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Shalom in the City

“Seek the well-being of the city
to which I have called you,
and pray to the Lord on its behalf,
for in its well-being
is your well-being.”
Jeremiah 29:7

The phrase “well-being of the city” is only one possible translation of the Hebrew word, “shalom.” Jeremiah literally said, “seek the shalom of the city.”

Shalom is a very rich word in the Hebrew scriptures, and it is variously translated as peace, well‑being, security, health, or prosperity.
To seek the shalom of the city is to seek that which is best for all its people, because in the shalom of the city, we will find our individual shalom.

This is the text that was read when Rev. Abraham Blumer, pastor of Zion’s church, spoke to the local militia as they prepared to vote in favor of independence on May 27, 1776. And this is the text that inspires us even today at Zion’s church. In addition to our worship and ministries to our members, we partner with these organizations, each of which in its own way is seeking the well-being of the city:

Center City Association – Hamilton District Main Street Program
of the Allentown Chamber of Commerce (GLVCC)

Congregations United for Neighborhood Action

The Lehigh County Conference of Churches

The Liberty Bell Museum

Contact Us to share your concern with us.

Pastor Bob's Prayer
at Veteran's
Recognition Service
Mack Trucks Customer Center and Museum
November 9, 2012

Gracious in your wisdom, you call us to remember great events of our history and to memorialize sacrifices made by the few for the good of the many. As we commemorate Veterans Day, we feel so blessed, not only that we live in this free nation, but also we feel blessed that so many men and women have served, and for those who continue to serve our country with honor and courage and dignity.
So we gather to honor all who have served, and especially to remember those who have died, those who are MIA, and those who were wounded in service of our country. May we never forget nor diminish their sacrifice for us.
O God, we humbly pray for the day to come when a lasting peace may come to all nations. Bless our military personnel stationed around the world, and bring them home to us safely and quickly, we pray. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, creator of all people and healer of all the nations of the world. Amen.

Pastor Bob's remarks and invocation given at the opening of the Allentown Fair 2012.

I bring you greetings from 1762. Not only does the city of Allentown celebrate its 250th birthday this year, but at the Liberty Bell Church where I am pastor we also are celebrating our 250th anniversary as well.
Marking anniversaries is a helpful way to remind ourselves of the importance of institutions in our community. The Lehigh County Agricultural Society is one such institution, celebrating 160 years in 2012. Institutions like yours help form the bedrock of a community not only because of fun events like the Allentown Fair but because you embody values that date back to our roots as an agricultural community... all the way back to our founding in 1762.
As we gather tonight for this opening program, I know many different faith traditions are represented by the people here. But all of those faith traditions also are anchored in values that we all hold dear, so I invite you to join in this prayer of thankfulness. Let us pray:

Blessed are you, God of creation,
for you have given us the world to keep and to till.
You have given us all the creatures of the earth
to care for and to enjoy.
We are thankful to be together in celebration and
we pray that you bless the farmers, gardeners and homemakers;
the vendors, entertainers and educators;
and all who have helped make this special event happen.
Bless, too, all those who come to experience the Fair,
so that truly it is an occasion for learning and recreation,
for fun and friendship,
and that it may promote a better appreciation
for all we have as a community in this County.
Blessed are you, God of creation, giver of all good gifts. Amen.

Note: this year’s Allentown Fair Queen is a descendant of John Jacob Mickley whose wagon brought the Liberty Bell from Philadelphia on its journey to Allentown for safekeeping during the American Revolution!

Prayer at Korea Vietnam Memorial 60^th Anniversary of Korean War Program April 29, 2012

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, Creator of the Universe. Through your prophets, ancient and modern, you remind us that you alone are eternal, and that our times are in your hands.
O Lord, in your wisdom you call us to remember great events of our history and to memorialize sacrifices made by the few for the good of the many. As we gather here today to honor veterans of the Korean War, we feel so blessed, not only that we live in a free nation; we also feel blessed that so many men and women have served, and continue to serve our country with honor and courage and dignity.
So even as we gather to honor these veterans, we would remember before you all those who have served our country, especially those who have died, those who are MIA, and those who were wounded in service of our country. May we never forget nor diminish their sacrifice for us.
O God, we humbly pray for the day when a lasting peace may come to all nations. Bless our military personnel stationed around the world, and bring them home to us safely and quickly, we pray. Blessed are you, O Lord our God, creator of all people and healer of all the nations of the world. Amen.

Prayer
for the
Lehigh County
Bar Association
2012 Annual Meeting

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, for you have so ordered the world
that not only are there laws of nature
   but woven into the very fabric of the creation
    there is a social and moral order as well.

In your presence we are humbled to know
that the people in this room are entrusted
   with responsibility within that order.

We pray for our colleagues who are officers and board members,
that this Association always may be a positive instrument
   for the advancement of the profession and for the practice of law.

We pray for one another,
that however much attention we must give
   to the pragmatic and practical details of our work,
    that we never neglect our higher calling as stewards of justice for all.

We pray for our judges, that your Spirit may attend them
in the courtroom and in the study,
   and that they may be guided by wisdom and compassion
    as well as by principles and precepts.

Gracious God, we ask that you honor us with your presence,
in the blessing of food and in our fellowship;
   and grant us a sense of renewal of purpose
    as we learn and laugh together tonight. Amen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The following prayer was offered by Pastor Stevens at the dedication of the new Police Patrol Station in downtown Allentown.

Prayer

Loving God, in gratitude
for all who made this police patrol station possible,
we ask you to bless this building.
May it be an instrument of justice
for all the people of our community
and a symbol of safety and well-being for our city.
We are thankful not only for this building,
but for the people who will work here
and for the services they provide to the public.
We thank you for their dedication and their bravery
in serving and protecting us.
Keep them safe and free from harm, we pray.
Watch over our city, gracious God.
Inspire all of us to work toward
that vision of a city that is prosperous and at peace,
where we celebrate the gift of diversity,
and where people may live and worship,
work and play, in true community. Amen.