Sunday, December 18, 2011
Offered by John W. Vest, Associate Pastor

Good and gracious God,
we do indeed give you thanks for gifts of life,
for gifts of love and joy during this season,
for gifts of comfort when we do not or cannot feel that joy,
for gifts of healing and mercy,
for gifts of patience and serenity,
for gifts of hope as we prepare our hearts for Christmas.
Christ’s presence changes our world,
so we pray that he may indeed be born once again in us,
that we may be continually born anew,
that the whole world would be reshaped and reborn
as your kingdom emerges around us and within us.
Even now, as we listen to music offered in praise to you,
may your Spirit stir within us,
and cause us to long for the day
when earth will in fact be like heaven.
It is this radical vision of a new heaven and a new earth
for which we pray,
using the words Jesus taught us:
Our Father . . .

Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church