[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 21]
[House]
[Page 27979]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  Reverend Matthew Southall Brown, Sr., St. John Baptist Church, 
Savannah, Georgia, offered the following prayer:
  Our Father, we are confident that You are here in the midst of all of 
us, so as we gather here this morning, we ask for Your wisdom and 
courage for the Members of this august body as they face the challenges 
of this day.
  Lord, I pray, lead them and guide them in matters facing this Nation 
and indeed the world. We live, my Father, in a time when ``men are 
trying to war their way to peace, spend their way to wealth and enjoy 
their way to Heaven.''
  Lord, it is our prayer that each Member of this House of 
Representatives be sensitive to Your voice, the needs of the people of 
America and indeed throughout the world. May the decisions made here be 
for the good of America and the world.
  Hasten the day, Father, when men will ``beat their war tools into 
pruning hooks and study war no more.'' Finally, my Father, we pray for 
our President, Barack Obama, his family, and all leaders of this great 
Nation.
  May this Nation once again hear the words of the Lord Himself saying, 
``If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and 
pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear 
from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.''
  It is in the name of Him Who said, ``If I be lifted up from the 
Earth, I will draw all men unto Me.''
  It is in His name we pray. Let the people of the Lord say amen.

                          ____________________