Let us pray …

Let us pray, O God, our heavenly Father, out of whose mind this great cosmic universe has been created, toward whom the weary and perplexed of all generations turn for consolation and direction, we come before Thy presence this evening thanking thee for the many blessings of life…And in these days of emotional tension, when the problems of the world are gigantic in extent and chaotic in detail, give us penetrating vision, broad understanding, power of endurance and abiding faith, and save us from the paralysis of crippling fear.  And O God, we ask thee to help us to work with renewed vigor for a warless world and for a brotherhood that transcends race or color.

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1957

“King spoke of prayer as the sacred heart of faith, as the foundation of devotional life, as an essential component of prophetic social witness, and as a vital ingredient in the overall effort to free, humanize, and empower humanity.”

Lewis V. Baldwin, Editor of “Thou, Dear God”: Prayers that Open Hearts and Spirits by Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Beacon Press 2011