for helping us see Jesus.
[From the Kansas City Star, January 10, 1996]
Chaplain
(By Bill Tammeus)
When the Reverend Richard C. Halverson was on the
ministerial staff of the old Linwood Presbyterian Church
in Kansas City in the mid-1940's, no one could have
predicted that for 14 years--from 1981 until his
retirement last year--he would be the effective and
respected chaplain of the U.S. Senate.
Halverson, who died recently at age 79, became a trusted
source of spiritual guidance on Capitol Hill and a voice
for ecumenical cooperation. He traveled the world for many
years on behalf of the relief efforts of World Vision and
he helped to make the prayer breakfast movement a popular
institution among politicians.
In Washington, he helped make the halls of Congress a
more caring place for people who worked there.
a
[From The Hill, October 19, 1994]
Reflections of a Retiring Senate Chaplain
(By Deborah Kalb)
For the past 14 years, the Reverend Richard Halverson
has been privy to some of the most intimate details of the
private lives of Members of the Senate, staffers and
employees. But at a time when such information would fetch
astronomical sums from the purveyors of tabloid
journalism, he has remained totally discreet.
As the Senate chaplain serving all 100 Senators plus
thousands of Senate staffers and workers, the 78-year-old
Presbyterian minister not only delivers the opening prayer
for Senate sessions, but is responsible for spiritually
counseling the entire Senate populace. Naturally he is
sensitive to the problems of people in public life.
``I feel a great deal of frustration in the Senate,''
the white-haired, bespectacled native of North Dakota said
last week as he prepared to retire from his $117,000-a-
year job. ``My conviction after 14 years is that people
who come to the Senate really want to do something about
the problems of the Nation. They are not here for
political purposes. Some are seduced by that, but they are
the grand exception. Most are here to serve the Nation.''
As one of five officers of the Senate, the chaplain is
chosen by the majority party. Although Halverson was
appointed by a Republican-controlled Senate, he has been
reappointed for successive two-year terms by Democratic-
controlled Senates as well. His House counterpart,
Reverend James David Ford, who has served since 1979, is
not planning to retire.
In an interview in his small but comfortable Hart
building office, Halverson was asked about the many people
who are reported to be interested in succeeding him. ``I
would mistrust the motivation of anyone who seeks the job
of chaplain,'' he replied in a smoothing cadence. Noting
that he told the leadership not to consider anyone who is
actively lobbying for the position, he added, ``It is a
comfortable salary, compared to most ministers.''
Halverson did not actively seek the position himself, he
recalls. In 1981, he had been serving as minister at the
Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda for over 20 years.
Several Members of Congress belonged to the congregation,
including Senator Mark Hatfield (R-OR), who suggested he
apply for the job as Senate chaplain. Halverson was
turning 65 at the time, and he and his family ``felt it
was a good move.''
Halverson has seen an increase in pressures on his
Senate flock. ``There is a lot of cynicism in the Nation
today,'' he says, noting increased media negativity and
constituent pressures. During Senate debate on the crime
bill, he says, ``I felt I could feel the frustration.'' He
sensed that while Senators were trying to pass a strong
bill, they felt unable to make a real difference.
``It has gotten worse, more intensified,'' he said,
adding that Senate staffers are under even more strain
than their bosses because they are caught between the
Senators and the constituents.
But Halverson said he finds one trend ``very
encouraging:'' that there is a ``growing, deepening
awareness of the fundamental need'' for an American
spiritual and moral revolution. He said he welcomes
indications that the country is ``suddenly waking up'' to
``the moral value vacuum in America and the necessity of
returning to (values).''
President Clinton, among other politicians, has
addressed this issue. But Halverson said he finds it
``troubling'' that many religious Americans are cynical
about politicians who express their faith. ``When a
politician is very vocal and upfront about his faith,
often people of faith become cynical about that. They feel
he is using it as a political device. That is not true,
but the result is a great reticence on the part of leaders
to be upfront'' about their religion.
He recalls one Senator who had been a governor and held
a retreat each year, led by Halverson. When the former
governor came to the Senate, he did not attend the weekly
Senate prayer breakfast. When Halverson asked him about
it, he was told, ``I was so upfront with my faith when I
was governor, and it really cost me politically.'' Such
views are common, Halverson said.
