Reverend Larry D. Ferguson
Christ Church
Plymouth, IN
Sponsor: Rep. Rep. Steve Buyer, (R-IN)
Date of Prayer: 07/10/2001
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, the opening prayer for today's House session has been given to us by Pastor Larry Ferguson . Pastor Ferguson ministers at Christ Church in Plymouth, of Marshall County, Indiana, where he has been a Senior Pastor for 6 years with his wife Kathy, and the Pastor's son Darin, and his wife Kathy, who is also in the United States Air Force and is present in the gallery today.
Pastor Ferguson preached his first sermon as a freshman in high school and later completed 4 years of training for the ministry at Cincinnati Bible Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio. Since that time, he has been involved in providing spiritual nourishment to many. Whether it is in providing leadership as a principal to a Christian school, giving guidance to Christian churches who are struggling, or nurturing the health of marriages and families, Pastor Ferguson has been following the Biblical admonition to ‘‘heal the broken–hearted.''
Pastor Ferguson has also used his talents to proclaim the Gospel through song and over the airwaves in Christian radio ministry.
For 35 years, Pastor Ferguson has been ministering, and he has touched more lives than he may ever know. I am thankful for his prayer today, and in his prayer I agree that in this House, we do quest for the greater understanding.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Dear Heavenly Father, Creator of the universe,
We come to You on behalf of this nation and more particularly on behalf of the United States House of Representatives. We come for several reasons:
You said in Jeremiah 33:3, "Call unto Me and I will answer you." We are calling unto You now.
You said in Your great book of wisdom, Proverbs 3:5–6, "Lean not on your understanding, acknowledge Me in all your ways and I will direct your paths." We are acknowledging You right now.
You said in Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it shall be given unto you, seek and yee shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you."
We are asking, seeking and knocking right now.
You are our Jehovah Jireh, our Provider, and we are looking unto You.
We recognize that You have all wisdom, all power and all understanding. So as this House argues and debates important issues, when the vote is taken and the dust settles, we pray that the consensus will be Your will. We seek for Your will to be done here on earth as it is in Heaven. We pray that when decisions have been made that there will be mutual respect and comradery between those that have taken different positions on each issue. And after this day is completed, that some how, You will be glorified and we and this nation will be blessed.
In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the One that died and rose again that we might have victory over sin and death.
Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory