A Prayer for the City of Baltimore

(I gave this prayer at the Baltimore City Council Meeting on June 14, 2004, and believe that it contimues to be appropriate today.)

Gracious, all-loving and all-wise God,
in the busyness of this day,
we pause to offer thanks to you.
We come from various directions and locations;
we come with divergent perspectives;
we come with a diversity of hopes and dreams and visions.
But we come acknowledging that we gather
in the commonality that all persons share in you,
the creator of the universe.

O God, we offer you thanks for the city of Baltimore.
We pray that in the days ahead,
you’d bless every home and every community of Baltimore.
Bless every school and every place
where your people gather for work or leisure.
Bless those persons who are older and those who are younger.
We pray for peace and safety
for all of us who live and move throughout this city,
and we pray likewise for communities like ours
across our nation and world.

We pray that you will bless each of us gathered here.
Most importantly, we ask your blessings
upon those who serve and lead the city of Baltimore
in elective or appointive office.
Bless them with a portion of wisdom, patience,
integrity, justice and compassion.
Bless each of those who serve and lead
that they will be forever mindful of a collective commitment
to act in ways that facilitate the betterment
of each person, each home, each school, each community,
and each place of business of Baltimore.
Be with each of us now and forever, we pray. Amen.