As this day draws to a close, we place before you our nation, our communities, and one another.
For those who are anxious, grant peace. For those who are weary, grant rest. For those who are hopeful, grant wisdom. For those who are afraid, grant courage. For those who are grieving, grant comfort. For those who are celebrating, grant humility. And for all of us, grant the grace to remember that our lives are bound together, and that our calling to love one another remains.
We pray for those who have offered themselves for public service, for those entrusted with counting votes, and for those who will bear the responsibility of leadership. Give them prudence, integrity, humility, and a commitment to the common good.
Guard us from contempt and indifference. Keep us from allowing our differences to diminish the dignity of another. Where there is harm, give us courage to speak. Where there is injustice, give us strength to act. Where there is division, help us seek peace without surrendering truth.
And as night falls, keep watch over those who cannot rest, those who fear for their families, those whose livelihoods and futures are uncertain, and those whose voices too often go unheard. You know the fears we carry, both those born of uncertainty and those grounded in the realities of our world. Grant us wisdom to discern what is before us, courage to face what must be faced, and love that moves us to care for one another, our communities, and all creation.
Form in us the mind of Christ. Teach us to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously. Remind us that our first allegiance is to you and that our neighbors remain entrusted to our care.
When morning comes, awaken us again to the work of love.
In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our hope.
Amen.
Bishop Lanette Plambeck
Dakotas-Minnesota Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church
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