Advent: Prayers of the People
God of Hope that doesn’t always float but is much more likely chased, grasped and caught, hope in the face of every reason to despair, hope that is audacious and hard earned but worth the work. Hope that moves us all beyond what is to what could be, hope that roars with change in her trembling voice and teaches us a determined dance of life; life abundant and life abundant for all.
(Please name aloud or in the comments your prayers of hope.)
Prayer Response: What Child Is This, Florence, Kurtz, McKnight
This, this is Christ the King
Whom Shepherds guard and Angels sing
Hast, haste to bring him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary
God of a Peace in a world that is restless with activity You still the storm, You calm the chaos and You center us in a world of noise. You call us to place others over egos and common good over agendas and schemes. You are the peace that does not come by threat or force, power or might, the Peace that surpasses all understanding and calls us to grow into a better world, a better self and travel a better way home.
(Please name aloud or in the comments your prayers of peace.)
Prayer Response: What Child Is This, Florence, Kurtz, McKnight
This, this is Christ the King
our hope to raise our hearts to sing.
This, this is Christ the King
who liberates and frees us.
God of Joy inspire us beyond forbidding and foreboding, beyond the silly and the slight, beyond the quick fix and the cheep grasp that does anything but satisfy, sustain and renew. Joy that can’t be bought, packaged or wrapped. Creative God, You call us to show up despite the worries and threats and the vulnerabilities we don’t even want to name, with our breakable hearts and our strong back to give thanks and claim a life dappled with gratitude.
(Please name aloud or in the comments your prayers of joy.)
Prayer Response: What Child Is This, Florence, Kurtz, McKnight
This, this is Christ the light
who opens eyes and gives us sight.
This, this is Christ the Light,
the one who shows us Love’s way.
God of Love beyond platitudes and cute notes and cut flowers, love in the long nights and the wee hours, love in each shaky step towards God’s dream. Love both tender and tough, love resilient in heart break and determined to mend. Love that makes all things new, grant us the courage to grow in your tender grace and proclaim your resounding, table turning Yes!
(Please name aloud or in the comments your prayers of Love.)
Prayer Response: What Child Is This, Florence, Kurtz, McKnight
This, this is Christ the change,
who enters life that once was strained.
This, this is Christ the change,
to open hearts and shape us.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom
come, your will be done, on earth as 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 for ever. Amen.