NASHVILLE — On Thursday, March 19, an Elizabethton pastor, Rev. Bobby G. Stout, made history by being the first person to give prayer before the Tennessee State Senate through a pre-recorded video. Stout was invited by Sen. Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City) to give the opening prayer.

May 11, 1969 Stout was called to serve as the pastor of Pleasant Beach Baptist Church. For the next 43 years Brother Bob and Mrs. Jan faithfully served their church and community until his retirement. God’s blessings were evident as lives were changed and buildings built.

“Pastor Bobby Stout is one of our most beloved pastors. His life in service to our Lord has been a blessing to us all,” said Sen. Crowe. “We in the Tennessee Senate are proud of his wonderful and long standing legacy. He is indeed a great Tennessean.”

This video prayer during the second session of the 111th Senate will be the first time in our state’s history that a prayer to begin a Senate session will have been delivered in this manner.