Prayer at 2014 Cove Creek Opening Ceremonies

Image:  Cove Creek Commissioner John Grisham

presides over the Opening Ceremonies

Saturday was Opening Ceremonies at Cove Creek Baseball Park.  This is our family's tenth year of playing ball at Cove Creek and my fourth year coaching the Rookie League Hot Rods.  Last season was a "re-building year," but this season we've started off strong winning our first two games.  I was asked to do the opening prayer (it is a private park and we can still do this).  Here's the text:

Gracious and loving God,

Today we can say with the Psalmist, “the heavens declare the glory of God” and the firmament shows forth his handiwork (Psalm 19:1).

As we stand on the threshold of a new season of baseball here at Cove Creek, we bring you thanksgiving for the past and ask your blessing for the future.

We thank you for providing the benefactors, administrators, and officials whose generosity, hard work, and guidance have made this place possible.

We thank you for the coaches and parents for their instruction and support.  Help us to encourage excellence in competition without being overbearing or unkind.  Make us to be circumspect in our criticism and liberal in our praise.

And today we especially thank you for these young athletes, for their readiness, enthusiasm, and excitement for this new season.  We ask that you would watch over their physical safety.  Help them to honor their parents, their elders, and all those in positions of rightful authority by being respectful and considerate.   Help them to strive for excellence in proportion to their abilities, to be fair in competition, generous in victory, and noble in defeat.

Help us, as the apostle Paul taught, to do all to your glory.

And teach us to follow the timeless rule given by Jesus:  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

We ask all this in Christ’s name, Amen.