Merciful God, it is beyond our knowledge and understanding to put into words the wonders of your coming to be among us, and all that it revealed to us and continues to reveal to us. We praise you for the light that came into the world at the birth of your Son, a light that is still shining and showing your glory to us. Accept our worship that comes from hearts filled with awe and wonder.
Lord Jesus Christ, as we prepare to celebrate your birth, we confess that we are often too busy with out festivities to take the time to think about all that your coming means. We pretend that our arrangements of statues and trees and parties are how we can acknowledge your birth; but deep in our hearts we know that it is the way we live, the way we treat one another, the way we talk and love one another that are the sacrifices and proper celebrations you desire.
We thank you, Lord God, for creating the world and for sending your Son to redeem it. We thank you that for our sakes he became human, died on a cross and was raised by your power. We thank you that he is exalted in glory yet remains always with us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
We thank you for your messenger and witness, John the Baptist. We thank you for all who helped to prepare the way for the birth of your Son; for all who in love, service and suffering have walked in His way ever since; and for all who helped us know for ourselves the assurance of your saving grace. In gratefulness we dedicate ourselves to following in His way, however hard it may be.
Lord, as John came proclaiming your message of justice, may we, your church, be your voice for our own time in this wilderness here on earth. We ask that by our words, prayers and actions, we may be messengers and witnesses for your kingdom of love, justice and peace. As John came to prepare the way for your coming, may we, your church, seek to prepare the way for you to come into the lives of others. Help us to follow Christ so that in all our relationships something of His love may be seen through us, something of His nature understood. Strengthen us especially that we become your witnesses to the children; that we may teach and lead them to the knowledge of your grace.
Lord, John came to challenge the religious people of his day. May we, your church, always be ready to challenge our own attitudes and traditions in the name of your love. Help us to make this congregation a place of healing where the anxious and depressed, the sick and the bereaved, and those who don’t recognize their own worth, may find acceptance and love so that through us they will see your glory and know that they are your beloved. May our words, prayers and actions make us the forerunners of the joy that is life in Christ.
You are here among us, Lord. Comfort and heal your people, O Lord, so that all may know the wholeness of spirit that you desire for us. There are those among us suffering in body or mind. Especially we ask that you be with those whom we name to you now: *Alice Beekman (surgery) *Ken Aalderks (persistent migraines) *Ione Wordes (recovering from cancer surgery) *George Fischer (recovering from shoulder surgery) *Laura Feldman (cancer) *Henry Freiborg (cancer treatments) *Margie Hebrink (recovering from back surgery) *Barb Habben (Alzheimers and multiple health issues) *Karen Polfliet (cancer) *Sawyer Amundson (recovering from cancer surgery).
Be with us in our celebrations, O God: birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, baptisms, and graduations.
Be with our college children as they finish their last days of the semester and make the journey home. Father, keep them safe.
Be with those serving in the military who cannot be home for Christmas. Father, keep them safe.
We lift up to you individuals and families here among us. Especially we pray this week for *Janice Geske and Brandon *Barb Habben *Anita Hagen *Shawn & Sabrina Hagen and Aerial and Zandra.
Lord, hear our prayers and empower us to carry out your will on earth as we continue our prayer with the words our Lord left for us:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever. Amen.
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