Invocations for Rotary
Compiled by The Los Olivos Rotary Club from many sources
& attributed, where possible.
Rotary
Themes
New
Rotary Year
Our thanks, Lord,
for those gathered here and for the sense of high purpose we share. As
we begin a new
year, grant our new officers stamina, patience and a sense of humor, that we
may relax
together and so create meaningful fellowship and selfless service, without
taking
ourselves too
seriously in this your world and Rotary service. Amen.
Pastor
Clifford J. Swanson, Northfield Rotary
Local
Club Special Occasion
We pause in the
daily flow of life to pay special tribute this hour for what it signifies in
the
history of our
Club. We have often heard mentioned our motto, “Service Above Self.” In
your divine
wisdom, you know how difficult it is for us (with all our human weaknesses) to
actually achieve
such a high standard, either in part or in full measure. We ask that you
sustain us, both
individually and collectively, in our efforts to come closer to this goal we
are
striving to
achieve.
May Rotary, with
its vast interlocking membership, be an influence for good throughout the
world, and may
the ongoing precepts of our club be acceptable in your sight. Amen.
Gene
McLaughlin, Austin Rotary
Peace
and Leadership
Thank you, God,
for giving us citizenship in this “Sweet Land of Liberty.” We offer praise
to you for its
bountiful gifts. We are humbly mindful and appreciative of those who are
willing to risk
their lives, and those who have released their loved ones to answer the call to
arms for freedom.
We prayerfully remember those who sleep and wake to danger so that we
may sleep in
peace. We ask your strength and sustenance for those who wait with vigilant
hope for the safe
return of their loved ones from the battlefield. Please give our world
leaders knowledge
and wisdom as they seek to lead our world to peace. Watch over us, God
– and bring us
safely through this day. Thank you for this food, this fellowship of friends,
and this glorious
day. Amen.
By
Diane Confer, District 5950/5960 Youth Exchange Executive
Science
Speaker or Topic
O God, Creator of
the Universe, we thank you that we live in this age of scientific discovery.
We listen as
science tells us of other planets, solar systems and galaxies in the limitless
space
of your creation.
How little we are compared with all that you have made, how amazing is
your love, the
heavens declare your glory, and the world around us shows your handiwork.
How great you are
. . . and greatly to be praised. Amen.
Roland
D. Wilsey, Past District Governor, Roseville Rotary
Club
Assemblies and Board Meetings
Almighty God, as
Rotarians we have each accepted a responsibility far beyond our ability to
completely fulfill.
We ask for your blessing upon our club and its activities. Help us to select
and engage
ourselves in activities that meet the Four Way Test and may our conduct be
exemplary when
dealing with one another and those around us. Amen.
Roland
D. Wilsey, Past District Governor, Roseville Rotary
Peace
Almighty God,
from whom all thoughts of peace proceed, we pray for the peacemakers of
the world. Give
your grace and blessing to all agencies that are working for peace among
nations. Give to
all national leaders a vision of peace through justice, and to all people a new
enthusiasm for
the cause of peace. Confound the peace-breakers and hasten the day when
peace shall come
to reign forever and ever. Amen.
Roland
D. Wilsey, Past District Governor, Roseville Rotary
For
International Guests
Thank you, God
for bringing us together today at this wonderful event of world friendship
and goodwill. We
ask for a special blessing on our international guests. We thank you for the
leadership of
this Rotary Club and those who have organized this program. Thank you for
all you provide
for us as we go forward in service. Amen.
Austin
Rotary Club
Is
It The Truth?
O God of Wisdom,
Light and Truth, help us to renew our dedication to truth in our
personal and
business lives. We trust your changelessness and reliability. Your truth under
girds the whole
universe. O God, we honor you today by respecting truth wherever it is
found; by
speaking truth with integrity; and by practicing truth in all dealings. Enrich
our
friendship in Rotary
as we share our time together today. Bless us as we serve. Amen.
Is
It Fair to All Concerned?
O God, who claims
all the children on earth to be your children, teach us to live together as
brothers and
sisters, members of a common family. Teach us to be fair to one another,
trusting everyone
with the same respect and dignity that are found in the noblest families.
