Prayers for the week commencing Sunday 25th December 2022

Prayer of Praise

Creator God, you who loves us more than we can know,

Who chose us from the very beginning to be family, we praise your holy name.

Jesus Christ, Son of God, Word become flesh,

Who dwelt among us and was sacrificed for us, we praise your holy name.

Holy Spirit, you who enlivens and inspires,

Present and the power in our lives, we praise your holy name.

God of glory, your splendour shines from a manger in Bethlehem,

Where the Light of the World is humbly born into the darkness of Human night.

Open our eyes to Christ’s presence in the shadows of our world,

So that we, like him, may become beacons of your justice, and defenders of all for whom there is no room.

Light of life, you came in the flesh, born into Human pain and joy,

So as to gave us power to be your children.

Grant us faith, O Christ, to see your presence among us,

So that all of Creation may sing new songs of gladness and walk in the way of peace.

We praise you, Almighty God, for you have visited your people in one like us in all things but sin,

And in Human fragility you have revealed the face of divinity.

Gather into your arms all the peoples of the World, so that in your embrace we may find blessing, and peace,

and the fullness of our inheritance as your daughters and sons. Amen.

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

(https://www.bibl

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God, we fail to be like Mary and Joseph and do not trust you.

Forgive us.

We fail to be like the shepherds and ignore your invitation to come and see the wonders you perform.

Forgive us.

We fail to be like the wise men and ignore the directions you have for us to follow.

Forgive us.

For you, God, loved the whole World so much,

But we pick and choose with whom we will be friendly.

For you, God, seek to work your wonders in the World,

But we feel so helpless and inadequate and small.

For you, God, gave your own Son,

But we seek to hoard what we have.

For you, God, see the potential for renewal in all of us,

But we judge and discriminate and give up on others.

For you, God, seek to forgive our sins and remember them no more,

But we seek to hang on to our hurts and grudges.

For you, God, seek to show us the way for peace of mind and soul,

But we seek to do it all by ourselves.

For you, God, seek to bring hope and joy and love into our lives,

But we strive for status and prestige and Earthly honours instead.

Merciful God, for when we do wrong things, and turn our backs on you,

For all the wrong things we say and think, forgive us and turn us towards your love.

May Christ be born in our minds,

And be at the heart of our every thought.

May the image of Christ be born in our eyes,

And be at the heart of all we see.

May the music of Christ be born in our ears,

And be at the heart of all we hear.

May the words of Christ be born on our lips,

And be at the heart of every word we speak.

May the love of Christ be born in our hearts,

And be at the heart of our relationships.

May Christ be born in all of us, young and old,

And be at the heart of all we do. To your praise and glory. Amen.

(Moira Laidlaw in Liturgies Offline Year A Christmas Eve)

Assurance of Forgiveness

(from Our Daily Bread 12 December 2006 and Galatians 4: 4 & 5)

The stable in Bethlehem and the cross of Calvary remind us that “when the right time finally came, God sent his own Son. He came as the son of a Human mother and lived under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law so that we might become the children of God.” We take reassurance knowing that having confessed our sins we can rely on the grace of God to forgive us and welcome us into His family.

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. As we celebrate Christmas when the Word of God became flesh, we pray for the Church, the Body of Christ.

May we be so filled with God’s loving life, that our actions touch the world with hope, which lasts when even the Christmas decorations are put away for another year.

Ever living God, on this Christmas morning we remember that your dear son was born into a dangerous and troubled world.

We pray for peace and acceptance in those regions of the world, where diversity of opinion or politics forms a hinderance to peaceful co-existence and where borders and barriers seek to hide injustice, terror and torture.

Jesus, just as you were brought gifts by the wise men, help our leaders to use wisely those gifts of forgiveness and reconciliation, which you have given us for the good of all nations.

We pray for peace in the Holy Land and for all who now live in the city of Bethlehem.

We give thanks to you God that in Jesus’ early childhood you entrusted him to the care of a human family. In Mary and Joseph, you gave us an example of love and devotion to him, and the importance of family life.

We are grateful for those members of our family who will gather round the table for Christmas lunch, and remember those who cannot be with us

We ask you to bless us and the food you provide. In our gratitude, we remember your humble birth and pray for those without enough to eat.

We remember the stable in which you were born and pray for those who have no place to live. We remember your challenging message of caring and giving and pray for the lonely and those who are close to despair.

Jesus, as Mary cradled you gently in her arms, we pray for all women giving birth today, for all new born babies and for all expectant mothers.

We pray for those who are sick or in need of your help at this time and for all who minister to their needs. We are thankful and pray for those who will work this Christmas day in the service of others. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayers.

Thank you Lord for sending us the gift of your Son, so that we may have the blessing of your promised peace. We thank you for the star that guided the Magi.

May we be guided by the Light of the World, and walk the path that you have chosen for our lives, this day and every day.

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.

http://www.layanglicana.org/blog/2014/12/25/intercessions-for-christmas-day-years-a-b-and-c-25-december-2014/

INTERCESSIONS – CHRISTMAS DAY 2017

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.