Prayer of Praise: –  

Creator and Redeemer, you did not plant the seed of this Earth into the Universe as if by chance.

It was your hand that placed it here, your plan to grow it here.

You did not populate this Earth with a people made in your image purely by chance. 

It was your hand that placed us here, your breath that keeps us here.

You did not come as a tiny child to walk this Earth as if by chance. 

It was your Love that brought you here, your Grace that saves us here.

Our Creator and Redeemer, you gave your all to the World.

In the bleakness of that stable, love was born that day; pure love, undiluted, poured out for all who call on your name.

Such Grace, unmerited, deserves a response in the life that we lead.  Forgive our ingratitude after all you have done.

Draw us to your Word, give us a new song to sing, that will resonate throughout this World and begin with us today.

We are not grains of sand upon the shore, buffeted by sea and storm.

We are individuals loved by you, more intimately than we could ever know.

Though from a distance we seem insignificant and frail, the creating breath that formed us now lives in and sustains us.

Thank you, Saving God, made known to us in Jesus Christ, not only by his words but through his sacrificial life.  May our lives reflect not only his love, but your glory, and the

whole Earth sing your praises.  Amen.

  (https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Christmas.htm#gsc.tab=0) 

Copyright © John Birch, 2022 · Prayers written by the author may be copied freely for worship.

(https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/christmas-prayers-to-help-prepare-your-heart.html)

Prayer of Confession   

God of love, the Psalmist was right in asking how long will you be angry with your people – because we, in our weakness, get caught up so easily in the ‘silliness’ of this season.

Our sense of wonder over the depth of your love for us becomes dulled.  Our preoccupation with choosing suitable gifts and preparing acceptable food can make us quite unloving as Christmas draws nearer.

Forgive us, O God, when we have failed in word or deed to proclaim that the birth of Jesus is the wonderful and true reason for the Christmas season.

Rekindle our sense of wonder, O God, at your choosing to share our humanity, by being born, as we all were, a vulnerable and helpless baby. 

Thank you Father, for your patience with a rebellious people,

loving you one moment, forgetting you the next.

Thank you for your endless love which does not give up,

but wants the best for us despite our faults.

Thank you for your promise, to all who believe,

and who put their trust in you, everlasting life.

You challenge us this Advent time, this season of preparation,

to put aside our pride, and understand our need for repentance, forgiveness and mercy.

Less of self,

more of you.

Merciful God, as we watch and wait for your breaking into our World once more, in the person of Jesus, shape and reshape our priorities,

so that the gift we give which is most cherished will be our witness to your love in ways that are transforming, visible and lasting. 

Purify our hearts, sanctify our lives,

that we might serve you faithfully this day and all days.  Amen.

  (https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Christmas.htm#gsc.tab=0) 

Copyright © John Birch, 2022 · Prayers written by the author may be copied freely for worship.

  (Moira Laidlaw in Liturgies Online Year A Advent 4) 

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Hebrews 2: 11, 9: 14 & 28, 10: 10, 12 & 14) 

The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews tells us that because Jesus Christ did what God wanted Him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of his own body, once and for all.  Having confessed our sins before God and confessed our faith in the saving work of Christ Jesus, we have the assurance that our prayers have been heard, that our sins have been forgiven and that we have been put right in our relationship with God.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others   

Loving God, knowing your love for all of Humanity, especially your compassion for the needy, we come to you with our cares and our concerns.

Send your Spirit of compassion upon the Earth.  Enter the places of hate and conflict and impose your amazing and lasting love.  Help them to see the way to peace and prosperity

Hear the cries of the forgotten and bring them comfort.  Hear the cries of those who are suffering and oppressed by those with power and control.  

Bless those who work in the caring professions that they are encouraged and strengthened for their work of giving to others.  Bless those who put themselves in harm’s way, to protect the defenceless. 

We pray for the Church around the world as it celebrates the birth of Christ.  Bless all those who are entrusted with Christian ministry that your Word might be proclaimed with truth and courage across our world.

Bestow your wisdom on all who govern others, that they may work towards reconciling differences and eliminating want and need.

We pray for all who are cold, hungry, or alone this Advent Season.  Embrace with your tender care all who wander alone or have no place to lay their head, that they may experience the hope of change for their lives.

We pray for all who are anxious, depressed, or ill, those are suffering or sick, in body, mind, heart, and soul, that they may feel your comfort.

We pray for parents, families, and newborn infants, for strengthen bonds of love and commitment, that they may delight in the joy of family life.

Thank you for loving us so much that You gave Your only Son to die for my sins, and be the way for a sinner such as myself to come before You. 

Lord, I pray that in our lives, you will multiply our love.  Help us to love friends and family more.  Teach us to love strangers the way You do. 