Let us reach out
as friends to all with whom we do business, trusting them and encouraging
their trustful
response. Help us always to give the benefit of the doubt to those who appear
to differ with
us, creating a climate of cooperation rather than nurturing suspicion. You have
blessed us with
goodness and mercy far exceeding anything we deserve. Make us equally
generous in all
our dealings with our associates. Bless the time we spend together as
Rotarians, and to
you be the glory. Amen.
Will
It Build Goodwill and Better Friendships?
O Lord, whose
will it is that all your people should dwell together in harmony, we give you
thanks for the
opportunities we find in Rotary to widen our circle of friendship and
goodwill. We are
grateful for new friends whom we have come to know in this club and for
the joys we have
found in sharing our own friendship with others. Lead us daily to find new
avenues of
goodwill in our business and professional life. Give us patience in dealing
with
those who are
sharp and bitter. Give us creativity in finding ways to express ourselves,
which
will build better
relationships. And Lord, give us a sense of humor that we may not take
ourselves too
seriously. Bless this club in its activities and its outreach to our own
community. May
our world be a better place because we have been here. Amen.
Will
it be Beneficial to All Concerned?
O God, who has
compassion and concern for all people of every race and place, keep always
before us, as
Rotarians, that same loving concern. May it infuse our relationships with each
other and with
our friends and neighbors. May we extend it to all with whom we deal in daily
business and
social life. Whenever we sign a contract, establish a policy, or give an order,
may the welfare
of the other parties involved be taken into account. O Lord, in humble
recognition of
your abundant goodness to us, may we never permit selfishness and greed to
control our
affairs. Bless us as we gather today and may joy and peace be among us. Amen.
Stanley
Borden, Roseville Rotary
Four
Way Test
O Lord, in our
daily application of the Four Way Test, grant us
The vision of
Faith,
The inspiration of
Hope, and
The blessings of
Charity. Amen.
Al
McCormick, St. Paul Rotary
Our
Best Efforts
God of the
Universe, since we are not conscious enough to fathom your ebb and flow,
help us then to
bring our best efforts to what we can know: to love our friends and family,
to treat our
employees and fellow workers fairly, to seek justice, to help those in need, to
be
the best that we
can be, and to live by the Four Way Test of all the things we think, say or
do:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all
concerned?
Will it build
GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be
BENEFICIAL to all concerned? Amen.
Len
Scheffler Rotary Club of Columbia-Northwest, Columbia, MO
Bonds
of Rotary Between Us
Let us take a
moment to remember all the religions represented in the Rotary family
throughout the
world. Let us also recall that when we were invited to join our Rotary clubs
we were not
asked, “Are you a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Jew, a Buddhist, or a Sikh?”
We were not asked
because all religions are welcome in the Rotary family. Please join me in
a moment of
reflection and thanks:
With our friends
beside us,
And no person
beneath us,
With the bonds of
Rotary between us,
And our worries
behind us,
With our goals
before us,
And no task
beyond us,
With a thirst for
knowledge,
And a dream of a
Polio-free world,
We are thankful
for our Rotary friends and the time we are about to share.
Thank
You, Shalom, Amen.
Chris
Offer, Past Governor 5040
Bidding
to a 30-second Silent Prayer
Announce: “I invite you to a 30-second silent prayer… Will you please
bow your head with me?”
Let us pray silently together, each of us according to our individual
beliefs.
Let us offer thanks for our food, blessings for one another and for
absent friends
Let us seek to be a source of hope for those in need, and
companionship for those
who are lonely.
Let us give gratitude for our opportunity to serve as Rotarians.
Let the feelings of love, kindness, and a well-directed, yet gentle
spirit always be
reflected in our
actions.
A
30-second pause followed by: “Amen.”
Jim
Gray
Life
Service Not Lip Service
God of all, today
we pray that we may receive your blessing because we are committed to be
a real service
organization to help humankind. May each of us, in our daily routine, come to
know the joy of
caring and sharing with others who are not as fortunate as we are. May our
motto that
includes serving, caring and sharing be for us life service not just lip
service.
Amen.
Phil
Morris, Furnitureland Rotary Club, High Point, NC
Service
Above Self
May those
assembled here today enjoy the many offerings of Rotary. May we abide by the
rules we have
established, those of trust, fellowship and ethics, and may we place service
above self, in
our daily endeavors. And may we always test ourselves and our efforts to be
sure they are the
truth, good for all concerned, of benefit to mankind, and provide peace
ands
understanding. Amen.
