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- The great legacy of faith in Congress! Do you know how it began?
- President Bush meets some kids who sing for God every week.
- Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi is coming to America—do you know where he’s going after his visit to Washington?
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| These kids aren’t sailors! They are members of the elite Vienna Boy’s Choir, a very special musical group that began in 1498! They exist for a spiritual purpose—to sing mass every single week in the chapel at the Hofburg Palace! President and Mrs. Bush heard the world renowned group sing in their home spot—a great thrill. Photo courtesy of the White House. |
- President Bush has just come back from an important trip to Europe. He visited Austria, where he participated in the U.S.-EU Summit and met with many key leaders. It was a very good time of remembering and renewing the important ties between the United States and our friends in Europe. He also visited Hungary where he met with leaders and helped Hungarians celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian uprising. This made for a wonderful opportunity to talk about the importance of freedom and democracy in the world. Now President and Mrs. Bush are home from this trip, so it’s a great time to thank God for the success of this trip and to ask Him to help all the leaders involved in these meetings to seek God’s will as they execute the follow up to these meetings. Pray that our relationships with the nations of Europe—and of the world—will be strengthened and that democracy and freedom will continue to advance so peoples’ rights can be restored in oppressed nations.
- Now that he is home, President Bush will be getting ready for an important meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on June 29. The two leaders will meet at the White House and will discuss many issues of mutual concern, including the announcement by Japan that they are pulling out of the coalition efforts in Iraq. This is a great time to pray for President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi as they meet, that the friendship between our countries will be strengthened and will serve God’s purposes. And here’s something fun—after their meeting, President and Mrs. Bush will travel with Prime Minister and Mrs. Koizumi to Memphis, TN where together they will tour Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley!
- Have you heard about the problems in New Orleans? Things are still pretty rough there, and some very serious and dangerous crimes have been committed recently, causing the mayor to ask the governor for National Guard troops to be sent to help keep that city safe. In situations like this, kids must pray that evil and hatred will be defeated in the City of New Orleans, and that all the people there will put away deeds of darkness and choose to walk in the light. Pray that the city will be secured by the troops and police, and that those who do evil and commit crimes will stop. Pray that the efforts of so many people who are working for good in that city will succeed.
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| Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings calls the runner “safe” in a close call during one of last year’s White House Tee Ball games. Photo courtesy of the White House. |
- Lots of kids will be coming to the White House on Friday! It’s the first game of White House Tee Ball to be played this year! Kids from the New London, CT Naval Submarine Base will play against a team of kids from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. It’s a pretty exciting honor to be invited to the White House for something like this, so it’s a really great time to give thanks for the dedicated service of these kids’ moms and dads who serve our country through military service. Pray that these kids and their parents will know the gratitude of our nation, and ask God to protect their parents and all the members of our military, wherever and however they serve the cause of freedom.
Secretary of the Interior--Dirk Kempthorne |
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| Photo of Secretary Kempthorne and President Bush courtesy of the White House. |
Dirk Kempthorne became our nation’s 49th Secretary of the Interior on May 26, 2006. He brings a long and successful career in government and leadership to this position, having served nearly two terms as Governor of Idaho. As that state’s governor, he partnered with leaders of neighboring states to restore salmon runs and strengthen forest health and wildfire management.
Beginning his career of public service as mayor of Boise, ID, Dirk Kempthorne was Chair of the National Governors Association for a time. He also served in the Senate from 1993-1999.
Secretary Kempthorne and his wife Patricia are both University of Idaho graduates and have two grown children, Heather and Jeff.
Secretary of Transportation—Norman Mineta |
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| Photo of Secretary Mineta with President Bush courtesy of the Department of Transportation. |
Norman Mineta has a terrific record of service to our country, and he has several “firsts” to his credit. He became the first Asian-American cabinet member during President Clinton’s administration and the first cabinet member to make the switch from a Democratic cabinet directly to a Republican one. He was appointed by President Bush at the beginning of his first term and has served with great dignity and success since January 2001.
In his job as the Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta oversees all the ways that people get around in our country--the waterways and highways, air travel and train travel, even the trucks that drive on our highways--all these are under his supervision. It is his job to ensure that travel is safe and fair for those who earn their living in transportation as well.
