[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 8819]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 8819]]

             HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES--Friday, May 19, 2006

  The House met at 9 a.m.
  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  In the prophetic vineyard of Isaiah, You God Almighty, are recognized 
as the vine grower. Your people are the treasured vineyard which is 
cared for by the vine dressers. As believers and servants of Your 
people, the Members of Congress, viewed as the vine dressers, turn to 
You, Lord, in prayer. You must bless their work for You alone can 
produce lasting results in the roots and all the branches.
  Only a healthy and prosperous vineyard will provide good wine for the 
tables of life in America. Yet, so much depends on climatic incidents, 
the soil, the water, the sunlight, as well as the human labor of 
distinguished pruning and attentive care.
  Lord of the vineyard, help Congress to seize the right moments and 
make the right decisions. Especially during difficult times do the vine 
dressers need to cultivate together and be discerning. Only by mutual 
trust and conversation can there be a structured response focused not 
only on the long hanging produce or just on some of the branches, but 
concern for the whole vineyard.
  For the entire vineyard, beginning with the grafted vine from the 
foreign soil to the very best vintage, Lord, belongs to You, now and 
forever. Amen.

                          ____________________