I had the honor of delivering the invocation at the City Council meeting tonight as Mayor Bieter and members of the City Council were sworn in. I always enjoy watching the political process at work and am grateful for the men and women who serve our city in this capacity.
Here is the prayer I offered.
O Holy One, we come before you in gratitude and thanks.
For the gifts of family, friend, and community.
For the beauty of your created world, especially apparent to those of us living in the shadow of majestic mountains and powerful rivers.
We also come before you to confess we seek peace through war and find security in violence. We abandon the hungry, sick, and dying, and pursue wealth at all costs. We mistreat the creation you have entrusted to our care.
Forgive us, Holy One, for our hubris and short sighted behavior.
Even so, you love us.
In your grace, that meets us where we are but refuses to leave us where it finds us, we find our hope to continue to work for a world where all of your children are safe, valued, and free to live as you created them to be.
In your grace, we find our hope to create a more perfect union, where the general welfare is promoted over private wealth.
Help us work for the flourishing of all, by advocating for health, for education, for housing, for second chances, and for opportunity.
Therefore, we pray for our mayor, for city officials at all levels of service, and for these assembled city councilors. We ask that you would graciously grant them:
–Wisdom to govern amid the conflicting interests and issues of our day
–Concern for the welfare, shelter, and provision of our people
–A keen thirst for justice and compassion
–Confidence to stand up for the right thing and the courage to acknowledge mistakes
–The ability to work together in harmony even when there is honest disagreement
–Personal peace in their lives and joy in their work
Give us your strength, your courage, and your hope that we may continue to be your agents of justice and peace in this community and in your world.
Amen
Glass Overflowing 
Amen
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I’m so glad to see the use of inclusive language for all faith traditions (Holy One) so that all are included. In my work I often attend city council meetings in rural communities and have been bothered by the exclusive language for faith traditions other than the Christian faith. In our society where there is supposed to be religious freedom, I don’t think public meetings’ prayers or invocations should be only Christian. I’m so proud of the work you do on behalf of all people. Thank you.
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Agreed. I wouldn’t do that in a civic setting. It always frustrates me when it happens. Thanks!
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This was not a prayer. It was a political speech masquerading as a prayer. Shame on you.
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How on earth was this a political speech? I see nothing in this prayer that I don’t also find in the Bible, especially as exemplified in the life of Jesus.
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Right. But then again, the Gospel was foolishness to some, and a stumbling block to others.
Oh, and the other thing, who said Jesus wasn’t political? Jesus cares about things we’d call political today. That’s not the same thing as being partisan, arguing that the truth is only with the Republicans, or with the Democrats, or with one narrow ideology.
And to be sure, Marci wasn’t partisan here.
Well done, Marci. Proud to call you a colleague.
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