Imagine you have been selected by the representatives of a new Local Government region to attend the inauguration of the Regional Council. You as a pastor have been selected out of hundreds of other pastors in the region. Your particular role is to lead prayers, and in particular, the Lord’s Prayer.

Your moment arrives. You take to the podium, and begin. And then, the words of the Lord’s Prayer fail you…

This is what happened to one hapless pastor at the inauguration of the new Moreton Bay Regional Council to the north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The new council is an amalgamation of three existing councils.

The local newspaper, the Pine Rivers Press reports that,

Thursday’s inaugural meeting at North Lakes Community Centre was a memorable occasion with bold speeches, didgeridoo music, song and bittersweet comedy when the religious minister leading the Lord’s Prayer forgot the words.

Later on in the story it reports,

The minister who forgot the prayer words said at its conclusion, “Forgive me Lord”.

Priceless. I think they may well invite him back, he seems good for a laugh!

What have you forgotten when leading prayers, worship or ceremonies?