Morning everyone. I’m Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell and we will begin today with our invocation by Pastor Jacquelyn Donald-Mims and Imani Community Church. Please rise.

Good morning, let us pray. Eternal God our Lord, we give you honor, praise and thanks for the wonder of this day and for your sustaining love. Oh, God, today we ask that you oversee these proceedings. Anoint once again these representative and leaders, this brilliant council and mayor and their genius. We thank you for their commitment and ask your blessing upon them to love your people, walk among your people, feel their pain and share their joys. Commission them to a noble discontent of things as they are and that they will tear down every barrier that prevents your people from the highest god-given best.

God, even in the midst of the tragedy of last Thursday, a senseless, cowardice crime, we still give you praise for those who are in the bis of saving lives, for the hard job of first responders, offsetting destruction and minimizing loss, executing their craft with excellence. We give you praise, and, oh, god, we ask now for your presence. We know are sympathetic ear and heart and healing is on the family of the one who was lost, Vernon Hunter, a veteran, hero, child of god, man of god, husband and father. We pray your comfort in their moments of distress. Usher them through the long night of despair. We pray your continued healing on those who experience bodily harm and those who emotionally are in distress for witnessing such a horrific tragedy. Now, we even ask your blessing on the family of the one who committed the crime and the pain.

OOh, God, now we just know that there are those in this city and we just ask you for your blessings on us all, both those who live in security and those who feel insecure, employed and unemployed, those who feel the stress and weight of despair, we pray, Lord, that they know that all is not lost. You know our needs better than we do, Lord. Touch, heal, make whole, deliver, redeem and give us your peace and power. This we pray in the strong name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, AMEN.

Thank you, pastor. I especially like that part about the genius of the mayor and council. [Laughter] please be seated.

The Austin American-Statesman’s religion writer, Eileen Flynn, talked to African-American pastors in Central Texas about the continuing controversy over comments made by Sen. Barack Obama’s longtime pastor.

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, as everyone has heard and seen over and over by now, made racially charged statements that lashed out at the United States and suggested this country brought on the 9-11 terror attacks.

Obama rejected Wright’s harsh comments, but he didn’t reject Wright.

(Here is a take on the controversy by Time this week)

Pastors interviewed by Flynn said Wright’s comments need to be understood in a broader context including the totality of his preaching and the idea of speaking truth to power.

Here’s what the Rev. Jacquelyn Donald-Mims told Flynn:

“The only way (America) can become more livable is if we confront what we want to fix… There’s going to be ecstatic, excited speech that moves people to action.”

The story added:

Jesus, too, used harsh language at times, Donald-Mims said, but “prophetic speech is not hate speech.”