[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 201 (Saturday, December 16, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S18775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The Chaplain, Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie, offered the following prayer:
  Sovereign God, ultimate judge of our leadership of this Nation, shake 
us fully awake to the realization that we are accountable to You for 
what is happening in Government during our watch. We confess that the 
Senate has become a combat zone for a wretched war of words as we deal 
with the issues of a balanced budget. Negotiations with the 
administration have deadlocked in an internecine, no-win battle. We are 
talking at each other; we are not carefully listening to each other. We 
have lost sight of the time-honored purpose of debate: to lead to 
creative compromise and synergized solutions.
  Once again, time has run out and progress is debilitated. Help us to 
give up gamesmanship and rise to greatness. Overcome the brinksmanship 
that has led us to the brink of another impasse. We confess our deep 
need for Your grace to capture our attitudes and for Your guidance to 
untangle the negotiations. Again, we ask You to help us put our trust 
in You and recapture our trust in each other. Give us courage to 
replace the party spirit for the spirit of patriotism. In our blessed 
Lord's name. Amen.

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