By Mallory Mattingly
Singer, songwriter and recording artist Steve Amerson helped revive a weekly worship service in the U.S. Capitol building, which then evolved into “a significant staple on Capitol Hill,” according to Fox News Digital.
“So, since 2014, I fly from California to DC, flying to DCA, go to my hotel, drop my bags, and I head to the Cannon House Office Building, and I lead the service on Wednesday nights, but Tuesday night and all day Wednesday, I’m in the halls of the House and Senate office buildings,” Amerson said on the “Livin’ the Bream” podcast with Fox News anchor Shannon Bream.
“And as I went back, initially, I thought, ‘What am I going to do? I’ve got Tuesday night free, and I’m free Wednesday until we do the service that night in the Capitol,'” he recalled. “And I just started visiting offices. And now it’s developed that before I go, I write 225 notes, handwritten notes, to members of Congress, both House and Senate, both Republican and Democrat, and I deliver these 225 notes when I’m there in DC.”
Related: Steve Amerson Shares Christmas Message In Live Performance at FOX Square
His weekly service is called The Word on the Hill, and it aims to heal “the soul of our nation through prayer and words of encouragement on Capitol Hill.” It primarily serves members of Congress, congressional staff and other people who work on Capitol Hill.
With his weekly service, Amerson revived a Capitol building tradition that ceased 144 years ago.
“My major gift is singing. It’s the voice that God has given me, and I’ve tried to use it and hone it, but it was in 2014, a door opened where I was asked if I would come and sing at the first worship service, weekly worship service back in the capitol in 144 years,” Amerson said. “There used to be worship services in Statuary Hall every Sunday from 1800 to 1869.”
“Thomas Jefferson would ride his horse from the White House Down to the Capitol,” the singer explained. “First Sunday morning services, there would be as many as 2,000 people, 2,500 people in Statuary Hall, with the Marine band up on that little balcony that surrounds Statuary Hall, playing for the hymns.”
“So in 2014, I was asked if I’d come back and sing in this first weekly worship service. The organizer said, ‘I don’t have any money to pay you. Nothing for travel, nothing for a hotel.’ It sounded like a great deal to me,” he added.
Praise God for how Amerson uses his talents to share the good news with some of our country’s most powerful people every week.
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