Skip to main content

Spring Mills Pastor Serves as Guest Chaplain of U.S. House of Representatives

November 2, 2017

Rep. Thompson welcomes Pastor Kenneth Codner to the Capitol

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson welcomed Pastor Kenneth Codner of Grace Baptist Church in Spring Mills, Pa. as guest chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Since 1789, the House has been served by chaplains of various religious denominations. Currently, the position is held by Reverend Patrick J. Conroy who serves as the 60th Chaplain of the House of Representatives.

Each Congress, Representatives have the opportunity to recommend a guest chaplain from their district to visit the U.S. Capitol and offer an opening prayer. Rep. Thompson invited Pastor Codner to be his guest for this Congress. Watch the opening of the House.

“It is an honor to welcome Pastor Codner to Washington today to offer the opening prayer,” Rep. Thompson said. “I am pleased that he could be joined by his family in the House Gallery, and I thank him for leading the House of Representatives in prayer today as guest chaplain.”

Pastor Codner was born in Owego, N.Y. and in 1976 he enrolled in the Bible program at Tennessee Temple University and later transferred to North Star Bible Institute in Rochester, N.Y. He graduated in 1983 and moved with his young family to northwest Kansas where he pastored Gove Bible Baptist Church for 17 years.

The Codners moved to Bellefonte, Pa. in September of 2000. A year and a half later, at the urging of a group of believers, a Bible study was started which soon became Grace Baptist Church.

Pastor Coder and his family joined Rep. Thompson in his Cannon House Office prior to the opening of the House of Representatives at noon.

Rep. Thompson offered the following remarks on the House floor to welcome Pastor Codner:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome Pastor Kenneth Codner to the House of Representatives as today’s guest Chaplain.

Pastor Codner is a native of Owego, New York, and he graduated from Alfred Agricultural and Technical College in 1973.

A couple years later, through the help of a coworker, he trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, and he had a desire to make his life count for God.

In 1976, he enrolled in the Bible program at Tennessee Temple University. Two years later, he transferred to North Star Bible Institute in Rochester, New York graduating in 1983 with a degree in theology.

In June 1983, he moved to Kansas to be the pastor of Gove Bible Baptist Church, serving there for 17 years.

He is married to Eileen Garrison, and God blessed their union with five wonderful children.

In September of 2000, they moved to Bellefonte, PA. In 2002, he founded Grace Baptist Church where he has served as pastor ever since.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to have Pastor Codner and his family here today. Thank you. I yield back.