Here’s another wonderful prayer written by Carol Penner, and posted on her Leading in Worship blog.
Lost and Found at Christmas
This Christmas, you come as a Saviour to the lost.
We gather here, we who have lost heart,
lost hope, lost patience, lost time.
We have lost innocence, we are losing the race,
we feel like lost souls.
We gather here, we who have lost heart,
lost hope, lost patience, lost time.
We have lost innocence, we are losing the race,
we feel like lost souls.
This Christmas, we want to be finding you--
finding you in the silence of the gray morning
and in the sweet smile of a child;
finding you in the dark starry sky
and in the warm handshake of a friend;
finding you in the familiar Christmas narrative
and in the story of a stranger;
finding you in our own hearts
and in the face of our enemies.
finding you in the silence of the gray morning
and in the sweet smile of a child;
finding you in the dark starry sky
and in the warm handshake of a friend;
finding you in the familiar Christmas narrative
and in the story of a stranger;
finding you in our own hearts
and in the face of our enemies.
Immanuel, God with us,
we wait for your presence this Christmas;
help us to give with generous hearts
and receive with thankfulness.
Give us patience in the face of irritation
and kindness in the face of anger;
fill us with contentment and peace
and remove all jealousy from us.
May our celebration of your birth
give honour to you in all we say and do
and may we enter the New Year
refreshed and recommitted to your service. Amen
we wait for your presence this Christmas;
help us to give with generous hearts
and receive with thankfulness.
Give us patience in the face of irritation
and kindness in the face of anger;
fill us with contentment and peace
and remove all jealousy from us.
May our celebration of your birth
give honour to you in all we say and do
and may we enter the New Year
refreshed and recommitted to your service. Amen
— written by Carol Penner, and posted on her excellent Leading in Worship blog.
For more worship resources for Advent and Christmas, see the indexes at the top right side of this blog, or click on Advent or Christmas in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page.
