Last Sunday, November 13th, during and after Worship, we celebrated all Veterans and active military, including those at Saint Peter Lutheran Church. It was a joyful intergenerational event that included breakfast, blessings and lots of listening to shared stories from our Veterans and family members of Veterans.
Veterans were invited to put a pin on a map of the world, indicating all the places their service took them. The map is still in the Fellowship Hall, and we encourage you to add your locations, too!
Children and adults alike asked questions that generated a rich understanding of their experiences. We had Veterans participate onsite as well as online, adding to our understanding and appreciation of the sacrifices made. We enjoyed a display of memorabilia and pictures of our servicemen and women who have served our country with distinction and honor.
Thank you, Veterans, for showing us how to truly serve others in selfless ways.
A Prayer For Veterans And Our Nation
O God, Our Father in Heaven,
O God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
O God the Holy Spirit.
Visit us with your compassion.
That our nation may remember you as the God of mercy and truth.
That the fulfillment of your will may be our desire.
That we may be healed from the motives of greed and revenge.
That we may discover through you a deeper experience of prayer.
That we may offer unselfish devotion to the wellbeing of our nation.
That you would uphold our president and all in authority.
That you would defend and preserve our soldiers, sailors, and air force.
That we may honor and respect the veterans who have served our nation,
and help us to remember and cherish those who gave their lives protecting us.
O Christ.
Visit us with your compassion.
To comfort those affected by the trauma of war.
To remember those in captivity.
To bind up the wounded and all who are lonely or discouraged.
To hasten the day of peace.
To cast away the threads of hate.
To forgive our enemies.
To scatter any who delight in war.
O Christ.
Heal us.
Amen.
(Adopted from the prayers for corporate use in the Prayer Book for the Armed Services, Augsburg Fortress)