God
of Christmas, we gather together and we sing of hope.
But
the world around us challenges our hope, the world around us leads us
to despair.
Our
news media seems to delight in telling us all the things that are
going badly in the world.
The
more cynical among us suggest that at best things will be as they
always have been.
Bring
us hope this Christmas.
Open
our eyes to see the possibilities that surround us,
open
our ears to hear the Good News in the stories that don’t get told,
open
our minds to understand that the wold can indeed be changed,
open
our mouths to share our hope for the future with all those we meet.
God
made known in a baby, we pray for hope.
God
of Christmas, we gather together and we sing of peace,
Peace
seems such a nice idea, but far from reality.
Mass
shootings, nuclear tests, political rhetoric, and more remind us of
peace by its absence.
And
yet we believe in the angel promise...
we
long for the vision cast by Isaiah
where
the wolf will lie down with the lamb and they shall not hurt or
destroy on all the holy mountain...
This
Christmas, we pray, move in our hearts and in the world around us;
make
peace based in justice a reality in our lives.
Bring
on the Reign of peace, peace founded on all having what they need for
abundant live rather than on “might makes right”,
so
that next time we gather to celebrate Christmas the world is a more
peaceful place.
God
made known in a baby, we pray for peace.
God
of Christmas, we gather together and we sing of love,
In
the stories of faith you command us to live as people of love:
loving
God, loving our neighbour, loving ourselves.
Sometimes
we act out of fear instead of love,
sometimes
our love is mis-aimed and narrowed.
As we
hear again the story of the birth of Love incarnate,
may
our actions be loving towards all we meet, tonight and all year
round.
God
made known in a baby, we pray for love.
God
of Christmas, we gather together and we sing of joy,
Or at
least we want to, or we think we are supposed to.
For
some of us joy comes easy this Christmas season.
For
others joy is difficult, or distant, or just plain absent.
We
give thanks that you enter our lives both in the times of joy,
and
in the times of sorrow or anxiety or fear.
In
this season we pray not for happiness
but
for the deep joy that comes from trusting that we are not alone.
We
seek the joy that comes with the assurance that you support and
strengthen us every day.
God
made known in a baby, we pray for joy.
God
of Christmas, we gather together and we sing of birth,
We
have heard the story again,
we
have joined the shepherds in their fear, their wonder, and their joy.
Once
again Emmanuel, God-With-Us lies sleeping in the manger.
Birth
changes us, all of us.
As
our eyes of faith gaze on the manger you look back at us.
As we
look at the babe sleeping there, ask us about how we will help him
grow,
and
how he will challenge us and make us grow.
May
the birth of Christ this year move us to embrace transformation.
May
we be changed this Christmas as we live into being citizens of the
Kingdom of God,
the
Kingdom which is launched by the coming of Christ.
God
of Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Christ and we join in the
adoration of shepherds.
In
response to the Good News of the birth of The Child we sing with the
angels:
“Glory
to God in the Highest”
Amen.
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