Ken
from Wisconsin
Always
in Your Presence
Gracious God, as
we gather together as Rotarians and friends, we acknowledge that
wherever we go,
we are always in your presence. We pray that our actions may reflect this
awareness as we
seek you and as we count our many blessings. In the weeks and in the
months ahead,
clothe our lives with charity, deepen our lives with loyalty, and hallow our
lives with
integrity. Help us to live our lives so that we may enhance the future of those
whose lives we
touch. May your radiant spirit guide us, and our loved ones, all of our days.
Amen.
A
Strong Desire To Do Good
Lord of the
Universe, you have given most of mankind a strong desire to do good, to be
honest, to serve
others, and to faithfully fulfill their obligations to their neighbors.
Help us, as
Rotarians and humans, to do good.
Help us, as
Rotarians and humans, to be honest and ethical in all our dealings.
Help us, as
Rotarians and humans, to serve others.
And help us, as
Rotarians and humans, to faithfully fulfill our obligations as neighbors to our
community, our
nation, and the world. Amen.
Joseph
D. Coons, Bellingham WA
Individuality
and Common Bond
Creator of all:
It is good to recognize how different we are in our talents, our dreams, our
backgrounds and
our occupations. And it is good to know that when you created each of
us, you broke the
mold. No one is exactly like anyone else. Even our thumbprint and our
voice track tell
us how unique we are. Yet, we thank you that we can take these differences
and mobilize them
for the good of Rotary and our community. In our differences we can
think the same
thoughts and move together toward a common goal. Bless us as we meet
together. Thank
you for our individuality and also for our common bond. Amen.
Phil
Morris, Furnitureland Rotary Club, High Point, NC
Guide
and Direct Our Club
Creator and
sustainer of all that is or will ever be, accept our thanks for this day and
all its
blessings. We ask
that you guide and direct our club, its leaders and our actions. Grant that
each of us may
feel our responsibility to Rotary, to our community, to our country, and
indeed to all
countries and peoples. Bless our friendship today, and bless this meeting. Amen.
Mindful
of Opportunities
As we gather here
today as members of Rotary, we pray that we are ever mindful of
opportunities to
render our service to fellow citizens and to our community. Keeping in
mind always the
enduring values of life, exerting our efforts in those areas and on those
things upon which
future generations can build with confidence. Let us continue to strive to
make a better
world. Amen.
Review
Our Checkbooks
Lord of the
Universe: many have said that you can judge a person by their checkbook
records. As
Rotarians, we are generally blessed with lives of relative luxury, and
opportunities
unknown to many. Help us to review our checkbooks, and, indeed, the
registers of our
lives with honesty as we consider our priorities, and our opportunity to help
others. Open our
hearts, and our accounts, to those in need, while still providing us with
appropriate
fruits of our own labors. Help us to share not only our tangible wealth, but
also our
intangible riches of knowledge, leadership, and creativity to make our city,
our
nation, and our
world, a better place filled with the peace and love that you can bring
through us. Amen.
Joseph
D. Coons, Bellingham WA
Thankful
for the Blessings of the Day
We have gathered
in the spirit of truth, fairness, goodwill, friendship and concern for others.
We are thankful
for the blessings of this day, this country, and for this unique gathering of
service-minded
community leaders.
Lord, even as we
pray these words and express these thoughts, we are not always the people
we would like
others to think we are. In this paralysis of spirit, we contribute to unrest,
indifference to
our neighbor's needs, and pre-occupation with material standards.
Dear God, you who
are so patient, so caring, and so understanding, forgive our inadequacies
and help us to
model your direction and love. Now we humbly ask that you would bless this
gathering and us
to a deeper commitment to service. Amen.
Ron
Phillippo, St. Paul Rotary
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Serve
Others, Serve God
Our God, we ask
you to look upon us and grant us your love, your mercy and your
understanding.
Forgive us for anything you have seen amiss in us today. Put into our hearts
the ideal of
service; keep us alert to the needs of others; bless the work of Rotarians
everywhere and
let us remember that when we serve others, we serve you.