Halverson believes that people of faith should become
active in politics. ``Believers ought to be involved in
politics, or at least vote and be intelligent about
voting,'' he commented. He thinks one of the benefits of
the Christian right movements is that it gets people to
think about politics. He also welcomes the growth of
religious groups taking positions contrary to that of the
religious right. ``It is good, it gives some balance,'' he
said.
While Halverson said he tries to keep out of politics,
he did get into a controversy earlier this year by
offering a prayer for O.J. Simpson. ``I got hundreds of
letters,'' he recalls, adding that letters are still
trickling in.
Ministering to the Senate has kept Halverson busy. He
visits Senators, staffers, and other workers in the
hospital. He counsels staffers and workers in his office,
and visits Senators in their offices. And even on his
walks between his office and the Capitol, he says he is
often stopped by people asking him to pray for their
relatives or themselves. ``I try never to be in a hurry,''
he said.
After spending a month in the hospital in 1992 for
treatment of a digestive problem, Halverson has slowed
down. ``I must retire,'' he said. ``I cannot do the job
the way I feel I should. I am 78, I am hardly a
teenager.''
News of his retirement has resulted in tributes to
Halverson in person and on the Senate floor. He hopes to
leave his post by the end of December, but wants to stay
to orient the new chaplain who will replace him.
Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), paid tribute to Halverson in
a recent Senate speech: ``He has visited with us in the
hospitals. He has visited with our wives and our families
in their sick rooms. He has attended memorial services for
our friends and our loved ones, and we shall never forget
these good deeds.'' Halverson in turn speaks warmly of
Byrd, calling him ``an old-fashioned righteous man.'' He
also has a signed portrait of the Senator on his office
wall.
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), also commended Halverson
on the Senate floor, discussing his participation in an
ongoing Senate Bible study group conducted by scholar
Naomi Rosenblatt.
What next for the ex-chaplain? Perhaps a book. ``I am
getting pressure to write a book,'' he said. ``If I would
write it the way I see the Senate, nobody would believe
it. I am an outside-insider, or an inside-outsider. I
serve all Senators, and I love all of them.''
a
[From the York Daily Record, November 9, 1994]
Most Powerful Man in Washington Retires
(By Cal Thomas)
Among those leaving office at the end of this Congress
is a man who lived and worked among Senators for the past
14 years--but never played the power ``game.'' He did not
have many of the perks of Senators. He drove himself to
work in an unspectacular older car. His office was smaller
than all the others and, like the man who occupied it,
lacked pretension. And yet, according to some who know him
best, he has been the most powerful man in Washington.
Richard Christian Halverson, a native of North Dakota, a
former chauffeur who went to Hollywood as a young man to
become an actor, is retiring as chaplain of the U.S.
Senate. A rare man in Washington, he has been beloved by
Democrats and Republicans, from Ted Kennedy to Jesse
Helms. His job description required nothing more of him
than to open the Senate each day with prayer, as the
Senate has every session since Benjamin Franklin offered
the first prayer at the dawn of the new nation. Some of
Halverson's prayers were so meaningful and relevant that
portions of a few of them made the evening network
newscasts.
Halverson's prayers were mini-sermons, imploring not
only God's blessing on the Senate and its Members, but
imparting words of wisdom that could facilitate reasoned
debate and enlightened legislative decisionmaking.
A prayer he delivered on June 23, 1993, was typical:
``God of our fathers, during the presidential campaign
last year, Jesse Jackson reminded us that what is morally
wrong cannot be politically right. If we separate morality
from politics, we imperil our Nation and threaten self-
destruction. Imperial Rome was not defeated by an enemy
from without; it was destroyed by moral decay from within.
Mighty God, over and over again You warned Your people,
Israel, that righteousness is essential to national
health.''
A frequent visitor to the Senate Press Gallery,
Halverson prayed this prayer on February 26, 1992:
``Gracious Father, investigative reporting seems epidemic
in an election year--its primary objective to defame
political candidates. Seeking their own reputation, they
destroy another's as they search relentlessly,
microscopically for some ancient skeleton in a person's
life. Eternal God, help these self-appointed `vacuum-
cleaner journalists' to discover how unproductive and
divisive their efforts are.''