He has worked hard to make transportation safer in our country, and during the first four year’s of the President’s term, Secretary Mineta and his team successfully delivered the lowest vehicle fatality rate ever recorded, the highest safety belt usage rate ever recorded, and the lowest rail fatality level ever recorded. He has also worked with the states to lower the rule on blood alcohol in order to prevent drunk driving accidents. That’s a pretty impressive record, and it means that there are lots more Americans living without accidents and injury, which is great!
The Department of Transportation has 100,000 faithful employees and a $58.7 billion budget—that’s a lot to keep track of for starters.
Secretary Mineta and his family were among the 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry forced from their homes and into internment camps during World War II—that was a very sad chapter in our country. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, Secretary Mineta joined the Army in 1953 and served as an intelligence officer in Japan and Korea. He is married to Danealia (Deni) Mineta. He has two sons, David and Stuart Mineta, and two stepsons, Robert and Mark Brantner.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, forever and ever. Everywhere--from east to west-- praise the name of the Lord.
—Psalm 113:2-3
I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.
—John 10:14
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| Image courtesy of the U.S. Congress. |
Do you know what your legacy is? It’s what you leave behind that others remember you by. Every person leaves a legacy, whether it is good or not. Even organizations leave a legacy.
This week we want to remind you about the rich legacy of faith that has marked our nation's Congress. There are all kinds of great moments and experiences that show us that our faith and our government were never meant to be kept apart, but instead, are intricately linked—even today!
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| This painting by T.H. Matteson is dated around 1850. It shows the first thing that happened when the Continental Congress gathered on September 7, 1774. They took time for prayer! Image courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
The members of the Continental Congress—those who governed the Colonies from 1774-1789—included many men of great and abiding faith. They gave themselves wholeheartedly to strengthening religious practice in the Colonies possibly with more excitement and passion than any other group of American government leaders since!
Though the Articles of Confederation did not call for the Continental Congress to promote religious welfare and encourage participation, Colonials certainly didn't object to this fervency on the part of their leaders. Their acceptance of these practices shows us that both legislators and citizens alike thought it was appropriate for the national government to promote Christianity, as long as they didn't insist on one form. Indeed, by the time the framers of the Constitution were at work, Protestant Christianity in the Colonies had spread far beyond the singular Congregationalism of the Puritans. There were Baptists and Quakers, Methodists and Moravians and many others. In addition, there were strong Catholic parishes, particularly in Maryland, and some thriving Jewish groups as well.
Among the incredible acts of that early Congress as the appointment of chaplains for itself and the Armed Forces, a sponsored the publication of a Bible when a shortage threatened, scripturally-based rules for those in the military and donation of public lands to develop the Christian faith among Native Americans. They frequently called for national days of humiliation, fasting, and prayer, and most importantly, they worked from a worldview that acknowledged God as sovereign and the Scriptures as the ultimate authority.
If you are interested in learning more about the godly faith of our Founders—especially the members of the Continental Congress, our government has a wonderful website that will tell you all about it! That's right—our government! Check out the Library of Congress page on Religion and the Founding of the American Republic HERE.
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| The members of Congress need your prayers, day and night. Remember to pray for them always! |
As a kid who prays we want encourage you not only to appreciate the faith-filled acts of our forefathers, but also to remember to pray for those who lead us today. Here is a terrific prayer you can pray at any time for the members of Congress.
A Prayer for Congress
Almighty God, thank you for our great nation. Thank you for the plan You gave our forefathers by which to govern our nation and for the division of powers so that our destiny does not rest in the hands of one person.
In praying for those in authority, I lift up our Congress, the House and the Senate, and pray that, by Your power, our legislative body will make laws and behave in ways that are just and pleasing to You.
Give them wisdom to make decisions that will strengthen and prosper our nation. Remind them to look to the greater good, and compel them to see to the social welfare and economic security of America. Motivate them to please you, setting aside partisan or personal concerns.
Amen.
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| Portrait of John Quincy Adams courtesy of the National Archives. |
John Quincy Adams was the 6th president of our country. He was a wonderful and godly man who wanted his life to reflect the truth of God's love and His Word. He served our nation in many ways including a stint in Congress. He wrote this prayer as an expression of his desire to serve God faithfully through his time in Congress.
A Congressman's Prayer
by John Quincy Adams
Almighty Father! Look in mercy down:
Oh! Grant me virtue, to perform my part —
The patriot's fervour, and the statesman's art
In thought, word, deed, preserve me from Thy frown.
Direct me to the paths of bright renown
Guide my frail bark, by truth's unerring chart,
Inspire my soul, and purify my heart;
And with success my steadfast purpose crown.
