Invocations at City Council Meetings in Chesapeake, VA

May 26, 2009
Sr. Pastor John McDonald: New Temple Grove Ministries

“Would you bow your heads with us please? Heavenly Father, we bless you, we thank you for your loving kindness. God, we ask you Lord to look down tonight and bless this great meeting. Bless our great mayor and the vice mayor and city council. God bless the great citizens of Chesapeake, Lord. God, as we do your business today, be with us. Give us the spirit of wisdom, knowledge and revelation, in everything that we do. Let it be done to bring you praise and to bring you glory. We ask all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

May 12, 2009
Pastor Roger Pettay, New Life Center

“Father I thank you for the city council. I thank you for their service to the community. And I pray today, that just as Solomon asked for wisdom, that you would continue to bless them with your wisdom and your understanding. I pray that as they go over tonight’s meeting and over the rest of the year, that you would even anoint them with your spirit, I pray. Thank you for these men and women who serve their community. And I thank you for them today and pray for your courage and strength. Amen.”

April 28, 2009
Pastor Bob Robinson, Portlock United Methodist Church

“God of ancient faith and God of new beginnings. God who provides for us when there is plenty and comforts us when there is want. We come this evening giving thanks for our elected council, and the career staff that serve this great city. We pause this evening for a moment to give you thanks for a long life of service to our community of Sid Omen. To remember the achievements of this former mayor and councilman, and to pray that your presence comfort and peace will surround his family in their time of grief. We pray your guidance as the city council begins their meeting. The council and staff have already been hard at work this afternoon as they met in work session. So we pray you would refresh their minds and bodies and give them and attentive spirit as they listen to the citizens, and deliberate the items on the agenda this evening. We pray for the families of each of the council members, as they are the ones that bear the burden of the absence of their father, or mother, husband or wife. As they serve the citizens and conduct the business of our city. The place we have chosen to reside and to raise our families. We pray for the members of the staff, dedicated professionals seeking to run the city with efficiency and effectiveness. Lord, as each item on the agenda is reviewed, discussed, and voted on this evening, we pray that you would give the council members the wisdom as of Solomon. Wisdom that gives your servants an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil. We pray that you would give each council member the courage of Daniel, courage to stand for what they believe is best for the citizens and to make the difficult decisions when they cast their vote. And we pray that the council would be given the compassion of Christ. Compassion to strive to make sure that each vote they cast is a vote that for what is just and right. And it is in this name, the name above all names, that we offer our prayer. Amen.”

April 7, 2009
City Manager William E. Harrell

“If we could bow our heads please? Oh Heavenly Father we thank you for the opportunity to assemble. We thank you for the democracy that is part of our great nation. And just as Solomon prayed for wisdom, Lord we ask for your wisdom to deal with the issues that are before us. And we ask that your assistance over what we do is in the precise will, in the will of God. Lord, we ask that in the name of the Father, the Son and the blessed Holy Spirit. Amen”

March 24, 2009
Pastor James Edward III: New Rose of Sharon Missionary Baptist Church

“May we pray. Father I stretch my hand to thee. No other help I know. If thou withdraw thy self from thee, wither shall I go. We bless you Lord for this beautiful day and for the safety you have provided so that we may travel around our city. We thank you for allowing us to come to this place this evening, so that we might be witnesses to those things which affect our community and our citizens. We thank you for this council who sacrifice their time and sometime leave their home and family that they might come and be a blessing to those who come and stand before this podium. Might we remember what the scripture said, that we give honor to those where honor is due. And might we come in a respectful manner as we address this council. And might the council be mindful that we are citizens and we should reserve the same respect that we give. Lord, we bless you because this is a beautiful city to live in and because of the leadership of our council that has made this place a nice and warm and friendly place to raise our family. And so we thank you for that blessing and all these blessings we ask in the name of the Father, the Son, and the blessed Holy Spirit. And the people of God will say, Amen.”

March 10, 2009
Pastor Darryl J. McClary, New Light Baptist Church (1:34)

“Let us pray. Father we thank you and praise you for another day. We thank you for your grace and kindness toward us. We thank you for mercy. We thank you for a brand new day full of brand new mercies and brand new opportunities. Father we just come before you, we ask forgiveness of our sins. Anything God that we’ve said, done or thought that has in anyway caused us to lose fellowship with you, we pray your forgiveness now in the name of Jesus. God we simply ask that you would bless this time as we’re together. We pray that you would bless our city officials. God we pray that you would grant them wisdom, knowledge, guidance that they would conduct business in such a way that it brings you honor and that brings you glory. Father we pray for everything that will be heard on tonight. We just ask God that you would give us grace and give us your guidance. Lord we just praise you and we honor you. We thank you for being our God. We thank you that you have allowed us the privilege of being called your people. Father we pray that you would take this occasion to bless our nation. God we pray for not only these leaders of the city of Chesapeake, but God we take this moment to pray for the leaders of the city, or the state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. God we pray for our national leader on tonight. God we pray and lift President Obama before you. God we pray that for the duration of his term, that he would continue to walk in a way that pleases you and brings glory to your name and restores the name of the Unites States. Father we just give you praise, glory and honor, in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

*FFRF thanks Stephanie Schmitt, our 2009 summer law clerk, for her assistance in transcribing these prayers and other legal research.