A Very Merry Christmas to each and every one of you from each and every one of us!
Monday, December 24, 2007
A Christmas Prayer
God of our waiting and hoping. For so long we have been waiting for this night. For so long we have been waiting for the coming of peace, the wonder of a better world, the reign of love and justice. On this night we gather to celebrate the birth of a baby who promises to bring all these things. May our celebration of his birth lead us to work with the Babe to help the promises and possibilities come to be.
God who changes our lives. The promise of Christmas comes with a challenge. You challenged a young couple to take risks and have a baby despite the social sanctions that told them what they were doing was wrong. You challenge us to do more than adore the baby, but also to care for his message and pass on his love. Help us to embrace the awe-inspiring change that comes with the birth of a new world, born with a baby in a manger.
God of carols and children. As we hear the old story and sing the old songs reawaken in us the wonder and awe of childhood. May we remember the joy and excitement of Christmas as we join in the celebration on this night and tomorrow morning. Help us raise not just voices but also hearts and souls in joyous song as we celebrate the birth of hope, the gift of life and light in abundance.
God of chaos and calm. The scene around the manger that night must have been noisy and hectic. And yet we imagine it as being strangely peaceful. All of us with children understand that contradiction. Life is hectic and noisy and chaotic and yet we can find the oases of calm when we stop to look. As we celebrate with noise and song and story, may we also find the silence of the night and the peace of your presence.
In the beginning there was darkness. And you called forth the light. Throughout recorded time there has been darkness, and you called out the light. In our world today there is darkness, help us to find the light. The Christmas story reminds us of your love and care for your created, how you will never abandon us to the dark. In the face of the darkness help us choose to be people of the light. As we stand in the glow of starlight and angel song and a babe with his mother may we always remember that though the light shines in the darkness the darkness has not, will not, and can not over come it.
God of Christmas. Tonight we celebrate the birth of a child. But we also celebrate the birth of hope, the changes of life, the wonder of childhood, the calm in the midst of chaos, and the power of light. On this holy night awaken in all the world a burning desire to make peace and justice, love and joy a reality in our homes, in our town, and around the whole globe. And may we share with meaning and gusto the immortal words “God bless us, everyone”.
These things we pray in the name of the baby who now lies in the manger, the child who later taught his friends to pray together saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven…
God who changes our lives. The promise of Christmas comes with a challenge. You challenged a young couple to take risks and have a baby despite the social sanctions that told them what they were doing was wrong. You challenge us to do more than adore the baby, but also to care for his message and pass on his love. Help us to embrace the awe-inspiring change that comes with the birth of a new world, born with a baby in a manger.
God of carols and children. As we hear the old story and sing the old songs reawaken in us the wonder and awe of childhood. May we remember the joy and excitement of Christmas as we join in the celebration on this night and tomorrow morning. Help us raise not just voices but also hearts and souls in joyous song as we celebrate the birth of hope, the gift of life and light in abundance.
God of chaos and calm. The scene around the manger that night must have been noisy and hectic. And yet we imagine it as being strangely peaceful. All of us with children understand that contradiction. Life is hectic and noisy and chaotic and yet we can find the oases of calm when we stop to look. As we celebrate with noise and song and story, may we also find the silence of the night and the peace of your presence.
In the beginning there was darkness. And you called forth the light. Throughout recorded time there has been darkness, and you called out the light. In our world today there is darkness, help us to find the light. The Christmas story reminds us of your love and care for your created, how you will never abandon us to the dark. In the face of the darkness help us choose to be people of the light. As we stand in the glow of starlight and angel song and a babe with his mother may we always remember that though the light shines in the darkness the darkness has not, will not, and can not over come it.
God of Christmas. Tonight we celebrate the birth of a child. But we also celebrate the birth of hope, the changes of life, the wonder of childhood, the calm in the midst of chaos, and the power of light. On this holy night awaken in all the world a burning desire to make peace and justice, love and joy a reality in our homes, in our town, and around the whole globe. And may we share with meaning and gusto the immortal words “God bless us, everyone”.
These things we pray in the name of the baby who now lies in the manger, the child who later taught his friends to pray together saying:
Our Father, who art in heaven…
Sunday, December 23, 2007
In Search of Light
A Christmas Story/Monologue
(Darkened stage, sitting in “living room” singing “Tomorrow Christ is Coming” verse 1 [words here, 2/3 down the page])
“the world is full of darkness” What appropriate words to sing in the middle of a power outage.