Bless and watch
over those absent from us today. We thank you for all the good things you
have bestowed
upon us. We thank you for our club and this meeting. Amen.
Woodbury
A. Palmen, Wabasha Rotary
Strengthen
Us
We are not at all
sure what tomorrow holds, but we are very sure who holds tomorrow. We
thank you Lord
for having called us to this community to live our lives and do our work
with Rotary.
Grant us the wisdom and the foresight to discern what is for our own
betterment and
the betterment of all humankind. Strengthen us in being a part of your
power and
influence. Prosper us in our calling, help us in our needs, guide us in our
work as
people pursuing
peace. May peace and goodwill abide among us this day and always. Amen.
Good
in the Worst of Us, Bad in the Best of Us
Thank you for our
Rotary meeting, for everyone that puts something into it, and everyone
that gets
something out of it. We ask your blessings on this meeting and all who grace it
with
their presence.
Lord, help us to be gentle with ourselves and one another, not expecting
more than any of
us can produce. We know there is so much good in the worst of us and so
much bad in the
best of us that it hardly behooves any of us to talk about the rest of us. Be
with us this day
and always by strengthening our belief in the ultimate triumph of truth and
right. This
prayer we make in the name of the way of truthful living. Amen.
Strength
Sufficient
We ask God’s
blessing upon this meeting and on people of goodwill everywhere. May we
prove ourselves
worthy citizens of our country: devoted to truth, sincere in fellowship, given
to service, and
confident in steadfast faith. Preserve us faithful to these ideals. Let us
stand
firm when the
fight is hard. Give us strength sufficient for this day. Make us as big as our
problems and to
stay bigger than our responsibilities. God help us to live up to our
capabilities. Amen.
Past
and Present
Bless all the
former members of our Rotary club who have moved on, passed on or opted
out. We pray that
each one caught something of the spirit of our service. Bloomed a littlie
fuller, shined a
little brighter because of the service experience.
We ask you to
bless all the present members of our club that each will show a little more,
give a little
more, and be a little more because of the service experience. We pray for the
spirit that is
best qualified to minister to the community’s highest welfare, the spirit that
makes for better
friendships, understandings, goodwill and cooperation, and the spirit that
permeates life,
making it more harmonious and beneficial to all. Amen.
The
Rotary Wheel
Dear God, as we
gather, let us be thankful for those dedicated to the principles of Rotary
through their
shining example of love, leadership and the gift of giving.
The spokes of the
Rotary wheel are representative of the rules of pure conduct. We pray
justice will be
their uniform length, wisdom the
circle, modesty and thoughtfulness the hub
in which the
immovable axle of truth is fixed.
All who recognize
the existence of suffering, its cause, its remedy and its cessation have
recognized the
four noble truths that bind us as Rotarians. We pray we will walk in the right
path, that the
right view will be the torch to light our way, that right aspirations will be
our
guide, right
speech will be our dwelling place on the road to helping others, and that
contemplation on
right efforts will give us the peace that follows.
As our Rotary
wheel rolls forward, it is moving with the same strength of Rotarians of years
gone by and who
continue to keep the hope of Rotary alive today. Rotary is only as strong
as the building
blocks of the Rotarians who truly care.
May the enduring
spirit of Rotary inspire us today. Amen.
Divine
Assistance
We know that
people who strive without divine assistance will find only cures that do not
cure, blessings
that do not bless, and solutions that do not solve. Send us your divine truth
to heal us and
our land. We pray for enough failure to keep us humble, enough success to
keep us
encouraged. We pray you keep us low enough that we will always want to look up
to
you and high
enough to help pull all those around us to a higher plateau of living. God,
keep
us in need enough
so we will always want to produce and blessed enough to share what we
have with others.
Keep us weak enough so we will always call for divine assistance and
strong enough to
bear one another’s burdens. Thank you for Rotary and the ideal of service.
May your
blessings rest upon us as we seek to serve. Amen.
Privilege
of Service
We are grateful,
O God, for the privilege of offering ourselves for service. Give us open
minds, a clear
understanding and a steady purpose to make the most of our talents, and lead
us into the
fields of work where we can best serve you. Amen.