From the mundane to the profound, Richard Halverson
could speak (and pray) about things in meaningful and
effective ways. For several decades he has written a bi-
weekly devotional letter called ``Perspective'' that has
affected the thousands who have received it. I once met a
man in a coffee shop in Amarillo, Texas, who told me he
had never met Halverson but had read ``Perspective'' for
years, ``and it changed my life.'' That is real power, the
power to change the life of a person you have never met.
Dick Halverson has not been a closet chaplain, sitting
in his office in the Hart Senate Office Building, waiting
for Senators to come to him. He has roamed the halls and
knows the names of waitresses and custodians as well as
those of Senators. The countenances of the small and the
great (a distinction lost on Halverson) light up in his
presence.
Like his famous predecessor, Chaplain Peter Marshall,
Richard Halverson has been a true servant of God in a
place where His influence is sorely needed. Of Peter
Marshall, the late Senator Arthur Vandenburg wrote his
widow Catherine, on hearing of Marshall's death, ``To me
he was the embodiment of `Onward Christian Soldiers.' To
me he was the personification of purposeful religion. His
prayers were eloquent and real. He lived his faith.''
The same could be said of Dick Halverson, whose power
came not from the electorate, or status, or position, but
from God. The new Senate will fill no office of greater or
more profound importance.
a
[From the Washington Post, April 10, 1981]
From Youth in Show Business to Chaplain of the Senate
(By Marjorie Hyer)
He learned to love the spotlight as a boy soprano, on
the vaudeville circuit when he was 10; he went on to
become internationally known as a pastor and evangelical
opinion maker.
Now, at the climax of his career, he operates out of a
bleak, one-window cubbyhole of an office that he shares
with a secretary. But as chaplain of the Senate, the
Reverend Richard C. Halverson has one of the most
exclusive congregations in the world.
At Fourth Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, where
Halverson, 65, will wind up 23 years of ministry at the
end of this month, he preaches to upwards of 1,500 people
every Sunday and directs a complex seven-day-a-week
program that reaches around the world.
As the 50th chaplain of the Senate, he completes in a
minute or two the only task that is specifically assigned
him--opening each session of the Senate with a prayer;
often he is lucky if half a dozen of his distinguished
parishioners are in the chamber to hear it. That does not
worry him. ``I pray to God for the Senate,'' he reminded a
visitor.
Though still feeling his way through what his new job
entails, Halverson sees it in much broader terms than the
daily prayer, and his new parish as extending well beyond
the 100 elected officials. ``I feel, as the chaplain, I
must be like a pastor to the Senators, their families and
staffs, to just be a faithful servant to all these people,
to the (Capitol) police, to the people who work in the
cafeteria, to the women who clean.'
Most of them, he recognizes, have their own pastors,
their own church connections--at least those who want
them. ``So my role is just be here, to be available to
them, to be a servant of the public servants, to love
them,'' he says after two months on the job as the
successor to the Reverend Edward L.R. Elson, a
Presbyterian who served for 12 years.
Throughout the Nation's history, men from eight
Christian denominations, including one Roman Catholic,
have served as official Senate chaplains. Apart from the
required opening prayer, the job has been pretty much what
each man has made of it.
John Brackenridge, a Presbyterian, used the position in
1814 to thunder against the Senators for legislation that
he felt would lead to desecrating the Sabbath, such as
transporting the mail. He warned that God would punish
them, that ``your temple and your palaces will be burned
to the ground.''
Two weeks later when British troops torched the White
House, Brackenridge declared it to be ``the chastening of
the Lord.''
For others it has been a grateful way to close out a
career, as it was for Unitarian Edward Everett Hale, who
had written ``The Man Without a Country'' 40 years before
he assumed the chaplaincy.
In Halverson's case, his career in the public eye began
early in Pingree, North Dakota, where he grew up.
Possessed then by what he calls ``a penchant for
entertaining,'' he used to stand outside the pool hall and
sing for nickels. His parents were divorced, but his
mother ``was very ambitious for me and she got me a
contract with a vaudeville troupe that was touring Canada.
