To serve as Chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives is truly an honor and a privilege. To be both a minister of the Lord and an officer serving the United States government responds to a twofold call to serve others and offer prayer that unites Heaven and Earth.
With 435 Members in the House and their staffs, plus all the other wonderful people who serve here with committee work or in the Chamber, including teenage Pages, my pastoral duties are many and varied. My goal is to meet the needs of this working community on a personal level. The problems that weigh on hearts and the confusion that at times blocks clarity of thinking become my concerns.
The formal prayer before each legislative session of Congress, and even before days of pro forma sessions, casts a light on the day that awakens faith and calls forth a nation to stand with its leaders and affirm: “In God We Trust.” But daily prayer for the Members of the House cannot end there.
I ask people across this great country to join me in praying for the Members of the House of Representatives. Know the Member of your congressional district by name and raise his or her name before God each day with us here in the nation’s capital.
Pray for me, also, that I may be always rooted in prayer and a good instrument for accomplishing God’s holy will here. Only by being free in the Spirit can I serve all the people here, regardless of their faith persuasion or denomination. Only by listening attentively to each person can I offer good counsel, encouragement, and gentle correction.
Thank you for your interest in and support of the Members of the House.
Gracious Lord,
The members of the United States House of Representatives have been given the awesome responsibility and privilege of the stewardship of governance by the citizens of our country.
They must be truly grateful for the trust placed in them by those same citizens.
Today, I ask for your gift of wisdom, right judgment and hearts and minds open to your spirit.
I pray for the spirit of cooperation and collaboration as they seek to guide our country as it faces the many significant challenges both nationally and internationally.
Although there may be differences on how to accomplish specific goals, the members of the House must always keep in mind the inspiring vision of our founders; the common good of the people they serve.
Gracious and loving God, be with them in their deliberations for without your help and guidance the deliberations may prove limited and disappointing.
Amen.
“Waiting – standing by – is a dimension that crosses all of our existence: personal, family and social. This waiting is found in a thousand situations, from those little, everyday ones all the way to the most important things, those which completely, deeply, wrap us up. Among these, let us think of the waiting for a child by a couple; those of a relative or friend who comes to visit us from afar; let us think, for a young person, of the waiting for the result of an important test, or a job interview; in emotional relationships, of the waiting for one's encounter with their beloved, of the response to a letter, or the acceptance of an apology... It could be said that man is alive while he waits, that in his heart hope is alive. And from these waitings man comes to know himself: our moral and spiritual "stature" can be measured by that for which we wait, by that in which we hope.
Each of us, then, especially in this time that prepares us for Christmas, can ask ourselves: what am I waiting for? What, in this moment of my life, reaches out of my heart? This same question can place itself in the context of family, of community, of nation. What do we wait for, together? What unites our hopes, what do we share?...
Let us learn... to live our daily duties with a new spirit, with the sense of a profound waiting, one only the coming of God can quench.”
—Pope Benedict XVI
Angelus Message, November 28, 2010
Led by the Senate Chaplain, Dr. Barry Black. Open
to Congressional Members and Staff. Lunch is
provided.
For more information, contact Lisa Wink Schultz in the Senate Chaplain's Office – 4–2510
Open to Congressional Members, Staff and general public.
For more information contact Assad Akhter Assad.Akhter@mail.house.gov.
Join the Latter–Day Saints Staff Assn. for their weekly scripture study.
They are also expecting to start a group on the House side in the near future.
For more information contact David Rowberry at 202–448–3399
Sponsored by the Congressional Jewish Staff Assn.
Rabbi Harold White
In lieu of the weekly parsha, Rabbi White will be teaching about the historical background of Hanukkah
Please forward to any colleagues (interns as well) on or off the Hill you think would be interested.
Light Lunch will be provided, dietary laws observed.
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For more information: tom_jones@commerce.senate.gov
Join us to pray the Rosary in the Ford Building on this first day of October, the month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.
We will meet at 11:30 am in 301 Ford on Friday, October 1.
For more information, contact Karen Bronson in the Chaplain's Office.
Join staffer Gary Dieffenderfer for a study of the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew Chapter 5–7.
Bring your own lunch and your bible.
For more information, contact Gary at gary.dieffenderfer@mail.house.gov
Members and staff are invited to join Chaplain Coughlin each Wednesday at 11:00 am to pray the Rosary in H–234, the Congressional Prayer Room.
Praying the Rosary is a way to reflect on the life of Christ through the perspective of Mary. It only takes twenty minutes for this traditional time of prayer.
We welcome all who are interested, those who regularly pray the Rosary and those who wish to learn. We have prayer sheets and rosaries available.
If you have any questions, please call Karen Bronson in the Chaplain's Office at 6–4835. Or email Karen.Bronson@mail.house.gov
Sponsored by the Office of the Chaplain.
The Congressional Prayer Room is located off the Capitol Rotunda. When in the Rotunda, go through the doorway flanked by Lincoln, Grant and the POW flag. H–234 is on the left.
COME AND JOIN
CAPITOL HILL BIBLE STUDY STAFF ASSOCIATION
FOR
A BIBLE STUDY ON THE HILL
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2010
1:00 PM IN 2237 RAYBURN
ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND!!!
Spread the word and invite a friend.
*********************************
This bible study is designed to help each of us:
–Growing in our relationship with God
–Gaining a better understanding of the Word of God and how it applies to our daily lives
–Discovering our individual and corporate purpose in the body of Christ
How will we do this?
–Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding of the Word of God
–Fellowship as we share experiences and encourage each other in our walk with Christ
–Embracing the awesome power of prayer and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our meetings.
General Outline for Conducting the Bible Study
Below are the main outline points we would cover in a bible study:
1. Introductions and Welcome – 10 minutes emphasizing the following points
2. Prayer – 5 minutes (can be extended as needed)
3. Begin study itself – 30 minutes
4. questions and comments – 10 minutes
5. close out with prayer – 5 minutes (extended as needed)
For more information and questions please contact us at
hillbiblestudy@gmail.com
or visit our facebook page, key search is: hillbiblestudy
Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld
Parshah Vayetze – Genesis 28:10–32:3
Please forward to any colleagues (interns as well) on or off the Hill you think would be interested.
Note: Parsha and Commentary links are for your information. You are not expected to have read the parsha prior to the study session.
Light Lunch will be provided, dietary laws observed.
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