I have belonged to a small quilt guild for several years. It is not associated with a church or any organization.

At our last meeting a paper was passed around the table. It was a prayer. My guess is that most of the people in the group have some kind of religious association. However, the hat we have worn at meetings so far has been our Quilter hat. The paper read as follows.

"Keep us, O Lord, from pettiness, let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.

Let us be done with fault-finding and leave off self-seeking.

May we put away all pretense and meet each other face to face, without self-pity and without prejudice.

May we never be hasty in judgement and always generous.

Teach us to put into action our better impulses, straight forward and unafraid.

Let us take time for all things, make us grow calm, serene, gentle.

Grant that we may realize that it is the little things that create differences; that in the big things of life we are one.

And may we strive to touch and know the great human heart, common to us all, and, O Lord God, let us not forget to be kind.

Nice words. There was a motion at the meeting to have all members read this at the beginning of our meetings. We are not a church group. We are not the (Catholic, or Baptist, or Lutheran, etc.) Quilt Guild.

This motion passed. I would have no problem with this Prayer if I had joined the Mulberry Church Guild. But, I joined a guild with no political or religious association. If this would have been a motion about changing our meetings from Monday to Tuesday and it and I wanted Monday, and the majority voted for Tuesday, I would not have a problem with it.

I think this motion made some of our members uncomfortable(or whatever word fits here). Should their belief, quiet belief, or non belief be taken into consideration? I know that majority rules. But, could we not take some of the words from the above and use them and think of others in the group?

Send me your thoughts.