We
Are All Responsible
Dear Lord, we do
not love you until we love our neighbors as ourselves. Help us to bring
the blessing of
love and fellowship to others. Let us not be content, O Lord, when others go
hungry, or be
serene while some lack their daily bread. Help us to be among those who are
willing to
sacrifice that others may not be hungry, who dare to be bearers of light to the
dark
loneliness of
stricken lives. Let us not harden our hearts nor close our hands against the
poor. Let our
hearts be moved by the misery of others, and let us dare what must be dared.
We are all
responsible. Amen.
Jane
Dickinson, Stillwater Rotary
Seasonal,
Holiday and Special
Spring
Almighty God,
giver of life, creator of the universe, we your humble tenants desire your help
and guidance as
we exercise the purpose of Rotary. We appreciate the privilege given us as
Rotarians to farm
the field of human relationships. It is our great desire to close the gap
8
between what is
and what could and should be.
Help us to
remember that in Rotary, we are loaned an identification. So, in most of life,
what
we have has come
as a gift from others. In our world we are laced together with
interrelationships.
Like the seed and
the soil, we are dependent upon one another.
Please help us to
use this Rotary meeting to your desires. May those in leadership know your
guiding presence
and purpose. And now bless all who gather at these tables. Amen.
Reverend
Paul W. Neal, South St. Paul/Inver Grove Heights Rotary
Springtime,
Renew Our Obligation to Be of Service
Lord of the
Universe, Rotarians worldwide acknowledge your power, and your expectation
that we be of
service to mankind. Let us renew our obligation to fulfill that expectation,
just
as the return of
spring renews growth in the world around us, with a new commitment to
help others in
our community, our nation, and our world. With the power, influence, and
wealth that we as
leaders in this place most certainly have, let us always remember that these
are a blessing
from you, and that charity is more fulfilling than decadence, and the Golden
Rule a much
richer yardstick than any bank account. Amen.
Joseph
D. Coons Bellingham WA
Summer
O Lord, in the
beauty of this summer day we find assurance that in addition to the order of
the universe and
the reasonableness of creation, you have willed beauty and loveliness to
give special
meaning to all that you have made. In the joy and gladness that we feel on such
a
day, we know that
we are your own creation, brought forth in goodness and called to higher
things.
Strengthen within us our commitment to find eager satisfaction in service above
self.
On this summer
day we ask your special blessing on Rotary, that it may continue to build
harmony and create
justice and promote peace among the people of the world. Bless its
efforts for the
welfare of children, its concerns for training and educating youth, its
leadership in
building ties of friendship and cooperation among the nations and races of the
world. Bless our
leaders and our companionship this day. Amen.
Independence
Day
Almighty God we
thank you for all your goodness to us.
We thank you for
the white drifting clouds in the blue sky.
We thank you for
the red of blooming roses.
We thank you for
our banner of these same beautiful colors and for the Independence we
have enjoyed
under it.
We thank you for
food, fellowship, and opportunities to serve. Amen.
Harold E.
Anderson, Alexandria Rotary
Labor
Day
O God, who is the
master craftsman, whose exquisite detail and whose soaring splendors we
vainly strive to
emulate, we turn to You this Labor Day weekend to bring the work of our
minds and hands
to the touchstone of Your high standards.
When we think of
the work of your hands, like the beauty of butterfly wings, or a moonlit
sea, our own work
seems so poor and crude and so much is left undone.
Yet we thank You
that we can work and serve and while doing so, we can pray that You will
inspire us with
Your passion for excellence, so that while we build we may beautify, while we
serve we may
heal, while we work we may worship. Amen.
Pastor
Donald Carlson, Edina Rotary
Autumn
Almighty God, we
thank you for this beautiful season when the greens of summer gloriously
turn into the
reds and golds and purples of autumn, truly we see your handiwork in all
things. May we
see your abundance in the harvest. In the midst of the changing seasons,
help us to
remember that you are the same yesterday, today, and forever, that your love
shall
always keep watch
over humanity. Today may we place ourselves in the hollow of your hand
and face the new
dawn and its experiences with a simple trust in your love for every person.
Amen.
Roland
D. Wilsey, Past District Governor, Roseville Rotary
Autumn
Mysterious God
who comes out of misty mornings to say we're okay, and that there is hope,
and life is worth
living, and that you care about us, help us Rotarians take the marvel of an
autumn day, with
all its bountiful splendor and its wistful wonder, as a sign of your caring,
not just about
us, but about all the world's children.
