Gathering Prayer: –

Let us pray

Father God,
as we gather together this Christmas Eve,
help us to look beyond the familiar
to find something new in the ancient stable story.
Help us to see the real people in the nativity scene,
people full of hopes and fears,
filled with questions and uncertainties,
experiencing joy and pain.
People who loved you, listened to you,
and took risks for you – people like us.
Father God, you are faithful and true, full of power and mercy.
You grace the world with salvation,
the gift of your Son who we eagerly await.
Your Holy Spirit moves among us, filling us with joyful expectation.
Your love knows no end.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
we lift our hearts to you. 

Amen.

 Prayer of Confession

God, you chose Mary, a young girl not yet married, to take part in your story.
You chose her for one of the greatest acts of obedience ever demanded.
You asked her to risk everything.
How must she have felt?
Stunned? Puzzled? Scared?
She must have wondered how Joseph would react.
He could have refused to marry her.
The consequences would not have been pleasant.
An unmarried mother.
An outcast.
Joseph, however, came good.
But Mary agreed to your will, God, before knowing what lay ahead.
She put her whole life in your hands.
Yes, she had total trust in you.

God, your call on our lives will never be as great as that of Mary, mother of our Lord and Saviour. Yet still we may hesitate, have doubts, and question the consequences. And perhaps think the risk too great to follow through. Forgive our lack of trust, our doubts and fears. Help us to be like Mary, open to you, wholly obedient and trusting in all things. Let it be as you will. Amen.

 Assurance Of Forgiveness

God sent Jesus as a living sacrifice to atone for our sins once and for all. Through him our sins are washed clean, forgiven and forgotten. Amen.

As we prepare to hear the Scriptures for today, we turn our attention to God to ask that we hear God’s word to better know God’s will for our lives. This time allows us to take a moment to “get settled” and be ready to hear God’s written word.

Prayers of the People

Come, Advent God

Complete the special work of love

Which you began in Jesus of Nazareth

Come, Advent God

Come to those who are cast down,

Thirsting for the peace of your forgiveness

And the warmth of your healing love.

Come to them with the grace they desperately need.

Come, Advent God

Come to those who are in despair through hardship

Seeking relief from burdens

And hope in the midst of their cares

Come, Advent God

Come to those who have minds filled with hatred,

Shackled by prejudice and terrible obsession.

Come to them with the conversion they so desperately need.

Come, Advent God

Come to your faithful people in all the world.

Comfort your faithful people with your reassuring Love

Grant your faithful people your perfect Peace.

Fill your faithful people with abundant Joy.

Encourage your faithful people with bright Hope

Come, Advent God

Complete your work in Jesus Christ

Though whom we offer these prayers

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

Amen