For December 2, 2018 -- Advent 2 -- The Remembrance of Christmas Past -- Blue Christmas Ritual

CALL TO WORSHIP

The God of our Past, our Present, and our Future

invites us to worship as we prepare for Christmas.

Here we come to be reminded who we are and whose we are.

Here we open ourselves to God’s presence and listen for God’s voice

As we sing and pray and remember,

may God be with us, may God fill us with the peace that passes understanding.

BLUE CHRISTMAS PRAYER

God of Christmas promise and possibility,

we know that sometimes Christmas is less than joyful.

We remember the pain of the past and of the present,

we acknowledge that this pain is a part of our Christmas, is a part of who we are.

God who walks with us in joy and in sorrow, when the way is easy and when it is hard,

as we remember our past be with us we pray. Strengthen us as we go forward.

God who is always present, we lift up our memories, the happy and the sad,

And we are thankful that we are not alone.

We pray in the name of Jesus, whose birth we await. Amen

COMMISSIONING:

We have gathered, we have sung, we have prayed.

We have remembered the joys and sorrows of the past that has shaped us.

We go out to continue to get ready for the birth of a baby

a child who will lead us in the way of peace and love.

We go out trusting that the God who offers us the peace that passes understanding

is with us wherever life may lead. Thanks be to God.