Family,
God has come to us as a child.
Our humanity has been forever bound up together with God in Christ.

So as we celebrate the arrival of Emmanuel, God with us,
let’s pray for the Church and our world.

God of unity, your Incarnation has interwoven our lives with yours.
In this season of reflecting on that mystery,
Reveal to us how this one act binds us together.
As we are joined with you, may we be joined to one another.

Reveal to us our shared life in the Spirit,
that your global Church may work from unity rather than conflict.
As we work together, may your mission of reconciliation
be furthered by our commitment to each other.

Lord, in Your mercy
Hear our prayer.

Humble God, you did not come to us in great wealth and power,
but in the form of a servant.
Influence the leaders of all nations to follow your example,
that we may see the meek inherit the earth.

We celebrate that you have shown us another path,
Preaching good news to the poor,
Freedom to the captives,
Justice for the oppressed.

Make this way of living so abundantly clear to us,
that we may never forsake your means to justify an end.
Help us to never compromise the walk of deferential love
as we work to see your Kingdom made reality.

Lord, in Your mercy
Hear our prayer.

O Lord, heal those dealing with illness,
especially the children and elderly among us.
Comfort those coping with the recent loss of loved ones
during this holiday season.

We pray for all who have died in the communion of your Church,
and those whose faith is known to you alone.
May they rest in the place where there is no pain or grief,
but eternal life with all the saints.

We also pause in order that we may name the concerns, people, or situations that weigh on our minds today…

All this we ask in the authority of the child that has been born for us,
the son given to us.

Amen.