His show business career lasted only six months, because
his voice changed. But from then on, the only thing he
could think of was Hollywood. He got his chance the summer
he was 19, when his mother let him stay on and seek his
fortune there after a family vacation in California. He
lived on the 50 cents a day he earned working in a tiny
auto-polish factory, and entered every amateur contest he
could find.
Then came Christmas, his first away from home and
family, and a deep loneliness compounded by an uneasy
conscience. Even though his family had never had anything
to do with churches, the life style he was drifting into
in his pursuit of a show business career began to conflict
with the strict moral code his mother had imparted.
With some qualms, he decided to attend a New Year's Eve
service at a little Presbyterian church. ``I had a very
dim view of churches and pastors,'' he says. ``In my view
then, a minister was a man who had failed at everything
else.''
That service only reinforced his low opinion, and the
minute the service was over, Halverson fled. But he was
met at the bottom of the steps by a layman who welcomed
him, introduced him to some other young men in the church
and invited him to a breakfast the young people were
having. When they discovered he loved to sing, they signed
him up for the choir.
Bit by bit, the youth got drawn into the activities of
that congregation, although he still had not changed his
opinion of churches or pastors. But then came a young
pastor fresh out of the seminary. To Halverson's
amazement, the young minister, the Reverend David L.
Cowie, was everything Halverson thought a man ought to be,
shattering many of his prejudices about the church.
``There was something about him that I wanted,'' Halverson
recalled.
So on a Sunday night 45 years ago--Halverson still marks
the anniversary--he had a serious talk with Cowie and
concluded that the ``something'' he lacked was a
commitment to Christ. ``I gave my life to Christ. . . . I
actually signed my life over to Him in a kind of deed. I
still carry it around in the back of my Bible.
After finishing Wheaton College and Princeton
Theological Siminary, Halverson served churches in
California for a dozen years. He came to Washington in
1956 to work with the international prayer breakfast
movement, a tie that he retained when, two years later, he
was called to Fourth Presbyterian Church, which had just
moved out from 13th and Fairmont Streets NW., to a new
suburban site on River Road in Bethesda.
There were about 500 members when he arrived; now the
church has 2,100 members, coming from as far away as
Manassas and the suburbs of Baltimore, and three full-time
pastors. The two Sunday morning services became so crowded
last fall that the pastors launched an 11 o'clock Bible
study class in the Kenwood Country Club across the street
that draws about 300 each Sunday.
Though Fourth Presbyterian has become a shining light in
worldwide evangelical Protestantism under Halverson's
leadership, he has put down even deeper roots in the
prayer breakfast movement that commands the loyalties of
hundreds of men and women on Capitol Hill. The movement
shuns publicity; one of its strengths is that the prayer
groups have been one of the few places in Washington where
men and women normally in the spotlight can admit their
human and spiritual needs without fear for their public
image.
Because of his association with the movement throughout
his 25 years in Washington, as well as his friendship with
the large numbers of men and women from Capitol Hill who
attend his church, Halverson already has a wide circle of
friends in his new parish.
In welcoming Halverson to the Senate on his first day,
Senator Mark Hatfield (R-OR), who was once a member of his
congregation, called him ``supremely suited to be our
pastor and friend for the challenges ahead.''
For all his youthful fascination with show biz,
clergyman Halverson today functions more typically in
quiet conversations, encouraging and motivating others to
take the lead. ``He has a style of leadership which evokes
leadership in others,'' said the Reverend Dr. Edward
White, head of the National Capital Union Presbytery.
White, who uses words such as ``authentic,''
``unassuming'' and ``loyal'' in characterizing Halverson's
ministry, remarked that very often among clergy, ``big-
steeple preachers have big-steeple egos. Dick is
uncharacteristic in that respect. . . .
``There is one thing I have noticed when I have been
with Dick in informal gatherings. . . . He will get to
talking about other people and he talks about them in such
a way that you would think they had hung the moon. He has
such a tremendous appreciation for other people.''
Halverson does not see his new parish as a recruiting
ground for his own brand of Christianity. ``I am here as a
servant of public servants. My role is to love them, to be
available to them, to try to stay out of their way and to
minister privately to them as they come to me in need of
my services.
``Of course, I believe that the ultimate answer to their
needs is Jesus Christ, but I am not going to hit them over
the head with it,'' he said.
