Reverend Robert Wagenseil
Calvary Episcopal Church
Indian Rocks Beach, FL
Sponsor: Rep. Bill Young, (R-FL)
Date of Prayer: 07/17/2013
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. YOUNG of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to introduce to the House our guest chaplain today, Father Bob Wagenseil , the pastor of Calvary Episcopal Church in the beautiful town of Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.
Father Bob, as he is affectionately known, is a dear friend and a beloved member of our community. He was ordained in May of 1981 and spent most of his 14 years serving churches in Long Island and New York City. By 1993, he was appointed archdeacon of Queens.
To our good fortune in Florida, he was asked to come to Calvary Episcopal in 1995, and it has been a true love affair ever since. In addition to serving the church, which just celebrated its 50th anniversary, Father Bob and his wife, Patricia, or PT as she is known, have served our community in many special ways.
He serves as chaplain of the Suncoast Fire and Rescue, where he is also a volunteer firefighter. He helped develop a computer learning center at the church, a critically important food pantry, and nearest and dearest to his heart, a community sailing program for the youth of the church and the local community.
Father Bob will retire from Calvary on September 15 of this year after 18 years of service to the church and 34 years to the priesthood. He and PT, who have been married for 35 years, will remain active members of our community and dear friends to the thousands and thousands of people whose lives they have touched, including Congressman Bill Young and his wife, Beverly, and our two sons, Patrick and Billy.
Please join me in welcoming Father Bob Wagenseil and PT to the House today.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: thank You for the men and women who have been called to serve Your people in this House.
As they strive to chart the best possible course for our Nation, enable them to remember that we are all in the same boat when it comes to our love of this country and our desire to see the hopes and dreams of our fellow citizens fulfilled.
As they seek to walk the road of truth, help them to learn what it means to walk that road together on the common ground of respect and forbearance.
Bless their families and make their homes havens of kindness, encouragement, and love.
Finally, when they shall have served their final day as Members of this House, send them home filled with the true and lasting joy that always comes at last to those who have done their duty and done it well.
Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory