Opening Prayer at the Council Budget Meeting

Had a great opportunity this morning to open the Ipswich City Council Budget Launch in prayer.

I crafted up a prayer based on bible verses related to civic leadership etc Here is a segment

"Father, thank You for this city of Ipswich and our Ipswich City Council. Your Word says that when good men are in authority, the people celebrate, but when wicked men are in authority, the people are unhappy. I pray that You will keep good men and women in authority over our city. .....I ask that You cause this council to make decisions that increase the integrity of our city. Grant them the wisdom and insight needed to deal with this city’s finances, that You may cause us to prosper and be a blessing to other peoples...."

Here is a section from the Mayor's speech:
"To do this we need the community, including business, churches, seniors and youth groups working together with a strong sense of pride to meet these challenges and convert them into opportunities. Today we deliver a budget to place Ipswich in a strong position ready for the future, as we focus on people and growth."

"Like Ipswich rugby league legend Alfie Langer, who mastered the art of predicting where the game is going, Ipswich needs to keep moving forward, by understanding where global trends are going, so we can continue to be ahead of the game for Ipswich and its people, now and into the future."

And to top things off, the Mayor gave me an Ipswich tie as a gift!