We pray for ourselves, that our hearts are open to your presence, that we may be transformed by your love.  Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

(from National Council of Churches in Australia Liturgy for Advent Four – 2022)

  (https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_Christmas.htm#gsc.tab=0) 

Copyright © John Birch, 2022 · Prayers written by the author may be copied freely for worship.

Other Prayers

(These prayers are not included in the prayers in the church)

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we, like Joseph, may wholeheartedly live our faith traditions and yet remain open to the mystery of your unconventional work in our lives and the World around us.

We pray for openness of heart, that, like Mary and Joseph, we may enter into the mystery of your loving actions and co-operative with your work even when we do not understand how to proceed.

We pray for the gift of wisdom, that like Mary, we may perceive your invitation in the strange and sometimes unreasonable situations into which you call us.

We pray for a deepening of faith, that through the mystery of Jesus becoming human, we may open ourselves to a fuller sharing in the divine life.

We pray for all who are busily preparing for Christmas, that the Holy Spirit will help us to stay aware of whose life we celebrate and to show Christ’s love in all our interactions.

We pray for freedom from judging others, that like Joseph, we may hold our judgments so that your work may unfold in the hearts and lives of those who are dear to us.

We pray for all who are awaiting the birth of a child or who are new parents, that they may recognize your presence in their child and nurture the gift of life entrusted to their care and draw strength from you to love and nurture their child.

We pray for all who are caught by consumerism, that you will free their minds and hearts so that they may hear your call and choose the greater good in their use of their time and resources.

We pray for all who are away from home this season, that you will guide those serving in the military, as relief workers, or missionaries, protect them from all danger, and bring them home safely in the new year.

We pray for reconciliation within families, that in our celebrations of you being with us, we may forgive past hurts and strive to renew relationships in our families.

We pray for all who will be traveling this week, that their journeys may be safe and their visits with friends and loved ones be renewing and refreshing.

We pray for all who are burdened by poverty and for those who seek to assist them, that you will open new ways to meet their needs and bring them hope and courage.

We pray for peace, that the coming of the Prince of Peace may bring healing and safety to those impacted by domestic violence, civil disturbance, and warfare.

(Copyright © 2022. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/4AdvA122125/ideas_other.html)

Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and the Mainland of China.

We give thanks for the long and complex histories of these lands, with their many artefacts, cultures and traditions that have developed over millennia, for those who established missions and churches in the past, and the determination of Christians in the region to contextualize the church here and now, for those who boldly live out their faith, challenging injustices even when they fear persecution, for the economic growth and development that have lifted many out of poverty, and for the steps taken in the region to counter huge environmental challenges.

We pray for communities left behind and further marginalized by rising economic growth, especially women and farmworkers in rural areas, for peace, understanding, and cooperation between these countries and the global community, for a growth in prophetic witness of the local churches in society, for mutual recognition of the God-given human dignity of all people in the region, and for spiritual meaning and freedom from captivity to economic growth and consumerism.

Prayers

As they face this day, O God, find those who are lost, separated from those they love,
crossing unknown borders, without a country or home, not knowing where to turn:
Find them, God, who always seek for the lost,
and cover them safely as a hen covers her chickens.

As they face this day, O God, stand among the ones in refugee camps around the world,
in the hunger and despair, in the crowds and the emptiness,
in the wet and the thirstiness:
Be their hope and their strength in the crying out for justice
and open the ears of the world to hear their cries.

As they face this day, O God, may those who live with us, uprooted from their homelands,
find a new home where their history is respected,
their gifts and graces celebrated and their fear departed from them.
May we be their home, may we be the ones who open our hearts in welcome.

As we face this day, O God, sing to us your song of encouragement,
paint for us your bright pictures of a new world where people need not flee from wars and oppression, where no one lacks a country or a home,
and where we are all part of your new creation.
For we long to be your people, in spirit and in truth.
We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, who knew the life of a refugee.

(© Christian Conference of Asia, Hong Kong SAR, China. WIC pp.219-20)

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/hong-kong-macau-taiwan-and-the-mainland-of-china)

Almighty God, we pray for the families in Australia whose little ones received a children’s Bible through the Bibles for Bubs program.  We pray that as they Open The Bible with their children, faith and a love for your Word will be nurtured.  We pray for all these children to grow in the knowledge of you and learn to love Jesus through these Bible stories.

We praise you God for the Bible Society of Guatemala who are making great progress in preparing for a literacy program for the Mayan community, in local languages, Q’eqchí’, K’iche’ of Totonicapán and Western Kaqchikel.  We thank you God for the promoters and translators who have worked hard to develop the pre-reading and reading materials for this literacy program which includes Bible stories.  We pray that this program will reach and touch many lives as it progresses throughout the years.

