Father God, we are so very grateful for these days, as challenging as they are, while we all are dealing with such odd, peculiar, puzzling, and unprecedented difficult and sad times, we are ever-humbled by your watchcare over us. Father, there are so many emotions related to the intrusion of death, the disruption of our work-life, Rotary life, and all activities that we certainly have taken for granted prior to this awful pandemic.

Help us to consider Father God the life-lessons that you are teaching us about being so busy; about going and doing and seeking to always be amused, entertained, enticed… over-busy, overloaded, and overworked. Yes Father God, as Rotarians we should be actively zealous civic-community, district, and global servant-leaders, but perhaps this time, our isolation, is a time for solitude, fortitude, gratitude, and knowing, understanding, and living out spiritual beatitudes… focusing on being still, being introspective, being refreshed, being re-charged. Help us to see that being sequestered is an oddity that perhaps is a commodity that can supply all of us with much needed contemplation and self-examination.

And now Father God, we pause to consider and lift up to you our District Governor Jim Squire, First Lady Donna, Jim’s beautiful family, and our District Leadership. The sad, tough, and disappointing decisions that have been made by District Governor Jim and his District Team to suspend our District Conference and cancel so many other District events cannot be overlooked. Father we are so thankful for Jim’s exceptional leadership and we praise you that such acuity and insight is certain and sure confirmation and true evidence of your abiding care, grace, love, and providential protection working through Jim for our benefit.

Our District Governor has honorably reflected your compassion, empathy, and sympathy for all Rotarians and our families during these invasive, disruptive, and tragic times. So, we celebrate our District Governor, Donna, his family, and his Leadership Team. We celebrate that Jim Squire has put “Service to Our Health, Well-being, and Safety Above Self.”

Thank you so much Father God for being with us all during these days. Perhaps Lord, the most difficult year in the history of Rotary District 6900 and Rotary International.

Guard us, guide us, protect us… provide for us as only you can. This is our hope and prayer. AMEN and AMEN.