A familiar face was on the House floor Thursday in the nation's capital.

The Rev. Dr. Lindsay Curtis, of Grace Baptist Church in Norwalk, delivered the opening prayer in the House of Representatives.

"It is with hearts full of passion and unwavering faith that we gather today," The Rev. Dr. Curtis said. "Please, dear God, guide this deliberative body in every decision, trusting in your steadfastness and in your presence as our beacon of truth."

Rep. Jim Himes invited The Rev. Dr. Curtis to be the House’s guest chaplain.

“It’s no secret that things are pretty polarized right now," Himes says. "I think it’s really valuable to start the day with a reminder from a person of faith and a leader of faith that we do have profound commonalities, and that we share values."

The Rev. Dr. Curtis is well into his second decade as senior pastor leading Grace Baptist Church, which has been around for more than 130 years.

Over the course of his career, Rev. Dr. Curtis served as president of the Connecticut State Missionary Baptist Convention and acted as president of the Norwalk NAACP, among other things.

The opening prayer lasted about 90 seconds, but its message was timeless.

“We surrender our worries, aligning our steps and our thoughts to your will and your way," The Rev. Dr. Curtis said. "We pray in the name of your son. Amen."