Help us to care
about people who are hurt. Give us a conscience about the cruelty of war.
Show us how we
can be healers, and reconcilers, and lovers in the world. Let our sharing
together around
these tables make us better able to be your servants in this tough world
today. Amen.
Reverend
Arthur A. Rouner, Jr., Edina Rotary
Harvest
Let us give
thanks for a bounty of people.
For children who
are our second planting, and, though they grow like weeds and the wind
too soon carries
them away, may they forgive us our errors in cultivation and celebrate their
roots.
Let us give
thanks…
For generous
friends, with hearts and smiles as bright as their blossoms;
For feisty
friends as tart as apples;
For continuous
friends, who, like scallions and cucumbers, keep reminding us that we've had
them;
For crotchety
friends, as sour as rhubarb and as indestructible;
For handsome
friends, who are as gorgeous as eggplants and as elegant as a row of corn, and
the others, as
plain as potatoes and so good for us;
For funny
friends, who are odd as brussels sprouts and as amusing as artichokes, and
serious
friends, as
complex as cauliflower and as intricate as onions;
For friends as
unpretentious as cabbages, as subtle as summer squash, as persistent as
parsley, as
delightful as dill, as endless as zucchini, and who, like parsnips, can be
counted on
to see us through
the winter;
For friendships
that are hard won, like nuts that are hard to crack;
For the potential
of every person, who, like grapes can become fine wine;
For old friends,
nodding like sunflowers in the evening-time and young friends coming on as
fast as radishes;
For loving
friends, who wind around us like tendrils and hold us, despite our blights,
wilts
and witherings;
And, finally, for
those friends now gone, like gardens past, that have been harvested, but
who fed us in
their times that we might have life hereafter;
For all these we
give thanks. Amen.
Reverend
Max Coots, First Universalist Society, New York
Submitted
by Phil Oswald, St. Paul Rotary
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is
Thanks-Living, and all who call themselves Rotarians have good cause to
thank God for the
country in which we live and in being blessed beyond our fondest
dreams.
For the fertility
of the soil, its rivers and streams, its lakes and its forests: God be praised!
As Rotarians we
need not be reminded to be thankful for all the rich natural resources by
which humanity is
enabled to make provision for every need, both spiritual and material.
Thanks be to God!
In our assembling today, may we be a witness of our faith to our fellow
beings and the
provisions that we enjoy on the table.
In Your name we
rejoice. Amen.
Reverend
Walter F. Pearson, St. Peter Rotary
Christmas/Hanukkah
Gracious Eternal
God, this is the season of light: light from the festive glow of the Menorah,
warmth from the
Yule log fire, radiant beams from the tender face of the babe born in
Bethlehem.
In this the
darkest of months, we give thanks for the light you bring to humankind. We give
thanks for the
light this Rotary Club has shed throughout its long history on so many others,
both here at home
and throughout the world.
We ask that we be
nourished by food, fellowship and reflection on our past… and energized
to convey your
perpetual light… forward into the future. Amen.
Craig
W. Johnson, Austin Rotary
Christmas/Hanukkah,
Golden Rule
Lord of the
Universe, this is a time in our year when many of us turn our attention to the
spiritual side of
our lives, when we consider what light we follow…
Help us to
understand that no matter what name it is given and in what language it is
expressed, that
philosophy called The Golden Rule is indeed the most true guidepost by
which we can mark
the trails of our existence here…
Remind us that if
that concept were universally held as a standard, by the people of all
nations and
faiths, there would be no wars, no hunger, no crimes one against the other . .
.
We pray that you
continue to bless the work that we as Rotarians, from many nations and of
many faiths, do
to help those less fortunate, for we believe that one manifestation of this
Golden Rule is in
our Rotary motto, Service Above Self.
Please give us an
international time of peace on earth, good will towards men, inspired by
our great leaders
and philosophers who themselves are inspired by you, O Lord.
And finally, we
ask you to guide those who, as our government leaders, make their daily
decisions that
affect us, so that their efforts, whether international or local, shall be
motivated by this
same great rule of charity and good will. Thank you, Lord. Amen.
