Church Prayers and Intercessions for Christmas 1

Mrs Morag Stewart

Lord of light and love,
we praise and adore you for breaking into the darkness of this world
with the glorious light of your presence. 
A light which made your love for the world visible
in the babe born in Bethlehem—
Jesus Christ, your Son, our Saviour. 
A light which guided those gift-bearing travellers from afar
to find and worship the Christ-child. 
A light which leads us to you, now revealed in Jesus Christ. 
We pray that you will accept our prayers for they arise from hearts and minds
in awe over the enormity of your gift to us of pure love.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer

Lord of Light and Love
Help us to understand your call to love one another as you loved us.  We pray to close the doors of hate and open the doors of love all over the world.  May we reach out to each child with the message of your love and show them what the true meaning of Christmas is to us all.
May we take time to extend our gifts to the poor, the lonely and the homeless and bring your love to them.
We pray for all those who were not able to be with their families this Christmas.  May we reach those we can and extend the Love and Peace of Lord Jesus.   

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord of light and love;
We pray for our hospitals and nursing homes. For the work and devotion of carers whose skill and compassion bring both material and spiritual comfort at times of need. We ask your loving compassion on all whose lives have been marred by tragedy of any kind. We pray for all who are downcast or fearful. We remember those who await a doctor’s diagnosis or an operation. We pray for all who seek healing and hope. We bring before you those most in need in our own community, the elderly, the housebound and those in care.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord of light and love
We give thanks for all who have passed beyond death and been transformed in your glorious kingdom: for the saints, for loved ones departed; that we, like them may come to the fullness of your presence.

Jesus Christ is the light of the World, a light which no darkness can quench.  We remember before God those who have died and light a candle to symbolise the light of Christ which eternally shines and brings hope.  We remember today....

You turn our darkness into light in your light shall we see light

Lord of Light and Love
We pray that as the years change, we may find rest knowing you will never change.  May we greet this New Year bravely, sure in the faith that while men come and go, and life changes around us, you are ever the same, guiding us with your wisdom and protecting us with your love.
We ask your blessing on the year to come.  Give us the resilience to bear its disappointments, energy to seize its opportunities, and openness to accept the more abundant life which you have promised to us in Christ Jesus our Lord

God who shines in the darkness, receive these prayers and the prayers of our hearts, in the name of the one who is your light, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.