An early Father’s Day: Congressman Scott Peters’ dad gave the opening prayer Tuesday to members of the House of Representatives.

The Rev. Harvey Peters is a retired Evangelical Lutheran Church minister who once helped lead a movement to desegregate Detroit-area housing. He now lives in Bethlehem (Pennsylvania, that is).

Scott Peters’ mother, RuthAnn, watched from the gallery as her son introduced his father as an advocate for civil rights and the poor, community leader and dedicated family man. “His work instilled in me and my three sisters the values of courage and equality that I’ve tried to bring to my own service,” Peters said.