A Suggested Prayer to open Government Meetings

Editor's Note: Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled

it's permissible to open a government meeting with prayer. The case involved

town council meetings. Citing the ruling, Allan Burke sent a suggested prayer he wrote for opening meetings of county commissions, school boards, city boards and other governmental entities. Allan Burke is publisher emeritus, the Emmons County Record, Linton, ND.

Lord, may this meeting include full and open discussion of the issues,

and let the public be assured that no deals have been cut or discussion held

outside this meeting.

We ask that no board business be conducted by phone, email, Facebook,

text or Twitter, and that this board follow federal and state laws.

Please guide this board to rarely go into executive session and always

to be transparent.

It is our humble request that the official minutes include a reasonable

and fair summary of the proceedings and not be censored by the politicians.

We ask that members of this board abstain from voting when they have

a conflict of interest.

May this board remember the ordinances, rules and regulations it has

adopted and precedents it has set and follow them with consistency.

Lord, we ask that those voting to spend money remember that taxes come

out of the pockets of hardworking citizens and should be spent sparingly

and wisely.

We ask that no favoritism be shown because of a person's family

connections, standing in the community, power or wealth and that all citizens be treated fairly and with respect.

Lord, we ask that competitive bids be sought for major expenditures and

that the truth be told about those bids.

Finally, Lord, we ask that this board listen to the citizens and accept

input, suggestions and criticism graciously.

Thank you, Lord, for blessing us with the opportunity to live in a

democratic republic under the United States Constitution.

Amen.