[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 29745]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  The Reverend Dr. Theodore Schneider, Bishop of Washington, 
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Washington, D.C., offered the 
following prayer:
  A hush has fallen over the House, Lord, and well it should.
  You are the creator and You sustain all things. Before You the 
generations rise and fall, before You, Lord, nations have come and they 
have gone.
  We have been called by our people to manage the things of government. 
They expect of us integrity, wisdom and vision. They hunger for 
justice, for good and equal opportunities, so they may be all they are 
able to become.
  We have been called by You, Lord, as stewards of lands, of resources, 
of human and social opportunities, and of the things that make for 
peace and foster posterity. You call us to be champions of justice and 
protectors of the poor.
  Watch over us as we continue our debates upon fiscal budgets and the 
works of our government that initiate, protect and nurture hope and the 
well-being of our people and our communities. Keep before us the needs 
of all our people, especially those that would be so easy to forget; 
the homeless, the sick, the destitute, the aged, and all who have none 
to care for them.
  Let Your Spirit nurture our thirst for the things that make for peace 
in our land and among the nations of this earth.
  Through our people You have called us, Lord, to be stewards of all 
you have so graciously bestowed upon us. Clear our minds, open our 
hearts, and extend our vision so that we might be for our people all 
Your grace enables us to become.
  Turn this parliamentary pause, Father, into our perfect prayer. Amen.

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