Our Akron Roundtable speaker was John R. Kasich Governor, State of Ohio, I use some thoughts from his recent book, Every Other Monday: Twenty Years of Live, Lunch, Faith, and Friendship in my prayer.

Here's a quote from the book (105-106) where John Kasich writes why he attends church:

I don't go looking for stimulation or uplift, even if they sometimes find me anyway....I go to honor HIm, and to worship Him. I go because it's a place of peace and quiet and solemnity, offering a glorious point of pause to the rest of the week.

Also in the book John Kasich talks about the time he led a reluctant congregation to sing the wrong song in worship, going so far as to stop the service and instruct them to "sing it like you mean it". Only later did he find out that reason they were singing half-heartedly was because it was not right song.

Here's my prayer:

Giver of Harmony, at times we suspect
you called the wrong hymn for us to sing
so we stumble and mumble through your song
hoping you'll take the hint and change your tune.

Help us to sing Your sweet song together,
leaving no one to sing solo, but in unison,
each helping the other create beauty for all your children
so that faith, hope and love will not only survive but thrive
now and forever, Amen.

I thank Katie Rennard, president of the Akron Roundtable board for asking me to pray before this Roundtable Extra.

Akron Roundtable is held at noon on the third Thursday of every month, Akron Roundtable is a non-partisan forum. Each event, held at the Quaker Station located at the Quaker Square Inn on the campus of The University of Akron, begins at 12:00 noon with the speaker's address immediately followed by a question and answer session. Doors open for the event at 11:45 a.m. The event concludes at approximately 1:15 p.m. $20



This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Our Akron Roundtable speaker was Richard K. Smucker Chief Executive Officer of The J.M. Smucker Company. I use some thoughts from their annual report and Miriam Weinstein, author of The Surprising Power of Family Meals in my prayer.

Here's my prayer:

Bring us together around tables today
and bring families together at table this evening

At tables in boardrooms and dining rooms
may we strengthen each other
in doing the right things and doing things right

And when we leave our tables today and tonight,
may we be covered with appreciation and filled with purpose.

Amen.

As my year as Kiwanis President closes, so also does my year of service on the Akron Roundtable board and my privilege of praying before the programs. It was good to go out with this thanks from our speaker, Richard Smucker.

I appreciated all of Richard Smucker's address available on the Akron Roundtable site, but especially when he prioritized to whom Smuckers was accountable and whom did they serve. The list of constituents he shared was:

1. Consumer
2. Customer (the grocery stores)
3. Employees
4. Suppliers
5. Communities in which we work
6. Shareholders

He stated that if they took care of the first five constituents, in that order, fair and long term returns to the shareholders is a natural outcome.

Akron Roundtable is held at noon on the third Thursday of every month, Akron Roundtable is a non-partisan forum. Each event, held at the Quaker Station located at the Quaker Square Inn on the campus of The University of Akron, begins at 12:00 noon with the speaker's address immediately followed by a question and answer session. Doors open for the event at 11:45 a.m. The event concludes at approximately 1:15 p.m. $20



This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Our Akron Roundtable speaker was Stan Austin, Superintendent, Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Here's my prayer:

Source of Life, we yearn to return to the garden where you walked in the cool of the day. Help us tend the life around us as you nurture the life within us. Let both flower into beauty and bounty so that our community can be a place where even God can rest. Amen.

Akron Roundtable is held at noon on the third Thursday of every month, Akron Roundtable is a non-partisan forum. Each event, held at the Quaker Station located at the Quaker Square Inn on the campus of The University of Akron, begins at 12:00 noon with the speaker's address immediately followed by a question and answer session. Doors open for the event at 11:45 a.m. The event concludes at approximately 1:15 p.m. $20



This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Our Akron Roundtable speaker was Corbin Bernsen actor on the television show Psych and director of the film about the Akron Soap Box Derby, 25 Hill

Mr. Bernsen's was having trouble with his voice during his talk, so I brought him a glass of water. He said "thank you", twice. Five seconds of my 15 minutes of fame well spent.

Here's my prayer:

Shelter of the Past and Hope of the Future,
Today may this city built on a hill shine as a beacon to all people.
As a place where fatherless children are nurtured,
Where grief is redeemed by loving neighbors as ourselves,
And where daily we do more together
than all of us can do in a lifetime alone.
Bless this city built on a hill, that our faith, hope, and love races down
To cover all your children, today and forever. Amen.

Akron Roundtable is held at noon on the third Thursday of every month, Akron Roundtable is a non-partisan forum. Each event, held at the Quaker Station located at the Quaker Square Inn on the campus of The University of Akron, begins at 12:00 noon with the speaker's address immediately followed by a question and answer session. Doors open for the event at 11:45 a.m. The event concludes at approximately 1:15 p.m. $20



This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Our Akron Roundtable speaker was Evalyn Gates Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cleveland's Museum of Natural History whose topic was "Science: A Portal to the Future"

Here's my prayer:

Spirit manifest in the laws of the Universe, ever remind us that You are subtle but not malicious.

Help us bring to light hidden matters of soul and space so we can recognize the energy that drives us apart and value the attraction that brings all together.

Now bless us and our words, this food and these friends, that together we may shine like stars, working for the satisfaction of the desires and needs of all and the achievement of harmony and beauty in the human relationships. Amen.

The fist and last lines are based on quotes by Albert Einstein. The middle section nods at Evalyn Gates' book: Einstein's Telescope: The Hunt for Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe

Akron Roundtable is held at noon on the third Thursday of every month, Akron Roundtable is a non-partisan forum. Each event, held at the Quaker Station located at the Quaker Square Inn on the campus of The University of Akron, begins at 12:00 noon with the speaker's address immediately followed by a question and answer session. Doors open for the event at 11:45 a.m. The event concludes at approximately 1:15 p.m. $20



This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.