My country's weal — be that my polar star —
Justice, thou Rock of Ages, is thy law —
And when thy summons calls me to thy bar,
Be this my plea, thy gracious smile to draw —
That all my ways to justice were inclin'd —
And all my aims — the blessing of mankind.
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| This painting by Trumbull shows our Founding Fathers at the defining moment when they signed the Declaration of Independence. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
The first prayer in Congress is one of those great moments! Aware of their need for guidance from God, the members of Congress called for prayer the very first time they met, and Congress has begun with prayer every day since then!
WHO: The 44 members of the Continental Congress including representatives from every colony except Georgia (it was very far away!) included:
New Hampshire, John Sullivan, Nathaniel Folsom
Massachusetts, Thomas Cushing, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine
Rhode Island, Stephen Hopkins, Samuel Ward
Connecticut, Eliphalet Dyer, Roger Sherman, Silas Deane
New York, James Duane, John Jay, Philip Livingston, Isaac Low, William Floyd
New Jersey, James Kinsey, William Livingston, John Hart, Stephen Crane, Richard Smith
Pennsylvania, Joseph Galloway, Samuel Rhodes, Thomas Mifflin, Charles Humphreys, John Morton, Edward Biddle
Delaware, Caesar Rodney, Thomas McKean, George Read
Maryland, Robert Goldsborough, William Paca, Samuel Chase
Virginia, Peyton Randolph, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Richard Bland, Benjamin Harrison, Edmund Pendleton
South Carolina, Henry Middleton, John Rutledge, Christopher Gadsden, Thomas Lynch, Edward Rutledge.
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This photo shows Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia,
the very first home of the Continental Congress. |
WHERE: Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia in Pennsylvania colony. Philadelphia was the largest city in the colonies at that time—much larger than New York or Boston—in part because of its religious tolerance. Carpenter's Hall has been owned and operated by the Carpenters' Company of Philadelphia, the oldest trade guild in America, since 1770. It was a public hall like many other buildings of the day, and was available for a variety of uses.
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| John Jay of New York was a good and godly man who expressed hesitancy about the Continental Congress praying for guidance—not because of the need to keep faith out of the halls of government, but because of a need to respect the many different expressions of faith represented. Fortunately, his objections were overcome and Rev. Jacob Duché offered a stirring and heartfelt prayer the next morning. Portrait courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
WHY: According to John Adams, Mr. Cushing, representing Massachusetts, suggested they open with prayer. Mr. Jay of New York and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina expressed concern, because of the great diversity of their Protestant allegiances. As he did so often and with such great success, Mr. Sam Adams spoke us with clarity and conviction. He said that anyone who possessed piety and virtue and love his country would be acceptable to him to lead in prayer. He had heard about Mr. Jacob Duché, an Episcopal clergyman and suggested he be called in to offer prayers the next day.
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What would it feel like to have foreign troops invade
your town and capture members of your community?
Image courtesy of ThePatriot.com. |
WHAT: Gathered just hours after they had heard the news of a great cannon attack on Boston, the 44 representatives respectfully joined in Mr. Duché's reading of the 35th Psalm. Click here to read the 35th Psalm in the New Living Translation.
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| This stained glass window shows another artist's idea about what it looked like that very first day that the Continental Congress met. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress. |
According to the Journals of the Continental Congress the Rev. Mr. Jacob Duché, as soon as he read the Scripture for the day, spoke right up and prayed extemporaneously the following prayer:
Be Thou present O God of Wisdom, and direct the counsel of this Honorable Assembly; enable them to settle all things on the best and surest foundations; that the scene of blood may be speedily closed; that Order, Harmony and Peace may be effectually restored, and that Truth and Justice, Religion and Piety, prevail and flourish among the people. Preserve the health of their bodies, and the vigor of their minds, shower down on them, and the millions they here represent, such temporal blessings as Thou seeth expedient for them in this world, and crown them with everlasting Glory in the world to come. All this we ask in the Name and through the merits of Jesus Christ, Thy Son and our Savior, Amen."
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| George Washington was known for being a godly, praying man. As Congress gathered for the first time, he and many others joined in prayer, led by Rev. Jacob Duché. |
Aren't you glad the members of the Continental Congress took time to pray before they did anything else? Just think about who was there: Gen. George Washington was kneeling in prayer along with Henry, Randolph, Rutledge, Lee, and Jay, and by their side there stood bowed in reverence, the Puritan Patriots of New England. It was quite a group! For those from Boston, the news of the British attack had just hit, and it was possible that their own homes were under attack at that very moment. They prayed fervently "for America, for Congress, for the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston," not knowing their fate. John Adams had this to say about the special prayer moment: "It was enough to melt a heart of stone. I saw the tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave pacific Quakers of Philadelphia."