Halverson has promised he will reject any temptation to
use his position to bring pressure for a particular piece
of legislation. ``I would not take any initiative to
lobby,'' he said.
All of this fits with the more recent tradition of the
post, which is supposed to be free from political
influence. Under present rules, the chaplain is nominated
by the majority party and elected for an indefinite term
by vote of the full Senate.
The chaplain's office is a former storage room, about 9
feet by 15 feet, just inside the door of the Russell
Office Building. Sharing the cramped space with his
secretary scarcely offers Halverson a setting for the
counseling he sees as part of his job, a visitor reminds
him. ``Well, I can always go where they are,'' he says
with a laugh.
And the job does have its compensations. The chaplain's
prayer leads off each day's issue of the Congressional
Record. Halverson prays, in fairly workaday speech, for
God to give his flock attributes such as strength, wisdom,
humility, courage and divine protection from ``the forces
which would exploit . . . as pressure from interest groups
builds. He is not given to flights of ornate language or
great literary display.
Halverson writes his prayers a day ahead, and while he
tries to keep them nonpartisan, he also strives for
relevance. ``I pray over my prayers,'' he said. ``I read
the papers to see what is going on.''
With the fast movement of events, he writes a goodly
number of prayers, that may never get used before the
Senate. ``But,'' he says, ``they may be more important
than the ones that are used.''
a
[From International Ministries Fellowship]
In Memoriam
(By Hal W. Guffey)
Dr. Richard C. Halverson--With the Lord as of November
28, 1995.
One of a kind. Of Norwegian ``Viking'' stock.
Indescribable. He loved God. He loved people. It showed!
Not a great orator. Yet, he could say more--say it
better--in fewer words than any one else.
(Exhibit A--the bi-weekly Perspective letter from which
SPICE has often quoted.)
He prayed for more people than most people know--
carrying cards with names of hundreds--thousands?
When as Chaplain he prayed in the U.S. Senate--``Someone
besides God listened'' a Senator remarked.
(Everyone should possess--and use--``No Greater
Power''--a collection of some of his Senate prayers and an
application of God's power for living--Multnomah Press.)
Always disappointed if he did not hear prayer for
government leaders in church.
From the pulpit he consistently prayed for the trash
collectors--the maids--the firemen--the police--yes, all
the people who serve the community as well as leaders.
Musically inclined, he ended the extremely well attended
Sunday evening services at Fourth Presbyterian Church
(Bethesda, MD) with a solo rendition:
``Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
Whose mind is stayed on Thee
When the shadows come and darkness falls
He giveth inward peace
O He is the only perfect reating place
He giveth perfect peace
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace
Whose mind is stayed on thee''
(Even our very young children enjoyed those Sunday
evening services!)
Hollywood's ``call'' beckoned him to try his youthful
talent there. Hired on as a chauffeur/butler to a
prestigious ``star'' while awaiting discovery, he learned
about ``servanthood''.
Converted at a Presbyterian church because an usher
befriended him--and got him in the choir where he heard
the gospel regularly.
With a new ``call'' upon his life he studied at Wheaton
College in Illinois.
Later at seminary he faced a decision--believe the
doubts of some professors and higher critics, or the
Bible. He chose the Bible.
As an Associate Minister at Hollywood Presbyterian, God
gave him a fruitful ministry to men.
Early 1958 found him in Washington, DC, with the
``fellowship''--there to touch the ``movers and shakers''
and the ``moved and shaken'' in and beyond this ``world''
capital.
But a true pastor, he soon added to that task the
Pastorate of Fourth Presbyterian Church, Bethesda, MD.
Mid-week he might be in Indonesia, speaker at a World
Vision sponsored pastor's conference. (He chaired the W.V.
board.)
But come Sunday morning--back in the pulpit with a fresh
message and new stories of what God was doing in the life
of His people ``over there''.
He drilled into the minds and hearts of his congregation
and audiences--the work of the Church starts when the
believers disperse into Monday's market place.
When one of his elders at Fourth became president of a
missions organization, he made a point of promising him,
``If you ever need me, just let me know and I'll be
there.''
You always were, Dick--without fail! Thanks. When I see
you again, I'll be able to sing that chorus almost as well
as you!!