[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H9837]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 PRAYER

  The Reverend Dr. Ronald F. Christian, office of the bishop, 
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Washington, DC, offered the 
following prayer:
  The Psalmist prays:
  The heavens declare the glory of God,
  And the firmament shows his handiwork.
  Oh God, we can recognize Your presence in that which is about us; 
intricacies of nature in flowers and in fragrance; diversity in people 
in size and shape; variety of animals in habits and habitats; and 
beauty of the night skies in the Southern Cross and the dippers, large 
and small.
  Oh God, as we recognize Your presence, so let us honor that presence, 
by taking care of all that in nature we so glibly call our own; by 
protecting that which we have dominion over; by giving consideration to 
people's differences of both opinion and interests; and by offering our 
thanks for both Your grace and Your mercy as we, each one, seek justice 
for all.
  Oh God, dispose our days and our deeds in Your peace. Amen.

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