Santa Paula Council: A Shared Life

viagra arial, price sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;”>By Sheryl Hamlin

abortion arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;”>The invocation for the November 21, 2016 Santa Paula city council meeting was given by Reverend Audrey Vincent. Repeated here in its entirety, the message “a shared life” is the essence of community. As we reach across the table this Thanksgiving, think of our shared life.

Reverend Audrey Vincent

Gracious God of all,

We gather in gratitude for this regularly scheduled opportunity to participate in the governance of our city.

Grateful for the workings of democracy, we nevertheless bring mixed emotions concerning the national election. Some of us are excited and hopeful, looking forward to the changes promised; others feel fearful and anxious, apprehensive over prospects for the future.

May we be reminded that we have a shared life here. Though circumstances may be difficult, may we take a long view, seek common ground, never lessening our engagement with our fellows or attempt to reach out seeking understanding, undergirded by the awareness and faith that what is best for all is worth working toward—always.

Our shared life now – this week—all across our nation is our participation in this season of gratitude.

We all can be grateful—for our families, friends, for this abundant valley and the workers, our neighbors who plant, cultivate, truck, and pack the produce we buy for our daily table and festive Thanksgiving dinners.

We ask your blessings upon this newly elected Council. We are appreciative of their time devoted to our community studying the
issues and bringing them before us.

May all be touched by this season of gratitude in family, among friends, and in the comings and goings in community.

We ask in the name of all that is holy.

Amen

This is the first in a multi-part report of the November 21, 2016 Santa Paula City council meeting. To view the meeting click here

For more information about the author, visit sheryhamlin.com

Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free  SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing – DONATE