A Prayer For Our Nation

by Rev. Matthew Ruffner on January 07, 2021

Hover here.
Hover here just as you hovered over the waters of creation O God.
Make order out of the chaos that is our lives and our world this day. Hover close to all that we might recognize you in the face of the other, in the face of stranger and dare we pray in the face of those we view as enemies.
Hover close as we feel especially vulnerable this day as chaos has taken on new forms and deeper discord.
Inspire us beyond ourselves towards paths of peace and full justice. Hover here O God, just as you hovered over the waters of creation, create afresh and anew this very day.
May it be so.
Amen.

Tags: prayer, election, america, vote, nation, capital, biden, capitol, trump

About the Author

Rev. Matthew Ruffner

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Rev. Matthew Ruffner is the Senior Pastor at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. Matthew was called to PHPC in April 2015, after serving as Associate Pastor for Mission at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta.

Matthew has a passion for helping shape the life and trajectory of Dallas through the church. He is involved with Purpose Built Communities in Dallas, which guides neighborhood revitalization by creating pathways out of poverty for the lowest-income residents, and building strong, economically diverse communities. He also serves as an ambassador for Project Unity, a community building program founded after the 2016 police shootings in Dallas to help heal race relationships between law enforcement and citizens.

Matthew has previously served on the Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Board and the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Board of Trustees. He was the recipient of the Zick Preaching Award which recognizes outstanding young preachers in the United States in 2015 and 2016. He was also a Chautauqua Institute summer preacher in 2019.

Matthew earned degrees from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina (Bachelor of Arts: History and Religion, 2005) and Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia (Master of Divinity, 2010). After completing his studies at Columbia Seminary, he worked as a consultant for the Cousins Family Foundation in Atlanta.

Matthew is married to Sarah Conley Ruffner, and they have two children, daughter Olivia and son Elliott. Matthew loves college football and basketball, and enjoys playing golf.

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