Sunday, December 17, 2006
Offered by John W. Vest, Associate Pastor

Almighty God,
in your greatness and your mystery,
you choose to come to us
in ways that we can understand,
revealing your wonders
through simple things
and lowly people.

Gracious God,
in the words of a young girl named Mary
you announced a revolution:
the end of the world as we know it
and the beginning of something new,
something better.
In the life, death, and resurrection of Mary’s child, your son,
you began bringing that revolution to life.

This morning we come before you, God,
people from all stations of life,
and we join our voices with Mary’s
and seek to join the revolution of her son.

We give our lives to you, O Lord,
to use as you see fit
to bring about the bold, new world
envisioned by Mary and foreshadowed in her son:

A world without poverty and need;
A world without hunger and homelessness;
A world without oppression and injustice;
A world without violence and war;
A world where the sick are cared for and mourners find comfort;
A world where the gospel is proclaimed with boldness,
in word and in deed, by a church transformed by the power of your love.

As we continue to prepare our hearts for Christ during this season,
and in anticipation of the fullness of your kingdom ushered into existence by him,
we join our voices as one
in the prayer that he taught us:

Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church