Joseph
D. Coons, Bellingham WA
New
Calendar Year
Almighty God, set
us free this day from the spirit that makes for discord, from the temper
that has no
desire to forgive or forget, from the lack of faith in Your power to change the
hearts of all who
quarrel, enlarge our capacity to love all people, expand our wisdom to
handle our
responsibilities and to meet the demands of the New Year. Amen.
Roland
D. Wilsey, Past District Governor Roseville Rotary
New
Calendar Year, Stay Focused
God of All Time:
We stay focused on the objectives we have for the world: Peace,
tranquility, a
true Community of Humanity, freedom from hunger, from oppression, from
sickness, freedom
to choose our own destinies. We reaffirm our commitment to our simple
Rotary Four Way
Test for all we do and support: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned?
Will it build
good will and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? We
reaffirm our
commitment to high ethics in all we do. And we give thanks for all the
blessings,
opportunities and responsibilities that come to us as Rotarians. We continue in
this New Year
with optimism, renewed energy, and a commitment to service to all men and
women. Please,
Lord of the Universe, help us so to serve! Amen.
Joseph
D. Coons Bellingham WA
Divine
Imagination/Scout Law
God who is
Creator of us all, we give thanks for divine imagination. We are truly blessed
as
God's children .
. . boys and girls, women and men, unique and individual.
O God, the
tapestry of life that you have woven together is good, beautiful, warm,
intimate,
vivid, creative,
rich and textured with the threads, stories, tales, histories, and yarns of
individuals,
families and communities. We give thanks for the sharing of ourselves that
life,
conversation, and
communication make possible.
For the centering
and grounding that enables us to stand strong and alert; purposefully
committed to
helping others and to building a community that is just and inclusive, we give
You thanks. For
the blessings of guidance, support and advice from our teachers, our
leaders, our
mentors, and our family, we give thanks.
We give thanks, O
God, for our talents, our strengths and our values. Encourage our minds,
embolden our
hearts, and empower our spirits to be children, men and women, who are
trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave,
clean
and reverent.
So be it. Amen.
Indianhead
Council, Boy Scouts of America
Vision
of Universal Peace
Give us, O God,
the vision that can see your love in the world in spite of human failure.
Give us the faith
to trust your goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness. Give us the
12
knowledge that we
may continue to pray with understanding hearts, and show us what each
one of us can do
to set forward the coming day of universal peace. Amen.
Astronaut
Frank Borman's Christmas Eve invocation from the Apollo spaceship
when
other astronauts read Genesis, Chapter One over the radio (12/24/68)
Peaks
and Valleys
God of Creation:
the paths of our lives are filled with peaks and valleys. When we are on the
top of our peaks,
we become so self-satisfied that we tend to ignore the things of
importance. When
we are in a valley, we feel a sense of abandonment and can focus only on
what action lies
directly ahead of us. Remind us, as you do in nature, that above the tree line
the mountain-tops
are barren and only in the valleys can we find the opportunity for true
growth. Amen.
Ronald
Hanson, Rotary Club of Cloquet, MN
Strength,
Determination, Willpower
We cannot merely
pray to you, O God, to end war, for we know that you have made the
world in a way
that we must find our own paths to peace within ourselves and with our
neighbors.
We cannot merely
pray to you, O God, to end starvation,
for you have already given us the
resources with
which to feed the entire world, if we would only use them wisely.
We cannot merely
pray to you, O God to root out prejudice, for you have already given us
eyes with which
to see the good in others, if we would only use them rightly.
We cannot merely
pray to you, O God, to end despair,
for you have already given us the
power to clear
away slums and to give hope, if we would only use our power justly.
We cannot merely
pray to you, O God, to end disease,
for you have already given us great
minds with which
to search out cures and healings, if we would only use them
constructively.
Therefore we pray
to you instead, O God, for strength, determination, and will power, to do
instead of to
pray, to become instead of merely to wish, for your sake and for ours, speedily
and soon, that
our land and our world may be safe, and that our lives may be blessed.
May the words
that we pray and the deeds that we do be acceptable to you, O Lord. Amen.