Though it's sometimes easy to forget, our Bible reminds us in many places that God loves for us to come to Him with our worries and cares, no matter what kind of trouble we may be in. When our Founding Fathers met for prayer during those first days of Congress, that's exactly what they were doing! Can you think of a verse that tells us to bring our worries and concerns right to God?
Hover HERE to read:
QUESTION 1
True or False Even though Congress began with prayer back in 1774, that practice was discontinued long ago because of the importance of the separation of church and state.
- True
- False
QUESTION 2
True or False Back in September 1774, Congress chose to begin their proceedings with prayer, but, with the exception of daily prayers, they have considered very few matters of religious significance since then.
- True
- False
QUESTION 3
Why did the first Congress meet in Philadelphia and not in Washington, D.C.?
- They met in Philadelphia because they believed in the importance of brotherly love.
- They met in Philadelphia because they wanted to use the famous Liberty Bell whenever they had an important proclamation to share.
- Philadelphia was the largest city in the Colonies with the best facilities to offer.
QUESTION 4
When Congress first met and Thomas Cushing called for prayer, why did some members of Congress object to the idea?
- They were concerned that Congress would become too concerned with religious matters.
- They didn't want to bog down their schedule with unnecessary matters that would waste precious time.
- They knew they represented several faith traditions and they wanted to be sensitive to everyone's religious practices.
QUESTION 5
Once the concern about religious diversity had been voiced, who finally spoke up to break the impasse?
- The impasse was broken by Rev. Jacob Duché who spoke up with the offer to pray.
- The impasse was broken when John Jay who offered to lead the whole gathering in prayer.
- Samuel Adams broke the impasse when he reminded everyone that faith and sincerity were the important matters as the gentlemen gather for prayer—not denominational preferences.
QUESTION 6
Why do you think Rev. Duché prayed that "Order, Harmony and Peace may be effectually restored, and that Truth and Justice, Religion and Piety, prevail and flourish among the people?"
- Rev. Duché knew that the men assembled for the First Continental Congress were a very rowdy bunch, and they needed to be settled down.
- The city of Philadelphia had just been attacked and there was concern that the British would take the members of Congress captive.
- The city of Boston had just been attacked and the news had just hit Philadelphia, so everyone was very concerned for their loved ones.
Did you know that we have a fun and easy way to say happy birthday to President Bush? Presidential Prayer Team for Kids invites you to send a greeting, a prayer, a favorite verse of Scripture or just good words and happy wishes that will help the President celebrate his big day!
Lots of kids and families have already taken advantage of this great opportunity! Here are some of their words:
I pray that you will be given peace in your heart and mind. We love you and back you in all areas. God bless you on your birthday and every day. With love, John, Jean, Olivia, Jerusha, and Rhoda Street.
Happy Birthday to you, President Bush. I am 7 and love history. I live in Georgia and love to learn about Washington, D.C. I hope I can come to the White House to see you sometime. You have a very hard job. God bless you.
May the Lord use this card to lift your spirit, encourage your heart, build your faith, and brighten your day! We are praying (in Jesus' holy name) for you and your family - may you have the courage and strength to seek GOD's will! Gayla
Dear President Bush, I hope you get lots of good things from your birthday party. I hope you have a nice birthday. I hope you stay president for a long long time.
Click HERE to include your greeting!
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| President Bush has spoken plainly and enthusiastically about his reliance on prayer. He has said that he is deeply appreciative of the prayers of the nation for him. Photo courtesy of the White House. |
Prayer is an opportunity to praise God for His mighty works, His gift of freedom, His mercy, and His boundless love. Through prayer, we recognize the limits of earthly power and acknowledge the sovereignty of God. According to Scripture, "the Lord is near to all who call upon Him . . . He also will hear their cry, and save them." Prayer leads to humility and a grateful heart, and it turns our minds to the needs of others.
--George W. Bush
We hope you are encouraged as you learn of the great, godly interests of our first Congress. They were not ashamed of their faith, nor did they believe that religious faith should be completely left out of government. They integrated it into every part of their lives, just as we should do today. When you think of Congress and pray for its members.
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