A Christmas Prayer for Our City

December 15, 2011

Good and gracious God, during the Advent of this holiday season we give you thanks for the privilege of living in one of the most scenic and resourceful communities in the world.

During this historic week as our military campaign in Iraq comes to a close, we continue to pray for the stability in the Middle East, even as we continue to pray for all the men and women who serve in our nation’s military, especially those deployed in other campaigns. We pray for them to perform their humanitarian mission with effectiveness and precision, and return home safely and soon.

Tonight, we pray for all of our local, state, and national leaders that they will rise to a new level of bipartisan cooperation and that they will have moral courage commensurate to the challenges of our day.

And on this evening, we pray for our great city, for our mayor, our council representatives, and for our fellow citizens.

We are grateful for many exciting and emerging opportunities and possibilities that can potentially make our city more vibrant, more beautiful, and more family-friendly.



We especially pray for those members of our community who are unemployed, those who are facing health hurdles, and those who are striving to make ends meet. May the joy of this season create hope, motivation, and opportunity for a better quality of life for all.

Now, as we come to the close of 2011, and as we look forward to a great year in 2012, may our dreams be big, may our dialogue be civil, may our strategies be effective, and may our resolve be firm.

Just as the lights of Christmas illuminate our town during this season, so may your love and grace provide light for our lives all year long. For we offer our prayer in the name of the one who came to be our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Amen.

(Barry Howard serves as senior minister at the First Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. This prayer was offered at the December City Council Meeting.)