Cross posted at Dirigo Blue
Both the Maine House and Senate begin each legislative day with a prayer. Tuesday, 24 May, was no different, as the Rev. Donna Lee Muise of the First Parish Federated Church in South Berwick was on hand to provide an invocation. It was brief, as you can read for yourself:
May 24, 2011Maine House of Representatives Prayer by Reverend Donna Lee Muise, First Parish Federated Church, South Berwick. Reverend MUISE:
Good morning, Mr. Speaker and Esteemed Representatives. I thank you for the honor to be present with you today. I wish to thank Representative Roberta Beavers for the invitation to serve you today. Esteemed Members of the Maine House of Representatives, will you please join me in prayer?
Holy and everliving God, we invoke Your presence on these proceedings. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear the leading You have for this body. Guide their thoughts and deliberations today, with deepest respect for the work of the public servant.
I pray that You will sustain these Representatives of the people every moment of the day, with a personal zeal for the cause, a fellowship of solidarity, and a oneness of purpose to make life the way it should be for all the people of Maine.
Give these elected servants of Your people, I pray, courage in their struggles and wisdom for their journeys as they work and care for the people and the land of the great State of Maine.
And so in all Your many names – Yahweh, Allah, God – we pray that Your will be done. Amen and Shalom.
Read the last lines again:
And so in all Your many names – Yahweh, Allah, God – we pray that Your will be done. Amen and Shalom.
One meant to be inclusive to all those of faith in a Creator. One meant to honor and respect the different religions practiced by others. So be it and peace unto you.
At least one member of the House took offense to it, however. Rep. Amy Volk (R-Scarborough) was so bothered that she got off a blast on her facebook page soon after she heard it:
Someone ought to remind Rep. Volk that she represents ALL the people of her district, not just the ones that meet her narrow definition of what is acceptable.
And further, I'll remind Rep. Volk that upon taking office she took the following oath:
"I, Amy Volk do swear, that I will support the Constitution of the United States and of this State, so long as I shall continue a citizen thereof. So help me God."
"I Amy Volk do swear, that I will faithfully discharge, to the best of my abilities, the duties incumbent on me as Representative according to the Constitution and laws of the State. So help me God."
And that the 1st Amendment to the US Constitution reads:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.