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BENEDICTIONS & CLOSING PRAYERS
O God of people and nations, we pause at the close of this meeting to acknowledge again Your
sovereignty over our lives and our Country. We remember before You our comrades now departed this
life. We honor them for their loyalty to God and Country, for their good deeds, and for their friendship.
May they rest in peace and may the good works You have begun in them be brought to perfection, that
our Nation may be strong and our people secure and happy. Give to us safe journey to our homes.
Amen.
Almighty God, receive us in this evening hour as we offer ourselves over to You in body, soul and spirit
for the blessings of this day. We thank You for those who have led us so well in this dinner/banquet.
As we invoke Your blessing upon us, give us a still and quiet heart and mind. We thank You, O God, for
this food which reminds us of Your care over us and pray that it will strengthen us for the doing of Your
good pleasure and give us power to render better service to You and our fellow veterans. Amen.
Our Heavenly Father, we ask for Your benediction to rest on us this day. As You have graciously
preserved our nation through the years and have led us in wondrous ways, grant that we may be worthy
of our high calling a Nation. Make us reverent in the use of freedom, just in the exercise of power, and
generous in the protection of weakness. Inspire the men and women who direct our nation, that they
may guide it wisely and well. Especially do we pray for our Commander-in-Chief (Commander), as he
moves forward with the program for the Veterans of Foreign Wars this year. Grant him and us that in all
our duties, Your help; in all perplexities, Your counsel; in all danger, Your protection; and in all sorrow,
and Your peace. Amen.
Let us go forth into the world in peace and dedicated to Your service, O Lord. Let us hold fast to that
which is good, render to no person evil for evil, strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the
needy and the afflicted, and honor all people. Let us love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of
His Spirit. And may God’s blessing be upon us and remain with us always. Amen.
God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the Nation, peace and concord; to us all Your
servants the promise of everlasting life, light to guide us on our way, courage to support us, and Your
blessing to unite us in service to You our God and this our Country. Amen.
Almighty Father, help us to remember that freedom does not automatically perpetuate itself, that we
have to work at it, nurture it, protect it, and pray for it. Freedom, like faith, needs our attention and our
cooperation.
Lord, be with us now to strengthen us; about us, to keep us; above us, to protect us; beneath us, to
uphold us; before us, to direct us; behind us, to keep us from straying; and ‘round about us, to defend us.
Blessed are You, O Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Almighty and Merciful God, we remember before You in this moment our departed comrades. We recall
with reverence the good needs they accomplished. We honor these who fought a good fight in a just
cause—comrades both in war and in peace who have served this Country with dignity and with honor.
