[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Page 3678]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 prayer

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Today's opening prayer will be offered by the 
Reverend Joe Bates, Sr., from the Northwest Conference of the United 
Methodist Church of Alabama.
  The guest Chaplain offered the following prayer:
  Let us pray.
  Eternal God, Father of all humankind, we come before You with humble 
hearts to ask for Your blessings and guidance.
  Pour out Your wisdom and discernment upon these elected 
representatives of Your people, and fill their hearts with peace and 
good will. Enable them, we pray, to practice just and merciful 
leadership that will bless and enhance the lives of all of our 
citizens.
  We thank You, O God, for all the ways You have led us in the past. 
Bless us this day by helping us to walk in Your path of righteousness 
so that justice and peace may prevail in our Nation and in our world.
  To You, dear God, we give our honor and our praise, even as we seek 
Your mercy, and we pray to You in Your holy Name. Amen.

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