[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2136-E2137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    A TRIBUTE TO OUR SAVIOR LUTHERAN CHURCH ON ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL P. FORBES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 30, 1997

  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Our Savior 
Lutheran Church, of Centereach, Long Island, as its congregants come 
together this Saturday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 
founding of this blessed house of the Lord.
  Since Our Savior Lutheran Church opened its doors in 1956, its 
congregants have sought to fulfill the mission that it so proudly 
declares: ``Proclaiming Christ to the Heart of Long Island.'' I truly 
believe, as many of my colleagues in this hallowed Chamber do, that our 
churches, temples, and mosques are the cornerstones of our community, 
the bedrock on which our faith, values, and sense of purpose rest. For 
my neighbors in Centereach, a close-knit, family-oriented community in 
the center of Long Island, Our Savior Church and School has been the 
spiritual cornerstone that has nurtured and supported their faith and 
good work that makes this community so vital.
  Under the leadership of Rev. Ronald Stelzer, Our Savior Church has 
flourished as a beacon of Christian faith and good work. Assuming the 
pastorship in 1984, Reverend Stelzer has helped Our Savior Church grow 
in size and numbers, to serve more of our Long Island neighbors. Since 
1984, the number of parishioners has grown more than threefold, and Our 
Savior now welcomes an average of 500 congregants each Sunday.
  Most impressive has been the creation and subsequent growth of Our 
Savior School. Founded in 1992 with just 9 students, today the School 
serves 200 students between kindergarten and the 12th grade. With a 
growth capacity up to 325 students, Our Savior School offers a superior 
academic curriculum, deeply rooted in Christian principles and 
teachings.

[[Page E2137]]

  So Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of 
Representatives to join me in honoring Our Savior Lutheran Church, of 
Centereach, for its 40 years of devoted service to God and man. We are 
fortunate to count this wonderful church among the crucial cornerstones 
of our Long Island community. Through the grace of God, may Our Savior 
Church continue to grow and flourish, so that it may continue to 
proclaim Christ to the heart of Long Island and beyond.

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