Prayer

Gracious God,

The excitement and noise of this season can easily drown out what is truly important in life. Guide us through these busy days so we may focus on the heart of Advent—preparing our minds and hearts for you. With that awareness, may we celebrate Christmas as you intended and experience the deep, lasting joy of the season. In anticipation, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Spirit of peace,

As we continue preparing for the coming of the Prince of Peace this Christmas, challenge us to make a highway for you through our own words and deeds. In the midst of a tumultuous world, may we embody your presence and stand up as agents of peace, even as we continue to pray the prayer that you taught us: that your kingdom of peace come, that your goodness and love might be done, here and now, on earth as it is in heaven. In the peace only you can provide, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

God of truth,

We live in a culture that bombards us with messages meant to shape how we think, and not always in ways that are good. Inspire us to grow in practices of real and authentic discernment, learning to test our thoughts against the truth. May we cultivate the kind of self-awareness that knows the limits of our own opinions and turns us consistently instead to seek you and your wisdom. In all our decisions, let discernment induce us to heed your voice above all the noise. Amen.

Prayer

Gracious love,

As a global ministry and as people of conscience, you call us to practice the kind of love that goes in service to meet the greatest needs, that searches for the lost and hurting to extend compassion and inclusion, and that overcomes barriers by living into your vision of authentic human community. As partners together in mission with you, fill us with joy for the calling we share and let it flourish among us, beyond every limit. Amen.

Prayer

God on the move,

For the sake of patients and families in need, give us the proper measure of discipline and talent today, so that by coordinating our many gifts effectively we can better administer your healing, compassion and love to all those you send us to reach. As a ministry united, give us traction in the good work we share together, that we may look back over the years and see how far we’ve come, advancing your mission. For the life of the world, we pray. Amen.

Prayer

Almighty One,

In solidarity with Jewish colleagues now celebrating Hanukkah, we all take a much-needed breath at this point in the year to stop and remember all your gracious provision for us, in big ways and small. May the light of hope grow stronger in us as we bring good help to others in need, all those longing for a fresh sign of your provision and some measure of healing, or even for those who are simply in search of real human kindness. Giver of hope and light, fill us and send us to share more of your hope and light today. Amen.

Prayer

Joyous God,

Like Abraham and Sarah, we often come to realize that when we put our full trust in you, the result is a deep and lasting joy. Guide us through these final weeks of Advent and help us to understand more fully the importance of that trust in all that we do. Help us to be examples of trust to those we serve, leading them to know you more deeply, and therefore experiencing the joy that you promise to all of us. We ask this in Jesus’ name, who brought such joy to our world. Amen.