Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Prayers for the new year

A year-end drill for many publications is to ask experts and pundits to look into their crystal balls and offer their best predictions as to what the new year will bring.

We took a different approach and asked members of the local clergy to offer their prayers for 2015. We are happy to share them with you.

Rabbi Sanford Akselrad, Congregation Ner Tamid

My prayer is for a Las Vegas where people look deeper — deeper inside themselves and deeper into those they encounter, to move beyond stereotypes and prejudgments and take the opportunity to truly know and understand “the other” who enters their life. My hope is for a Las Vegas that embraces diversity and celebrates that which we have in common.

The Rev. Ralph E. Williamson, senior pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church

With so much racial and religious conflict and tension in the world, I hope the Las Vegas community will continue to embrace diversity while respecting individuality, demonstrating to the world how to celebrate and live harmoniously, not despite diversity and difference but because within our differences and diverse cultures we find strength. Our visibility on the national and international stage provides us this unique opportunity to be exactly who we are, and God willing, will continue to be.

The Rev. Dan Edwards, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada

My hope for 2015 is that faith groups and secular groups will work together to form a real community spirit in Las Vegas, that we will learn to serve the people who live here, that we will take concrete steps locally to improve the lives of immigrants, heal race relations by addressing injustice and give our public schools the support they need to educate our children.

Rabbi Malcolm Cohen, Temple Sinai

I hope the Las Vegas community continues to come together in a coalition on public education and that faith groups, businesses and nonprofits can come together to support our school district in taking the education of our children to the next level.

The Rev. Ron Zanoni, pastor at St. James the Apostle Catholic Church

My prayer is that we not only yearn for but work together to better the lives of all who call Southern Nevada home — that the hungry be fed, the homeless find shelter, our children receive the best education possible, our elderly be treasured and cared for, that we welcome the immigrant among us, and that all families live together in security and peace.

The Rev. Ian W. Riddell, minister at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Las Vegas

My deep wish for the new year is that we grow in our ability to see each other as neighbor and kin across divisions of race, age, economics and sexual orientation. I hope we can further commit ourselves to working to build the beloved community — a community of love, justice and faithfulness to each other — here in our valley home.

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