Below is the Invocation Prayer Rev. Folkerth wrote for the Dallas City Council meeting on October 23 of this year.

Gracious and Loving God,

As we gather for this meeting of city council today, we are still suffering the aftermath of a horrific storm on Sunday. And so it is that before all else, we pray this day; we pause in prayer to remember the horrific tornado that struck our city this weekend.

We pray first, and most especially, for those who have lost their homes, or whose homes have suffered great damage. We pray for school children who have lost their schools. For the faithful who have lost houses of worship. For small business owners who have lost storefronts. We grieve the loss of ancient and stately trees which gave our neighborhoods a sense of permanence and history.

Comfort all of these. Send your mercy and grace to them. Swiftly and very soon, may they feel a sense of new life, new hope and return to a new normal that helps to temper the loss they have suffered.

But God, in the midst of tragedy, we also pray prayers of thanks. First, we give you thanks that there was no loss of life. We give you thanks that incredible technology and communication allowed so many to be ready in the face of the storm. We give you thanks for first responders and their heroism. We give you thanks for utility workers. We give you thanks for neighbors helping neighbor in their time of great need.

We give you thanks for these elected and appointed city staff in this room, and for all they have done to serve your people in this time. We know that some of the problems caused by this storm will take a great deal of time to unwind. And so we ask you to give all of us in your city patiences…as we make our way together through this uncharted time.

So many of your people have come together to support one another these past days. Help us all to remember that kindness, mercy and compassion. And may the goodness of neighbor helping neighbor be replicated a thousand times across your city in the days to come.

So…having named all this before us today, we pray for these servants around this horseshoe; who serve you as our elected representatives. We pray for our mayor. We pray for our councilmembers. We pray for their families.

Each day that they serve, we ask that you give them wisdom instead of a thirst for power.

May you give them thick skins when inevitable criticism… fair or not….comes their way.

May you remind them, each day, of the privilege and honor that it is to sit around this horseshoe and serve your people.

And finally, then, may you renew the servant hearts of your mayor and council. That they will always seek to serve the least, the lost, and the left out among us.

May they never hide behind the will and bidding of the powerful and the well connected….but may they show courage to lead your city in bold and new ways. In fact, may they stand up to the powerful, and never be afraid to speak the truth to power.

Remind this council, O God, that how we treat the least, the left-out, the powerless, and the vulnerable is how we will be judged. We will not be judged by our charity to them. We will be judged by how our city policy lifts up (or does not) the least, the left-out, the powerless, and vulnerable.

And at the end of their days in service to you, O God, may you forgive all that they will have left done or undone…by conscious or unconscious choice. May you remind them of your unfailing love for them as your children. And may they feel your unfailing grace and strength throughout all their days.

In your holy and gracious name we pray….Amen.