Rev. Dodd Lamberton, senior pastor at Mount Carmel Lutheran Church and a resident of Fridley, offered the prayer to start the day at the Minnesota Senate on Monday.

Here is what Rev. Lamberton said Monday, as the Senate's chaplain for the day: 

For a growing number of people, the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous have become more than suggestions. Along with regular attendance at 12 Step meetings in relationship with other recovering people, they become a way of living—sober—one day at a time.

At a 12 Step meeting not long ago a newcomer talked about how shocking sobriety is after many years of active addiction.

He made the word "sober" into an acronym. For him, SOBER has come to mean "Son of a gun, everything's real."

Well, every day is real. Every day that you senators enter this chamber, take a phone call in your office, or read a contituent email, you're doing a real job that, like the job of a clergyperson, has as much to do with relationships as it does with accomplishments. Whe you get right down to it, it's really all about relationships.

The apostle Paul in his letters to the Ephesians encourages early believers toward maturity in faith and conduct. He uses the expression, "Speaking the truth in love." It sets the standard for speaking both honestly and respectfully, even to those with whom we disagree.

Please join me now in prayer:

God of all the living, we come before you at the beginning of this week, mindful of the opportunities and challenges set before us. Let your loving spirit dwell in and flow through each senator and those who help them do their jobs, that what they say and do would ultimately benefit all of the people who have elected them to serve. Help them help all of us speak the truth in love. Amen.