“First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe Reverend Andrew Black delivered the opening prayer today to kick off the New Mexico Legislature. Black, pictured on the floor of House of Representatives, prayed for lawmakers and called on them to be visionary, bold, innovative and courageous as they tackle the challenges of climate change and caring for the kids and families of New Mexico.”
Read to complete prayer or watch the video, below.
Prayer to Open the New Mexico State House of Representatives
Reverend Andrew Douglas Black
Presbyterian Minister, First Presbyterian Church Santa Fe
Link to Video
January 15, 2019
Creator God--From the east and west to the north and south, from different paths to different perspectives you have called these leaders to gather on this common ground so that they may indeed find common ground and common purpose in serving the people of New Mexico.
As we open the 2019 legislative Session, I pray that you watch over all who represent the people of New Mexico. May they serve with energy, intelligence and imagination. Make strong in their hearts what unites them and build bridges across what divides them. May those with voice help the voiceless, may those with power help the powerless, and may all who enter this capitol be treated with dignity, respect, and kindness.
O Great Spirit who gives us life--you have blessed New Mexico with a rich and diverse tapestry of history, culture, and sacred traditions that are rooted in your creation. We give you thanks for the sound of the elk bugling in the Jemez, revel at the beauty of bighorn sheep scaling the cliffs of the Rio Grande Gorge, are humbled by the hawk that soars above Tent Rocks and Bandelier, and are amazed by bats ascending from Carlsbad Caverns. God of all Creation, we marvel at the splendor of the trout in the San Juan, Chama and Gila, are filled with wonder at the majesty of the eagle soaring over the Organ Mountains and are awestruck by the birds of the Bosque as the sun sets on the Sandias. Help us to remember that we are all keepers of this beautiful and sacred place. Make us strong stewards of a land blessed by so much enchantment and help us to look to the common good as we address the challenges of climate change and develop responsible policies and practices toward your land, water, wildlife and natural resources.
Holy One, in era where governments close over collaborate, let the convening of this legislature be a symbol to the people of our state and our nation that New Mexico’s government is open—open to visionary leaders willing to look beyond themselves to higher purposes and even greater horizons, open to wise leaders willing to engage in the hard critical thinking needed to solve the problems of today to create a brighter future for tomorrow, open to bold leaders willing to ensure that all New Mexico’s children have the education, health, safety and support they need to live happy and fulfilling lives, open to innovative leaders willing to create economic opportunities that support our local communities, respect our cultures, and sustain our environment, and open to courageous leaders willing to ensure that all who come to our state’s borders will be met with hospitality, compassion, and afforded the basic human rights you intend for all your children so that our state and country may truly be a light unto the nations.
God of infinite wisdom, as we enter this new day for New Mexico, may these leaders work mindfully to find common ground and develop public trust so that this capitol may not simply be an arena of legislative work, but so that this roundhouse may truly be a beacon of hope, truth, justice, unity, and community not just for our state, but for our nation and our world.
For all these things we humbly pray, Amen.
