[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7824]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE REVEREND ROBERT M. NERVIG ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 
                               RETIREMENT

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 1999

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Reverend Robert 
M. Nervig for his service to the people he has served and the 
communities he has enriched in his 43 years as a minister in Brooklyn 
and throughout the city and across the country.
  Reverend Nervig began his ministry in 1956 when he was ordained into 
the Holy Ministry at the Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, 
Minnesota. Soon after that he began his religious ministry at the 
Trinity Lutheran Church in Brooklyn. Three years later he moved to Our 
Savior Lutheran Church serving the Staten Island community. And in 
1988, Reverend Nervig returned to Trinity, Brooklyn where he continued 
his ministry in this multilingual, multi-cultural parish. During this 
time he also served as president of Augustana Academy, a school that 
broke all barriers by providing academic opportunities to children of 
all races and economic position.
  Reverend Nervig has been a powerful force in our community, because 
of his strong commitment to serve diverse communities. His ministry is 
not bound by the constraints of language or culture, and extends to the 
many diverse groups of people in the communities to which he ministers. 
His parish is surrounded by the sounds of prayers in many languages, 
and each Sunday his multi-cultural parish prays in three languages--
English, Norwegian and Spanish. His efforts to reach out and unite 
people involved him in the organization of 65 congregations of the 
former American Lutheran Church.
  And beyond this, Reverend Nervig has touched the lives of thousands, 
of young adults in the community through his activities in youth 
ministries, where he is known as ``Pastor Bob.'' As president of 
Augustana High School, he has helped strengthen and expand that diverse 
institution--a place where students rich and poor from many backgrounds 
and many nations can learn in a dynamic environment. He has organized 
youth outreach programs and national Lutheran youth gatherings that 
have become enormously successful, and have touched young people across 
the country.
  Reverend Nervig is a model for our community in Brooklyn and a model 
for communities across the country. I urge my fellow colleagues to join 
me in honoring reverend Robert M. Nervig for his 43 years of service to 
many communities--a ministry and a man that can be condensed into these 
words--a love for all God's children--no matter the age.

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