Herb Kohl: “Today, I rise to welcome Rev. Dennis Ellisen to the Senate and to thank him for this morning's heartfelt and timely…”

“Today, I rise to welcome Rev. Dennis Ellisen to the Senate and to thank him for this morning's heartfelt and timely prayer. Reverend Ellisen is the senior pastor at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Appleton, WI. He has served his parish for the last 31 years. Early on, his church had just a few hundred members. He has seen kids in his parish grow up to have kids of their own. Now his congregation is well over 2,600 strong. As many in Appleton will tell you, Reverend Ellisen's ministry has touched so many families beyond his church's walls. He has been a tireless advocate for cancer research, treatment, and education. His work as an ambassador and fundraiser for the American Cancer Society has taken him to every corner of our State and every corridor of Congress. His message is unwavering: If we work together, we can beat this terrible disease. Yet he may be best known in the community for helping comfort the terminally ill. Through his work with the Visiting Nurse Association, he started the first hospice program in Appleton many years ago. I had the privilege of introducing Reverend Ellisen on the Senate floor in 1997. Much has changed in the world, but he has remained the humble, compassionate person I met a decade ago. And, thankfully, his important work endures. We need to hear his hopeful invocation today. I thank Reverend Ellisen and his family for joining us.”