I hate the dark. Always have. It makes me uneasy when I can’t see clearly. I guess you could even say I am afraid of the dark. Everything sounds strange, everything seems creepy.
And really that is what I dislike about winter. I don’t mind the cold and I love snow, even shovelling it doesn’t really bother me. But those short days and long nights drag me down. I try to plan a trip to sunnier places each year, just to get out of the dark.
SO I really wonder about Christmas. People keep telling me it is a festival of light but then why is it at such a dark time of year? Why not celebrate light when there is a lot of it?
Still, you know, here is something about dark I identify with. Maybe that is part of why I don’t like it so much. I see the darkness of the world all too clearly. Sometimes people call me depressing or pessimistic but I see it as realism. The world is a dark place. (sing verse 2 of TCCiC)
See what I mean. The hymn writer knows. For many people the world is always dark. People are being pushed out of house and home, people live in terrible places, children are born into lives that will be nothing but struggle and hardship. Of course they are “crying out for love”.
You know the other thing unsettling about darkness? In all my favourite books dark means evil or bad. As things get harder and harder Frodo and his friends go into dark places – Moria, Mordor – and they are fighting the Dark Lord. And over and over again Harry and his friends are warned about Dark Wizards and have to learn to fight against the Dark Arts. When Harry is in the most danger he is in dark places. Dark means bad in so many ways in books, in songs.
And I get that. When I say the world is dark it is the bad stuff I think about. It isn’t about light or brightness or even colour. It is the shadows. Shadows of poverty, or of unemployment, or of warfare, or of racism and discrimination. They are dark. And still we have Christmas in the darkest time of year. I just don’t get it. (start singing verse 3 of TCCiC)
Man this is depressing. And yet it is real. That must be why I have always liked this hymn. It just seems so much more real than so many Christmas carols. It takes seriously the problems of the world. But my is it bringing me down. (pause and listen) Hey, I think the power just came on. (turn on lamp) Hey great it has.
Gee that light feels good. Now to bring some light to my spirit. (open Hymn Book) Hey here is a different one. “Kindle a flame, to lighten the dark, and drive all fear away”. I like that idea. Instead of muttering about the darkness and getting depressed we should do something about it. That sure is better than sitting here and getting depressed about it. Still, what about Christmas? Why have a festival of light in the middle of the darkest time of year?
Anyway, now that the lights are back I better start preparing to read Scripture at church for Christmas Eve. (open Bible) Maybe that will help me understand. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.” Well that makes some sense. I guess you can’t appreciate the light unless you know what darkness means. Still the darkness seems so much stronger right now. Wouldn’t the darkest time of year make a good time to celebrate Good Friday? But then there is Easter, it doesn’t fit right now either.
What’s next? (flip pages) “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Well there you go! That explains it! We celebrate light in the darkest time of year because the darkness doesn’t win!
Do I believe that? Well I don’t know, the darkness seems so strong sometimes. Both as real darkness and as a metaphor the darkness seems really hard to beat. But I remember that even in the darkest night it takes very little light to be able to see fairly well. SO yeah, light is stronger than the darkness.
And really, even in those books the darkness was beaten. Of course that was the whole point of the plot though. But more to the point, the encounters Frodo and Harry and their friends have with dark forces make them stronger and wiser. Facing the reality of darkness helps them to grow.
In the end, it must be about hope and trust. If we truly believe that the darkness is weaker than the light then we can face it boldly and grow in the experience. If we doubt that light is stronger the darkness will scare and worry us. Christmas is the reminder that God’s light is the light in the darkness. SO yeah, it makes sense to celebrate it in the winter. Any fool can celebrate light when there is lots of it. IT takes faith and trust to celebrate light in the midst of darkness.
But I still prefer the light. I still wish the nights weren’t quite so long. But time for a new song, one that isn’t quite so dark. How about “Good Christian Friends Rejoice”
(exit stage, lights go on for the singing of the carol)
(Darkened stage, sitting in “living room” singing “Tomorrow Christ is Coming” verse 1 [words here, 2/3 down the page])
“the world is full of darkness” What appropriate words to sing in the middle of a power outage.
I hate the dark. Always have. It makes me uneasy when I can’t see clearly. I guess you could even say I am afraid of the dark. Everything sounds strange, everything seems creepy.
And really that is what I dislike about winter. I don’t mind the cold and I love snow, even shovelling it doesn’t really bother me. But those short days and long nights drag me down. I try to plan a trip to sunnier places each year, just to get out of the dark.
SO I really wonder about Christmas. People keep telling me it is a festival of light but then why is it at such a dark time of year? Why not celebrate light when there is a lot of it?
Still, you know, here is something about dark I identify with. Maybe that is part of why I don’t like it so much. I see the darkness of the world all too clearly. Sometimes people call me depressing or pessimistic but I see it as realism. The world is a dark place. (sing verse 2 of TCCiC)
See what I mean. The hymn writer knows. For many people the world is always dark. People are being pushed out of house and home, people live in terrible places, children are born into lives that will be nothing but struggle and hardship. Of course they are “crying out for love”.
You know the other thing unsettling about darkness? In all my favourite books dark means evil or bad. As things get harder and harder Frodo and his friends go into dark places – Moria, Mordor – and they are fighting the Dark Lord. And over and over again Harry and his friends are warned about Dark Wizards and have to learn to fight against the Dark Arts. When Harry is in the most danger he is in dark places. Dark means bad in so many ways in books, in songs.
And I get that. When I say the world is dark it is the bad stuff I think about. It isn’t about light or brightness or even colour. It is the shadows. Shadows of poverty, or of unemployment, or of warfare, or of racism and discrimination. They are dark. And still we have Christmas in the darkest time of year. I just don’t get it. (start singing verse 3 of TCCiC)
Man this is depressing. And yet it is real. That must be why I have always liked this hymn. It just seems so much more real than so many Christmas carols. It takes seriously the problems of the world. But my is it bringing me down. (pause and listen) Hey, I think the power just came on. (turn on lamp) Hey great it has.
Gee that light feels good. Now to bring some light to my spirit. (open Hymn Book) Hey here is a different one. “Kindle a flame, to lighten the dark, and drive all fear away”. I like that idea. Instead of muttering about the darkness and getting depressed we should do something about it. That sure is better than sitting here and getting depressed about it. Still, what about Christmas? Why have a festival of light in the middle of the darkest time of year?
Anyway, now that the lights are back I better start preparing to read Scripture at church for Christmas Eve. (open Bible) Maybe that will help me understand. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on them light has shined.” Well that makes some sense. I guess you can’t appreciate the light unless you know what darkness means. Still the darkness seems so much stronger right now. Wouldn’t the darkest time of year make a good time to celebrate Good Friday? But then there is Easter, it doesn’t fit right now either.
What’s next? (flip pages) “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Well there you go! That explains it! We celebrate light in the darkest time of year because the darkness doesn’t win!
Do I believe that? Well I don’t know, the darkness seems so strong sometimes. Both as real darkness and as a metaphor the darkness seems really hard to beat. But I remember that even in the darkest night it takes very little light to be able to see fairly well. SO yeah, light is stronger than the darkness.
And really, even in those books the darkness was beaten. Of course that was the whole point of the plot though. But more to the point, the encounters Frodo and Harry and their friends have with dark forces make them stronger and wiser. Facing the reality of darkness helps them to grow.
In the end, it must be about hope and trust. If we truly believe that the darkness is weaker than the light then we can face it boldly and grow in the experience. If we doubt that light is stronger the darkness will scare and worry us. Christmas is the reminder that God’s light is the light in the darkness. SO yeah, it makes sense to celebrate it in the winter. Any fool can celebrate light when there is lots of it. IT takes faith and trust to celebrate light in the midst of darkness.
But I still prefer the light. I still wish the nights weren’t quite so long. But time for a new song, one that isn’t quite so dark. How about “Good Christian Friends Rejoice”
(exit stage, lights go on for the singing of the carol)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
THe Tree is Up!
One of the tasks today was to decorate the tree (it was put up last night to allow the branches time to fall). Here it is in all it's, um, glory.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Joseph's Story
Chaos? I’ll tell you about chaos! For months now my life has been one bit of chaos after another.
First I went to see Joachim to talk about arrangements for a marriage between myself and his daughter Mary. Planning for such a thing is at least disruptive and life-changing. But then, just as the arrangement is announced news starts floating around town that Mary is pregnant. Now that moves us quickly from simple disruption into chaos.
What was I supposed to do? If I cancelled our arrangement Mary and her whole family would be shamed. If I went forward I risked being labelled a cuckold and a fool before the marriage was even finalized. I wanted to do the right thing, but in the middle of all the voices telling me what to do I wasn’t sure what was right and good. It seemed that my life was crumbling around me.
You see I had chosen Mary on purpose. It wasn’t just a good business match between her father and I. It wasn’t that she came from a good family. Over the years I had come to know Mary and I sincerely liked her. We could talk and laugh together. I wanted to spend time with her. I certainly didn’t want to leave her to shame and possible stoning. I also didn’t want to give up on what might have been. My mind was a mess.
Then came the dream. The famous dream where an angel came to me and told me what was happening. So I went forward with the betrothal. Not that this lessened the chaos. I was called a fool and worse by people around the town. Mary and I were well on our way to being outcasts. Only the strength of my family reputation saved us. And Mary, well there was something about her that was different. She has always been a dreamer but after she returned from her cousin Elizabeth’s her dreams were grandiose.
And just as life was settling down it all got turned upside down. The blasted Romans, fools that they are, ordered that all of us return to the town of our forefathers for a census. Just another way to get taxes out of us I say. But no matter how foolish it was, we weren’t about to take on the Legions. So now the whole countryside was thrown into chaos.
Imagine half the population wandering the highways. The roads were beyond crowded, families got separated, people were almost trampled. But we had to go. Mary was near her time but still we had to go. So we made the long difficult trip to Bethlehem in the land of my ancestors. This was the time when the chaos was also a help. If the roads hadn’t been so crowded the journey would have been far more dangerous. Still, I was worried about my betrothed, quickly becoming my beloved. As we reached Bethlehem she was sure that the child was about to come.
Then, to make matters worth, there was no housing to be found. No where to stay, no idea where to find a midwife. If I thought things had been chaotic before, they were far worse now. Mary was about to have a baby and the only place I could find for us was a little hole where they kept animals. I felt like a failure.
That was the first time I was at a birth. It was hellish. There was screaming and blood and, well, chaos. I was beginning to wonder when I would know anything but chaos again. But then they called me over. I bent down and picked up this tiny little boy. He would be my son and I would be his father. And as I sat there in the straw beside Mary with this tiny bundle of cloth and flesh in my hands I was hit by a wave of calmness. Even last night in the midst of all that chaos I found a point of calm.
I know that life will not always be easy. I know that being a poor peasant under brutal Imperial occupation will often be disrupted and chaotic. But as long as I remember last night with that baby I will know that calm is possible. That is all I need to know. Calm is possible.
First I went to see Joachim to talk about arrangements for a marriage between myself and his daughter Mary. Planning for such a thing is at least disruptive and life-changing. But then, just as the arrangement is announced news starts floating around town that Mary is pregnant. Now that moves us quickly from simple disruption into chaos.
What was I supposed to do? If I cancelled our arrangement Mary and her whole family would be shamed. If I went forward I risked being labelled a cuckold and a fool before the marriage was even finalized. I wanted to do the right thing, but in the middle of all the voices telling me what to do I wasn’t sure what was right and good. It seemed that my life was crumbling around me.
You see I had chosen Mary on purpose. It wasn’t just a good business match between her father and I. It wasn’t that she came from a good family. Over the years I had come to know Mary and I sincerely liked her. We could talk and laugh together. I wanted to spend time with her. I certainly didn’t want to leave her to shame and possible stoning. I also didn’t want to give up on what might have been. My mind was a mess.
Then came the dream. The famous dream where an angel came to me and told me what was happening. So I went forward with the betrothal. Not that this lessened the chaos. I was called a fool and worse by people around the town. Mary and I were well on our way to being outcasts. Only the strength of my family reputation saved us. And Mary, well there was something about her that was different. She has always been a dreamer but after she returned from her cousin Elizabeth’s her dreams were grandiose.
And just as life was settling down it all got turned upside down. The blasted Romans, fools that they are, ordered that all of us return to the town of our forefathers for a census. Just another way to get taxes out of us I say. But no matter how foolish it was, we weren’t about to take on the Legions. So now the whole countryside was thrown into chaos.
Imagine half the population wandering the highways. The roads were beyond crowded, families got separated, people were almost trampled. But we had to go. Mary was near her time but still we had to go. So we made the long difficult trip to Bethlehem in the land of my ancestors. This was the time when the chaos was also a help. If the roads hadn’t been so crowded the journey would have been far more dangerous. Still, I was worried about my betrothed, quickly becoming my beloved. As we reached Bethlehem she was sure that the child was about to come.
Then, to make matters worth, there was no housing to be found. No where to stay, no idea where to find a midwife. If I thought things had been chaotic before, they were far worse now. Mary was about to have a baby and the only place I could find for us was a little hole where they kept animals. I felt like a failure.
That was the first time I was at a birth. It was hellish. There was screaming and blood and, well, chaos. I was beginning to wonder when I would know anything but chaos again. But then they called me over. I bent down and picked up this tiny little boy. He would be my son and I would be his father. And as I sat there in the straw beside Mary with this tiny bundle of cloth and flesh in my hands I was hit by a wave of calmness. Even last night in the midst of all that chaos I found a point of calm.
I know that life will not always be easy. I know that being a poor peasant under brutal Imperial occupation will often be disrupted and chaotic. But as long as I remember last night with that baby I will know that calm is possible. That is all I need to know. Calm is possible.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
WHy Put ANgels on Top of the Christmas Tree?
A totally non-reverent explanation
CHristmas was coming and Santa was frazzled. Everything was behind schedule and it seemed things just kept going wrong.
First mice had gotten into the sleigh. Not only had they eaten the upholstery but they had fried the ultra-sensitive navigational system.
Then the reindeer had gotten sick, it was doubtful that a full team would be healthy enough to fly on the 24th.
Then the elves had gone on strike. Santa had been forced to bring in a team of angels to help complete the work once an agreement had been reached (Santa is no strikebreaker).
Now, if things weren't bad enough the master Naughty/Nice list along with 2000 bags of letters to Santa had just dissappeared. GOne. Into the thin Arctic air.
At that point a young angel came in and asked: "Santa, where do you want us to put the Christmas tree this year?"
CHristmas was coming and Santa was frazzled. Everything was behind schedule and it seemed things just kept going wrong.
First mice had gotten into the sleigh. Not only had they eaten the upholstery but they had fried the ultra-sensitive navigational system.
Then the reindeer had gotten sick, it was doubtful that a full team would be healthy enough to fly on the 24th.
Then the elves had gone on strike. Santa had been forced to bring in a team of angels to help complete the work once an agreement had been reached (Santa is no strikebreaker).
Now, if things weren't bad enough the master Naughty/Nice list along with 2000 bags of letters to Santa had just dissappeared. GOne. Into the thin Arctic air.
At that point a young angel came in and asked: "Santa, where do you want us to put the Christmas tree this year?"
Moving From Chaos to Calm (A Prayer)
This is a prayer for our Advent 4 worship on Sunday. Now only a story for Joseph's voice on Sunday, a story about seeking light on Monday and the "Christmas Prayer" to find/prepare and all the worship items will be prepped.
God, there are days when it is hard to know what to do next. So many activities and so few hours. Then add in a few extras to celebrate Christmas “properly” and the carefully planned schedule can fall to pieces. We celebrate the coming of the Prince of Peace by working ourselves into a frenzy that lacks peacefulness? What is wrong with this picture?
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
All the noise noise noise noise! It irritated the Grinch and it drives us batty too God. All that noise keeps our nerves on high alert. Music playing everywhere, people calling out to each other, kids screaming and laughing, cars running constantly to warm up. Sometimes we just need some quiet time to relax and “be”.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
God, life is tiring. In fact some days life is downright exhausting. How can we re-energize ourselves without feeling guilty? In the end we know that we can’t do it all but how do we choose. In this season when the earth around us is resting help us to rest and take a break too.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
God, over and over we hear how you are active in the chaos. In the beginning you spoke into the primordial chaos and brought forth order and life. In the story of your people it is often in the times of disruption that they are able to find your presence. In the chaos that sometimes overtakes our lives, may we sense your presence and your comfort.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
God of peace. You call us to “Be still and know that I am God”. On those days and weeks when we start to run frantically from one thing to another remind us to be still again. May the Christmas gift we give ourselves be the time to break from the treadmill. May the Christmas gift we give our loved ones be our real presence; energized because we take time to rest, and truly present in the moment rather than three steps down the road.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
AMEN.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
All the noise noise noise noise! It irritated the Grinch and it drives us batty too God. All that noise keeps our nerves on high alert. Music playing everywhere, people calling out to each other, kids screaming and laughing, cars running constantly to warm up. Sometimes we just need some quiet time to relax and “be”.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
God, life is tiring. In fact some days life is downright exhausting. How can we re-energize ourselves without feeling guilty? In the end we know that we can’t do it all but how do we choose. In this season when the earth around us is resting help us to rest and take a break too.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
God, over and over we hear how you are active in the chaos. In the beginning you spoke into the primordial chaos and brought forth order and life. In the story of your people it is often in the times of disruption that they are able to find your presence. In the chaos that sometimes overtakes our lives, may we sense your presence and your comfort.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
God of peace. You call us to “Be still and know that I am God”. On those days and weeks when we start to run frantically from one thing to another remind us to be still again. May the Christmas gift we give ourselves be the time to break from the treadmill. May the Christmas gift we give our loved ones be our real presence; energized because we take time to rest, and truly present in the moment rather than three steps down the road.
God of our busy-ness,
Bring your peace to our lives
AMEN.
Chirstmas Shopping Made Easy
Having trouble finding that perfect gift?
Well worry no more. Here is the answer for that hard to buy for person.
Well worry no more. Here is the answer for that hard to buy for person.
Monday, December 17, 2007
THe End is in sight!
Once the December 23 bulletin is done I have all bulletins done till Epiphany. Yeah sure there are some sermons and meditations to finish planning in there but the bulletins are done. HEre are some pieces of that final bulletin.
CALL TO WORSHIP
It’s getting closer, the day is almost here!
In just a few hours the calm night will be shattered by a newborn’s cries.
We come to worship in anticipation of the birth.
We come to worship the God who becomes one of us.
As we prepare for Christmas we come to give thanks to God as we sing and pray together…
Offering Prayer
The Christmas season is all about gifts.
Gifts of a mother pregnant too soon and a father willing to take a chance, gifts of life itself.
Here we offer our own gifts, trusting that they too would be gifts of life, and that in abundance.
We offer them to the baby in the manger, God made flesh. Amen.
CALL TO WORSHIP
It’s getting closer, the day is almost here!
In just a few hours the calm night will be shattered by a newborn’s cries.
We come to worship in anticipation of the birth.
We come to worship the God who becomes one of us.
As we prepare for Christmas we come to give thanks to God as we sing and pray together…
OPENING PRAYER
God of Christmas, in this time of anticipation and preparation we give thanks for all that Christmas is…
the excitement of childhood,
the music of carols,
the promise of a better world to come,
the hope and joy of waiting,
the fellowship of the busy-ness,
the moments of calm and peace.
God of Christmas, in this time of anticipation and preparation we give thanks for all that Christmas is…
the excitement of childhood,
the music of carols,
the promise of a better world to come,
the hope and joy of waiting,
the fellowship of the busy-ness,
the moments of calm and peace.
And in the midst of our Christmas celebrations we find you God.
Sharing in our joy and our anxiousness.
As we experience the wonder of the season,
May we remember the child who taught us to pray together singing…
LORD’S PRAYER (sung #959 VU)
Sharing in our joy and our anxiousness.
As we experience the wonder of the season,
May we remember the child who taught us to pray together singing…
LORD’S PRAYER (sung #959 VU)
Offering Prayer
The Christmas season is all about gifts.
Gifts of a mother pregnant too soon and a father willing to take a chance, gifts of life itself.
Here we offer our own gifts, trusting that they too would be gifts of life, and that in abundance.
We offer them to the baby in the manger, God made flesh. Amen.
COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
Closer and closer the birth gets. Soon the first labour pains will be felt.
We go to finish preparing for Christmas.
Soon the chaos of the preparations will give way to the chaos of Christmas night.
And even amongst the chaos and excitement we will look for peace and calm.
The peace of a sleeping baby, the calm hearts that know they are held in the loving arms of God.
We know that blessing, and we share that blessing with others at Christmas and all year round. Amen.
Closer and closer the birth gets. Soon the first labour pains will be felt.
We go to finish preparing for Christmas.
Soon the chaos of the preparations will give way to the chaos of Christmas night.
And even amongst the chaos and excitement we will look for peace and calm.
The peace of a sleeping baby, the calm hearts that know they are held in the loving arms of God.
We know that blessing, and we share that blessing with others at Christmas and all year round. Amen.
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