My Prayer for City Council

This is the prayer I spoke to the city council on Monday. I have to give partial credit to "For Praying Out Loud," which gave me a direction and a format for the prayer. The garden metaphor is appropriate, since Windsor's nickname is Rose City.

Infinite Mystery, the people of Windsor call you by many names: God, Yahweh, Allah, Brahman, Goddess, Higher Power, Grandfather, Void, Ahura Mazda, Ground of Being…these names planted and transplanted here, the great traditions of the world now growing in our own garden, in our city of roses.

We are joined as the rose is joined to the earth while it reaches upward beyond itself.

We are joined together in our diversity as the flowers in a garden are joined in a symphony of colour and scent.

We are joined as the Detroit River and the streams of Essex county join together to flow through the St. Lawrence Seaway to the ocean.

So are we joined in this council chamber with the citizens in whose behalf we hold offices of trust and joined with the past and the future as we live together honouring you as the Eternal Spirit of Service.

May we tonight be reminded of the responsibilities we carry, not so that we are overwhelmed or self-important, but so that we may be true to them, and faithful in carrying them forward.

May we tonight maintain a sense of perspective, remembering who we are, engaging the tasks at hand, but understanding our own limitations, and forgiving ourselves and others if we fall short of perfection.

May we tonight be inspired, filled with new enthusiasm, ready to see new opportunities and new perspectives.

Spirit of Generations, bless all those here and everywhere serving the public in many ways. On this evening, accept us anew as we join again with the calls to stewardship, justice, righteousness, and love.

In all your many names, so let it be. Amen.