We pray for the Mongolian Union Bible Society as they seek to transform the lives of visually disabled people in Mongolia by teaching them how to read Braille through the Bible.  We pray that, through reading the Bible, they will learn their identity in Christ, trust you and find hope in you.  We pray that local churches would be involved in promoting this project, reaching out to people with visual disabilities.

We thank you God for Christmas and the joy it brings while resting and catching up with family and friends.  We pray that we will fix our eyes on Jesus this day amongst the busyness of this season.  May we remember the true gift of Christmas — you sending your Son, Jesus, to save us because of your great love for us.

We pray for the wellbeing of refugee children living in Lebanon, most have been brought up in confined camp facilities and have had their education disrupted.  We pray for Bible Society of Lebanon’s ‘Reconcile!’ program which seeks to teach these children Bible stories and values of forgiveness and hope in Jesus, through interactive plays.  We pray that this program will plant seeds of faith, hope and healing for these children and their families.

Lebanon Testimony – We thank you God for the life of 11-year-old Rami*, whose faith was strengthened as he took part in the ‘Reconcile!’ program run by the Bible Society of Lebanon.  He shares, “I loved the puppet show and learned that God will always search for me, just as He searched for the lost sheep, and will never leave me.”

(Bible Society December 2025 Prayer Letter.pdf)

Almighty God, we pray for chaplains in the Northern Territory as they finish up the school year.  We pray they experience rest and restoration over the holiday break so they return ready for the year ahead.

We pray for the 2026 student intake for SU Institute of Training (SUIT) courses, you will bring the right people, hungry to grow in faith and ministry, to make a lasting impact in their communities.

We pray that Scripture Union’s school workers in the Southern Qld and Northern Rivers NSW region are refreshed over the Christmas break and find comfort in all that Christmas provides.

We praise you God for Scripture Union’s remote Indigenous chaplain in the NT who has faithfully served her community for the past 3 years and is now moving on.  We pray that the right person will step into this role, and that the seeds sown will continue to grow and flourish.

We praise you God for the team leading the Big Tent in Victor Harbor, SA on Saturday 27^th December.  We pray for the Holy Spirit’s leading to direct the team as they engage with people in the park and boldly take up opportunities to share Jesus.

We pray for Burril Pines Beach Mission in the ACT that starts on Saturday 27^th December as they reach out to those in the South Coast region with the love of Jesus.

(SU Prayer Guide October to December 2025.pdf)

Almighty God, as The Leprosy Mission is an organisation rooted in prayer and integral mission, we pray that they would continue to remain true to their calling to walk with Christ in healing and serving people affected by leprosy.

As an international organisation with a global strategy which informs their approach to all of their work, we pray that they would further develop their integral mission approach through their new TLM Global Strategy, which launched this year.

We pray that you would be active in the lives of TLM’s team members, transforming them so that they are better able to support transformation in the lives of the people, churches and communities with whom they work.

We pray that as an organisation they will listen to you and seek to learn from your wisdom, so that their interventions are guided through the Holy Spirit to greater impact.  We pray for love and humility within the TLM Global Fellowship that they will be a strong witness to the character of Christ and build unity.

We pray for your guidance for their Spiritual Ministry Working Group, who guide the spiritual life of the Mission, for James Pender – Great Britain, for  Lorna Murray – Great Britain, for Raphaël Mulamba Mbuyamba – DR Congo, for Mahima Bantawa – Nepal, for Lok Thapa – Nepal, for Kathleen Gavin – New Zealand, for Stephen McCartney – Northern Ireland, for Natnael Mesfin – Ethiopia, for Pedro Safrão – Mozambique, and for Brent Morgan – International Office.

(The Leprosy Mission Prayer Diary 2025.pdf)

Almighty God, we pray for the unreached Uzbek peoples, population: 38,447,000*, language: Northern and Southern Uzbek, religion: Islam.

We pray for peace to prevail for the countries at war in Eurasia, and for healing for families and individuals.  We pray for the peace and protection of Christmas services in places hostile to Christianity.

May FEBC’s broadcasts help those battling anxiety, grief, and hopelessness to find hope in Emmanuel, our God who promises to always be with us.

We pray for FEBC’s Ukrainian team, for safety for those conscripted and comfort for separated families.  We pray for their Bible programs’ impact.  One listener shared, “I’m paralysed by fear that I lose everything, including my home from the war.  I’m beginning to find peace as I learn more about the love of God.  Thank you for encouraging me to read the Bible.”

(FEBC Praise Prayer October to December 2025.pdf)

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

now and forever.  Amen.