From Chippewa County, a prayer by Gary Kubly

At a fundraiser last night in Montevideo's old Hollywood Theater, Pat Kubly, widow of Lutheran pastor and state senator Gary Kubly, shared an old prayer that her late husband had delivered at the

MN House of Representatives – Opening Prayer
January 29, 2001 *– State Rep. Gary W. Kubly

Creating, redeeming and sustaining God,
In the midst of this time and place, help each of us to realize that some lessons are difficult to learn. Help us in the midst of debate to refrain from labeling others that we might be relieved of the responsibility of taking them seriously. Move us to the point where we cease to see ourselves as right while those who disagree with us are wrong. In great wisdom, you have created each of us to be uniquely ourselves. You have given us different perspectives. It’s probably a lot to ask O God, but today help us to see even those who oppose us as having come to us as another member of the human family from your creative and gracious hand. Help us to grow in that same grace each day until we too can offer the same consideration to each other that you have first offered to us. In your strong name. Amen

According to the Journal of the House for the day, Speaker Sviggum called the body to order and the business at hand was mostly the first reading of bills and such.  The only roll call vote was to pass a bill allowing federal funds to be used for the state's energy assistance program. The measure passed 126-0.

Senator Gary Kubly died in office in 2012 from complications caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease). MinnPost noted:

Kubly's passing brought condolences from many leaders who admired his honesty, sincerity and tenacity.

Last night, there was admiration for all that, but just as much, people were missing his work as a consensus builder and his dry wit. Senator Lyle Koenen, how now holds the seat, recalled that Gary was fond of explaining late night legislative sessions that seemed to go on forever by noting "Everything has been said but not everyone has said it yet."

The first time Kubly told us that, he correctly attributed the observation to Mo Udall.

*The text was dated January 27, 2001 in the folder of prayers that Pat Kubly discovered in her husband's papers, but that was a Saturday, we learned as we researched the context for the prayer. The House next convened on January 27, 2001 and the Journal of the House notes that Kubly, then serving the lower chamber, gave the opening prayer.

Photo: The late state senator Gary Kubly, via Lit Happens.

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