Pittsburgh Priest To Lead Invocation In U.S. House

The Very Rev. George L. W. Werner of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh will lead the United States House of Representatives in prayer when it convenes Thursday morning, September 10, at 10:00 a.m.

“Strengthen our vision and courage to do right,” his prayer says, in part.

No stranger to the national spotlight, Werner served two terms as President of the House of Deputies of the Episcopal Church and is currently a trustee of the Church Pension Board. He is also Dean Emeritus of Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh. But Thursday’s honor is a first for him.

“I have gone to Capitol Hill to discuss issues of health care, but I have not delivered the invocation before,” says Werner.

He will do so the morning after President Obama promotes health care reform during a joint session of Congress. The prayer, however, steers clear of specific legislative issues.

The invocation will be broadcast live on C-SPAN and streamed live on the channel’s website at http://cspan.org/Watch/C-SPAN_wm.aspx.

The full text will be released after the prayer has been said. It will be posted on the website of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and in the Congressional Record.

Werner was invited to lead the congressional prayer by Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania’s 4th District.

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