Welcoming Senior Pastor J. Heinrich Arnold

Floor Speech

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Mr. RYAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome and thank today's guest chaplain, Pastor Heinrich Arnold, representing the Bruderhof community in New York's 18th District.

Over a century ago, the founders of the Bruderhof were exiled from Germany for their refusal to fight for the Nazis. They eventually found refuge and freedom here in America.

Today, the Hudson Valley is proud to be the home to almost half of the worldwide community of Bruderhof members. They have continued their practice to lead a much simpler life, focused on family, faith, and selfless service, and their example has served and inspired our entire community.

Pastor Arnold's leadership extends far beyond his role as senior pastor for the Bruderhof communities. He also serves as chaplain for our Ulster County Sheriff's Department and as a teacher at the Woodcrest Elementary School. He has dedicated his life's work to speaking about forgiveness and reconciliation through the Breaking the Cycle of Violence program. His efforts in over a dozen countries and right in our own community have been remarkable to follow.

At a time where our country faces such great division, I am thankful for Pastor Arnold and the entire Bruderhof community for presenting this prayer today, blessing our government as we prepare to make critical decisions in the days to come.

I ask all of us to recenter ourselves and work together on these critical issues laid out before us. As the Bruderhof believe, when you truly love your neighbor as yourself, peace and justice become a reality.

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