By Liturgical Element
A Prayer for a Town Meeting
In Vermont, we have something called “Town Meeting Day.” What’s that? Well, it the day each year when many towns in our state hold their annual town meetings (1st Monday in March). Some towns still invite a local pastor to begin the meeting with a prayer of invocation. Praying in this setting can be tricky. What do we pray for? How do we bring our authentic selves to the prayer while also recognizing the diversity that will be present in the room? Below is a prayer that I have used in my town of Underhill, VT and...
read morePrayer for a Legislative Session
In Vermont, our State House of Representatives begins each daily session with an opening devotional of some kind. Often, this devotional is a prayer delivered by a Vermont pastor. The first time I had the privilege of leading prayer in this setting I had no idea what to expect, what to do, or what to say. Of course, many in the room are not Christians. Certainly, some are uneasy with a Christian prayer, prayed to begin a secular legislative session. No doubt, there is much to think about when writing and delivering a prayer like this....
read morePrayer for a Food Shelf Distribution
The custom in our local food shelf is to begin our monthly distributions with announcements and a prayer led by a representative of one of our supporting churches. Not all food shelf distributions begin with a prayer, few of us lead a prayer in this setting often (if ever) and so praying in this setting may be unfamiliar for both clergy and laypeople. How does one lead a time of prayer that is meaningful and appropriate for a diverse group such as this? Below is a prayer that I have used and which I offer to you for your reflection and...
read morePrayer for Cub Scout Blue & Gold
Below is a prayer that was delivered at a Cub Scout “Blue & Gold” banquet. It could be easily adapted to a variety of settings and circumstances. Pausing for a moment at the beginning of this Blue and Gold banquet let us still our bodies, quiet our minds, and let us be in a spirit of prayer. God of the journey…we invite you into our presence this evening… …to join us as we celebrate the labor…the commitment… …and the dedication of our young people and their families. As you have done all along…walk with us tonight… …as we...
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