Written
by Jack Riemer
Nothing
Does Itself
Dear Lord, We
honestly believe the purpose of each life is to make a difference that we lived
at all. We also
are aware that nothing does itself… machines don’t make or run themselves,
bricks don’t lay
themselves, nails don’t drive themselves, buildings don’t build themselves,
lessons don’t
learn themselves, classes don’t teach themselves, words don’t memorize
themselves, food
doesn’t prepare itself, skills don’t develop themselves, projects don’t plan
themselves.
Someone has to do everything that is done, make everything that is made, and
think everything
that is thought. We know the next move is up to us, therefore, we pray for
your divine
guidance in our every thought, intention and action. Amen
Irish
Prayer
As each of us
give our own thanks according to our personal persuasions let us dwell on
some thoughts
that bind us together:
You've blessed us
with friends and laughter and fun. With rain that's as soft as the light
from the sun.
You've blessed us with stars to brighten each night. You've given us help to
know wrong from
right. You've given us so much please, Lord give us too, a heart that is
always grateful
to you." Amen.
An
Irish Prayer. Tim Creedon PDG Rotary Club of Phoenix # 100, Arizona
Mealtime
O Lord and giver
of all good we thank you for our daily food. May Rotary friends and
Rotary ways help
us to serve thee all our Days. Amen.
Sung
to the tune Tallis, Old 100th
(Doxology)
Be present at our
table Lord, be here and everywhere adored. These mercies bless and grant
that we may feast
in paradise with you. Amen.
Our thanksgiving
to you, O Lord, for the opportunity to relax and share a common meal. To
our bread, add
the pleasure of good talk, and be welcome among us. Amen.
Pastor
Clifford J. Swanson, Northfield Rotary
Almighty God,
with grateful hearts, we thank you for this food; for the sun, soil and rain
that nurtured it;
the industry of the farmers who produced it; the skill of those who prepared
it; the humility
of those who serve it. May we enjoy the companionship it creates and be
strengthened for
service as we partake in peace and joy. Amen.
Pastor
Clifford J. Swanson, Northfield Rotary
O God, we've
dashed in here to this knife and fork club to stuff our overstuffed bodies.
Help us to be as
consistently concerned with: "Is it the truth, Is it fair to all
concerned, Will
it build goodwill
and better friendships, and Will it be beneficial to all concerned" as we
are
about satisfying
our own hunger pains. Amen.
Oley
Wilson, St. James Rotary
We pray, Lord,
that we may feel your presence with us at this meal. When we leave may we
have fed on
companionship as well as bread. Amen.
Reverend
Loren Espeland, Redwood Falls Rotary
Almighty God, we
thank you for this day and for this privilege of being gathered in Rotary
fellowship.
Please bless this food to our use, and us to your service. Amen.
Don
Duerre, Wabasha Rotary
Eternal God, we
offer our gratitude for this moment: for food, for our time together with
friends, for this
day's work. Grant the gifts of insight and wisdom for our work; give
faithfulness and
honesty to all. Bless our world with your peace. Amen.
Bruce Buller,
Greater Rochester Rotary
Dear Lord, we
thank you for this food and for the fellowship of Rotary. We pray that this
food may
strengthen us physically and our friendships may enrich us spiritually, that we
may
better do your
will. Amen.
Jane
Dickinson, Stillwater Rotary
Lord, we thank
you for this food, for all the blessings that you give. Strengthen our bodies
and our souls,
and let us for service live. Amen.
Jane
Dickinson, Stillwater Rotary
Almighty Giver of
Good, we thank you for your loving kindness to us. You open your hand,
and we are fed.
Be at these tables, we pray, and bless our gathering together. Amen.
Jane
Dickinson, Stillwater Rotary
We thank you,
Lord, for happy hearts, for rain and sunny weather. We thank you, Lord, for
this our food,
and that today we are together. Amen.
Jane
Dickinson, Stillwater Rotary
Dear Lord, we
acknowledge your presence as we gather together on this day. We ask you to
bless our time of
fellowship and fun. We are grateful for the food that we are to be served.
As we partake of
this meal, help us to be mindful of those less fortunate than we. Amen.
Jeanne
Doheny, Le Sueur Rotary
Eternal God, we
offer our gratitude for this moment: for food, for our time together with
friends, for this
day's work. Grant the gifts of insight and wisdom for our work; give
faithfulness and
honesty to all. Bless our world with your peace. Amen.
Bruce Buller, Greater Rochester Rotary