An Election Prayer
Written by Anglican Archbishop Emeritus David Moxon and translated by Rev’d Hamish Dobbie.
E te Atua, o te rangi, te whenua, me ngā mea katoa o te motu nei.
Ko koe te mātāpuna, e pupū ake ai ngā painga katoa.
Kua whakatōngia e koe tō āhua ki roto ki tēnā, ki tēnā o mātou.
I tēnei wāhanga o te tau, kia whiriwhiri mātou i tō rangatiratanga me ōna mātāpono o te tika, te pono, me te aroha, e whakatinanatia e tāu tama.
Kia tau mai tō rangatiratanga ki waenganui ki a tātou.
Hōmai ki a mātou ngā taringa areare, me ngā whatu tuwhera kia mōhio ai ki ngā kōingoingo rawa o te iwi kia māhorahora ai ngā ringa, kia ora ai te iwi, kia ora ai a Papatūānuku hoki, me te tūmanako ki te Tiriti o Waitangi, ōna oati, me tōna pito mata o te whanaungatanga pai.
Hōmai ki a mātou te mātauranga ki te pōti ki te māia.
Kia whakapau kaha tātou ki te mahi i te mahi e pai ai mō te iwi katoa.
Aratakina mātou ki tō māramatanga Kia poipoi tātou i tō tātou manapori me tō tātou oranga tapatahi i runga i te aroha me te tikai tēnei wā o te pōtinga.
Tēnei tā mātou īnoi i runga i te ingoa o Īhu, te huarahi, te te pono, me te ora.
Āmine.
O God of earth and sea and sky, of all that lives and breathes within our island home.
You are the source, the fountainhead, the giver of all good things.
You have made us of one blood and created your image within us.
At this time of the year, may we strive to choose for the kingdom your son came to share.
May we find and be found in the ways of your goodness.
May your justice and righteousness prevail among us.
Give us the ears to hear and the eyes to see the greatest of the needs around us,
for wisdom in how we share our common resources so all may thrive for a heart to care for and protect your creation, our common home for hope in the promise of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the potential for right relationship it offers
Move us to choose and to give our vote wisely.
May we spend and be spent for the common good.
Guide us according to the light we have been given at this time of election.
May we nurture our democracy with aroha.
May we steward our life together in fairness and compassion.
We make this prayer in the name of Christ, our way, our truth and our life.
Amen