A Prayer for America’s 250th Anniversary

Father God,
Most High,
    You raise up the kingdoms of man and bring them down low.
    You give your blessings and your discipline
          to individuals and
          to nations.
 
Thank you for the United States of America.
 
We acknowledge her past sins:
    the evils of slavery,
    the oppression of Native Americans,
        and more sins both known
        and unknown.
We acknowledge her current sins,
     and recognize that she is not the Kingdom of God,
     but only one of the expressions of the Kingdom of Man.
 
And yet, we praise you for the many blessings you have poured out on the United States.
We praise you for the wisdom by which you directed many of our leaders throughout our history.
We thank you
     for the freedom of religion
     for the freedom of speech
     for the freedom of assembly.
We rejoice
            in our liberty
            in our pursuit of happiness.
 
America holds to the ideal of the equality of all people,
            we pray this ideal is realized in us,
             and with each generation that follows.
 
Father, help your church to use these freedoms
            to clothe the naked
            feed the hungry
            comfort the oppressed
            seek justice
            and proclaim the Good News of Jesus.
 
As commanded in your Word we pray for those in authority.
We pray for
            President Trump
            Vice President Vance
            Senator Thune
            Senator Schumer
            Speaker Johnson
            Representative Scalise
            Representative Jeffries
            Governor Hochul
            Senator Mayer
            Senator Shimsky
           
            Senator Gillibrand
            Representative Lawler
 
Here in Tarrytown
Mayor Karen Brown  
Deputy Mayor Becky McGovern      
Effie Phillips-Staley   
David Kim     
Thomas Mitchell        
Paul Rinaldi    
Kenny Herzog
           
            And Supreme Court Justices:
                        Roberts
                        Thomas
                        Alito
                        Sotomayor
                        Kagan
                        Gorsuch
                        Kavanaugh
                        Barrett, and
                        Brown Jackson
                       
Give these leaders wisdom in their complex decisions,
     that they will use their power to serve others, and
     that they will use their influence to lift all people up.
 
Help us to love our imperfect country and countrymen.
Help us to live at peace with all as far as it depends on us.
 
Thank you for preserving our country.
God, may you bless us, and may you
Bless the United States of America.
 
Amen.