Sunday, January 6, 2008
Offered by Calum I. MacLeod, Associate Pastor

We arise, O Lord, and seek to shine
for your light has come
and your glory has been made known to us
in the Word made flesh,
dwelling among us.

We arise, O Lord, and seek to shine
For as those shepherds and star seekers of old
came to the place of your birth,
we too have traveled to Bethlehem
to see the Christ, the newborn king.

But that was all a couple of weeks ago.
The tree is gone now, the tinsel down,
The ornaments safely in storage.

Our minds are more on Iowa and New Hampshire
Than Bethlehem and Nazareth.

Our concern is more for the housing economy
than the economy of salvation.

So come again into our lives as you did that Christmas night, great God.

Persist in challenging us to hear the rumor of your coming
and to know its truth.

Keep us focused on the light that has come into the darkness,
that like the magi, we would come to the place of revealing, of epiphany,
in our lives and relationships.
Into the world’s darkness your light has come in Jesus the Christ.
We pray for the places that plead for more light.

For the troubled places of the world, we pray for peace and end to strife, fear, disease, and hunger.

For this nation we pray, that divisions of class and ethnicity end and opportunity for fullness of life is given to all.

And in silence we open ourselves to you that we would know light in the dark places of our own being.

A time for silence

And now we give thanks for those who, before us, carried the bright lamp of faith and rest now in the eternal light of your love. Grant that with them we would know light and life now and forever.

Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church