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Inaugural Banquet Invocation

Rev. Mindy Smith, '98, Campus Pastor

Lord God,

Thank you for this beautiful evening to gather and celebrate together the gift of Whitworth University. All of us here have in some way been touched, molded and challenged through our experience of Whitworth. We are so grateful that you have made Whitworth part of each of our stories.

And now Lord we gather to share a meal and rejoice together in this new chapter of the story. With our new President stepping into his new position we pray to you. We look gratefully to the past, and thank you that from the very foundations of Whitworth.  You called leaders of courage and wisdom and they trusted in you. So we ask today that you would inspire us by their example; where there has been failure, forgive us; where there has been progress, confirm; where there has been success, give us humility; and teach us to follow your instructions more closely as we enter this next chapter of Whitworth's legacy.

Give to all those to whom you have entrusted in leadership today the desire to seek your will and to do it. Give us the heart to love each other as you first loved us.

So this evening we ask your blessing on our President Beck Taylor and his wife, Julie, and their children, Zach, Lauren and Chloe. We pray for each of them in this transition to a new city, new relationships and new challenges. Draw them close together we ask. And for our new President we ask that you give him deep wisdom, clear discernment and a heart of grace and truth. Equip him to build upon the strong mission of Whitworth University. Help us to be a community of support to our new leader to live out the mission of the mind and the heart you have called us to this day and throughout the days to come.

In all these things we pray to you through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen