a community creating for the relentless return of Sunday
God of our fulfillment,
as we gather on the other side of Christmas Day,
we rejoice that we have just scratched the surface
in understanding the good news that is before us!
How great you are that you have chosen us as your dwelling place!
Bless our worship this day that we might hear it with fresh ears and open hearts. Amen.
God of all Goodness and Grace,
tonight, you break forth into a world waiting in wonder.
So long we have waited,
so long we have watched,
so long we have wondered what tonight would bring.
To you we ascribe all thanksgiving and praise
for you alone are our hope and our salvation.
You alone are the light that has come to rescue us from ourselves.
You alone are worthy of our worship and you alone are our King!
Come to us on this blessed evening and hear our joyful welcome!
Come to us, Holy Savior, and send your Spirit to tell us a story,
the story of salvation’s birth and hope’s fullest fruition! Amen.
We gather in the darkness of evening to celebrate the newborn Light.
With family and friends we worship and adore the Christ-child.
With Mary we will ponder these things in our hearts.
With Joseph we will give thanks to the Lord for God’s steadfast love.
Lift up your hearts in thanksgiving, for a child, the Child, has been born!
We gather to worship him and welcome his peaceful kingdom.
His name will be blessed among all the earth;
His reign shall have no end!
Come, our wait is finished! Let us worship the newborn King!
One: We come into your holy place, O God, hoping for a glimpse of your presence
All: Silence us when we allow our voices to drown out yours.
Silence us when our words in the sanctuary and our actions outside do not line up.
Into that silence, speak again your word of life and your call to live the gospel.
One: Help us to be still and know that you are God.
Make space in our hearts and minds to trust your word—and not just our hearts and minds,
but also our choices and actions.
All: Tune our voices to sing of your glory, to share your good news.
And then open our lips, and our mouths shall proclaim your praise. Amen.
Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, the Presbyterian Church of Palatine, IL
Advent God,
you are near,
so near we can feel it in our hearts and in our bodies.
As the day of your dawning draws close,
keep our minds on your presence during this busy holiday season.
In a world that tells us that we are supposed to find joy in everything else,
remind us that our only true joy is the joy we find in you. Amen.
Submitted by Rev. Stephen M. Fearing, Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, NY
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