Prayer of Praise and Confession: –    

Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God.

And our spirits rejoice in you.

We will praise you as long as we live.

We will sing praises to you our whole lives long.

We will not trust in the powerful of this World,

But will trust in you–Creator of Heaven and Earth,

the One who gives food to the hungry,

the One who enacts justice for the oppressed.

Our souls proclaim your greatness, O God

As we worship you in this place, as we light these candles in hope, peace, and joy.

Holy God of Joy, we rejoice in the reality of who you are.

We live within the joy of your love for us.

Our contentment comes and goes.  Our happiness ebbs and flows.  Our feelings depend upon our circumstances, our physical health, our brain chemistry. 

But our joy is deeply rooted in our identity as your beloved children.  And we give you thanks.

Merciful God, you sent your messenger to prepare the way, to transform us like the refiner’s fire, to call us to account.  The prophets of old have spoken and guided our feet in the way of peace.

Forgive us for our failure to listen and to act.  Forgive us when we are quick to point the finger at someone else.  Forgive us when we put our heads down and ignore the cries of injustice.  Forgive us when we presume to understand the complexity of issues that divide and distract people.

When our spirits despair and we deny our blessedness,

Forgive us, O God.

When we ignore the mighty things you have done, when we doubt your mercy,

Forgive us, O God.

When we are proud in the thoughts of our hearts and minds,

Forgive us, O God.

When our power and privileges rests on the oppression of others,

Forgive us, O God.

When our wealth causes others to go hungry,

Forgive us, O God.

Merciful God forgive us, heal us, encourage us, and speak through us, that we may be transformed through the refiner’s fire, and that the offerings of our hands and our hearts may prepare the way for the Christ child to be welcomed among us and our community.

To your glory we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from 1 Thessalonians 5: 9 & 10a) 

The Apostle Paul writes to the Church in Thessalonica saying:

“God did not choose us to suffer His anger, but to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us in order that we might live together with him.”

We have confessed our sins before God, and have proclaimed our trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ, as Paul writes, so, let us accept that God has heard our prayers, and that God has answered us by forgiving our sins and accepting us into that renewed relationship with Him for which He seeks.

Thanks be to God.

Prayers for Others

Lord our God, you have revealed yourself as One who wishes to bring about justice and true peace among people; in a World that looks away from injustice,

You cast your eyes on the destitute, the poor, and the wronged; you have called us to follow you, to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release for the captives and recovery of sight for the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to proclaim the time of your blessing.

Be present with your Church, Lord, as we respond to your call.

Open our eyes to the downtrodden.  Fill us with compassion for the plight of the alien, the refugee, and the immigrant.  Lead us into ministries that help orphans and widows.  Give us courage to block the paths of the ungodly who exploit the poor and powwerless.

Set us free from pious exercises that prevent us from the true worship you choose:

Sharing bread with the hungry,

Sharing homes with the homeless,

Sharing clothes with the naked,

Sharing the hope of renewed lives and opportunities for those in our prisons.

So may your justice roll down like waters, your righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.  Lead our footsteps to stand with the poor, that we might stand with you.

Merciful God, may Mary’s song of praise to you be heard through the ages, drowning out the din of Christmas chaos.

May it be heard by the victims of violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and in Mali, and in Myanmar.

May it ring in the ears of the traumatised in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

May it sing in the hearts of those stuck in the refugee camps of Lebanon, Jordan and Greece.

May it be the rally cry of peace for the war-weary of the Ukraine, and South Sudan, and Yemen, and Gaza.

May it nourish hope in the bellies of those fearful of failed harvests and failed rains.

May it be a song that stirs reverent fear in the hearts of those who assume power and leadership of Nations, so that they seek your Kingdom and not theirs.

And may the joyful promises of justice and overturned power fill all our hearts to overflowing action.  To your glory and honour we pray.

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.