My Prayer for the Legislature
February 11, 2009
Mr. Speaker and esteemed representatives, I thank you for the opportunity to be present with you today as chaplain for the day. I want to thank my representative and good friend, the Honorable Al McAffrey for the invitation. I would also like to acknowledge guests who are present in the gallery – members of my congregation, the Cathedral of Hope, United Church of Christ. Joining them are dear friends, my wonderful parents, and my loving partner, Michael Cich.
Esteemed members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, will you please join me in prayer.
Holy and everliving God,
Compassionate and Merciful,
We, your servants, are listening.
We come before you today in a time of great anxiety and fear as financial institutions collapse, brave soldiers sacrifice on the fields of war, and families wonder how they will pay the bills.
Yet your prophet Isaiah has asked,
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
You do not faint or grow weary;
Your understanding is unsearchable.
You give power to the faint, and strengthen the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
And the young will fall exhausted;
But those who wait upon You shall renew their strength,
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Give us the courage to dream new dreams; to see new possibilities.
To look forward with hope, resting in your blessed covenant
That each day is a new day
That the heavens are ripped open
And your spirit is poured forth upon the earth
That a straight path might be made in the wilderness
And all your children will make it home.
So, today, with abiding faith and calm assurance
We invoke your presence on these precedings.
You are the Creator and Parent of us all.
In your divine majesty you have made us each and every one an image of you,
Our splendid diversity reflecting your infinite glories.
You are our Redeemer and Liberator.
Companion to the poor,
You have promised to
Lift up the powerless and cast down the powerful,
To gather the outcasts,
Heal the brokenhearted,
And bind up their wounds.
You have proclaimed release to the captives,
Recovery of sight to the blind,
And to let the oppressed go free.
You Sustain and Comfort us
Filling us with your Holy Spirit
And thereby uniting us with all creation in every time and place
A fellowship of solidarity
A beloved community
Reminding us that what we have done unto the least of us, we have done unto thee.
We call upon this good news
In this year of the Lord’s favor.
Might a few drops of Your favor fall upon us today
Giving these elected representatives of your people
Courage and wisdom
That they might be instruments of your peace
Sowing love where there is hatred,
Pardon, where there is injury,
Union, in place of discord,
Faith, instead doubt,
Hope, not despair,
Light to cast away the darkness
And where there is sadness, joy.
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with new life today.
We, your humble people, beseech thee.
And in all your many names, we pray.
Amen.
Wonderful prayer. Do you remember when Jimmy Swaggart said God didn't hear the prayers of Jews? That was more than 20 years ago. Rabbi A. David Packman (Formerly of the Temple B'Nai Israel, OKC) responded: "I could not say whose prayers God does or does not hear."
Posted by: jenx67 | February 12, 2009 at 08:21 AM
I cannot believe how people voted against this, wow.
http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com
Posted by: queerunity | February 12, 2009 at 09:36 AM
It was a great prayer. The legislature stood with bowed heads. Unfortunately, I left before the fireworks began. Great Job Scott! It's already gone national, hopefully we will see our resident bigots look bad on TV again (not that they care). If you read the list of who voted against entering the prayer in the record, it is the same old fringe right wing suspects that are against anything progressive. They hate gay people and will do anything to even deny we exist. Even take away our right to pray.
Posted by: Rob Howard | February 12, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Thanks for sharing this wonderful prayer. Those who voted against did so in the sight of God and humanity. Be ye not dismayed. Goodness is stronger than all the evil that hate can summon. Thanks for your faith and your courage.
Posted by: Rev. Annie Britton | February 12, 2009 at 04:14 PM
Rev. Jones, this is a beautiful prayer which speaks so many truths about our call as Christians in the world. I'm saddened to hear about your experience and hope that the following publicity and relationships built will continue to allow you opportunities to speak the gospel. Blessings on your journey ahead.
Posted by: Mel | February 13, 2009 at 08:38 AM
Which bible did your god write?
Posted by: Jim | February 13, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Amen!
Posted by: Kimberly LaFave | February 13, 2009 at 06:06 PM
Good question, Jim. Just because someone quotes the Bible doesn't mean he isn't a false teacher. It is tragic that apostate denominations like the UCC ordain people like this. They are free to worship as they like but to call themselves Christians mocks the cross and the blood of the martyrs. They have made up their own god, and so many people in church are too clueless or wimpy to do anything about it. They are the real "homophobes" -- that is, the ones so afraid of the gay lobby that they put up with things like this.
Posted by: Neil | February 13, 2009 at 11:06 PM
I believe a prayer like this should be in BoP. It encourages me.
Grace & Peace,
Posted by: Mike | February 15, 2009 at 12:46 AM
I feel blessed by reading this... I wish I could have heard it spoken.
The problem with this prayer is that it challenged it's audience and they obviously don't want anyone to challenge their power. Jesus always challenged his audience. Strong work!
Posted by: Corey Redington | February 16, 2009 at 12:49 AM
Scott...Thank you for the evangelical courage to bring the word of our stillspeaking god to the Oklahoma legislature!
Too bad some of them aren't so comfortable with extending an extravagant welcome to you.
Posted by: Justin | February 16, 2009 at 11:42 PM
jenx67
It wasn't Jimmy Swaggart who said that it was Bailey Smith. I believe he was a Southern Baptist preacher in Oklahoma. If I recall the statement was made at the Southern Baptist convention when he was president of that convention.
Posted by: Cathy | February 17, 2009 at 08:00 AM
Fine prayer. God works in mysterious ways, including the antics of a state legislature. I, and many others, never would have had the opportunity to see this prayer, and to pray this prayer, had it not been for the attempt of a few to silence it. As the old advertising adage says, "There's no such thing as bad publicity." Thanks for taking such strong leadership.
Posted by: Kendall Clark Baker | February 17, 2009 at 11:44 AM
OK - I read this prayer expecting something inflamatory. But instead, I heard the Word of God.
This is what upset lawmakers? Wow.
Posted by: Aaron | March 03, 2009 at 12:21 PM
As an atheist and a citizen of the United States, there should be no prayer as a function of local, state, or federal government.
That statement aside, I know you wish to bring attention to the Gay & Lesbian community and I commend you for that. It should be noted with some irony that the individuals who voted 'against' your prayer would likely vote 'for' a prayer of someone they felt was on 'their' side. That is to say, they would vote yae for anyone they agree with and nae against anyone they disagree with, regardless of equality of positions.
Posted by: Chad | March 06, 2009 at 07:29 AM
What an wonderful and inspirational post. Thank you for posting this..... it made my day!
Posted by: Free Prayer | April 08, 2009 at 01:38 AM
Live told us don’t struggle so much,best things happen when not expected. Did you agree with me?
Posted by: coach handbags | July 29, 2010 at 09:16 PM
the fact that the gay pastor is even ordained is a farce on christianity. the bible is clear on it's stance against homosexual behavior period. just because man votes that homosexuality is OK,doesn't change YHWH's position on the issue. the wonderful thing about the truth is that it doesn't change just because you don't believe it. Man is the only animal in the kingdom that can choose who they have sex with with. all other species will destroy animals that exibit homosexual behaviors because they instinctively know the species will end. What's the difference between homosexuality and prison sex?
Posted by: Doug | October 29, 2010 at 02:23 PM