Advent Litany

The prophet Isaiah speaks
They shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.

We light this first candle for hope.
God of all creation plant your seeds of hope
deep within our aching hearts.
In the dry barrenness of our times
water them well with your eternal love
that we may become beacons of hope
working together for the renewal of all creation.

Saide Cameron, offered for worship by Jessica and Anya Kavansakul, 1/12/19, Advent 1C

Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Life-giving God, give us breath upon which to stream upwards
towards your mountain of peace,
that you may teach us your ways and that we may walk in your paths.
Show us the tools we can create to work for peace and
remind us to defer to your judgement and not our own
as we seek healing and justice between nations.

Jesus, Prince of Peace,
we remember your coming was foretold.
May we watch for you amongst us.
Open our eyes to unexpected opportunities to nurture your presence in the world.
Forgive us for the times we have been too focused on ourselves
to recognise the needs of others.
Help us to build a peaceful community as we anticipate your presence in every moment.

Holy Spirit, current of life that moves through all things,
connecting us to one another and to God.
Forgive us for standing by as the processes of creation unravel
and allow us to understand the wider significance of our behaviour.
Walking in your light, may we nurture seeds of hope and support the healing of the Earth.

Amen

Remember that in Christ we can grow and be created anew, in faith, hope and love.
In Christ, through Christ and because of Christ, our sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

Amelia Ware, offered for worship 1/12/19, Advent 1C

Prayers of the people – Christmas Bowl

Harvesting hope in Zimbabwe
Hope is scarce for mothers like Nyevero, who couldn’t feed her family after losing her crops to Zimbabwe’s merciless drought. Most days, she and her husband, teenage son and two young daughters had just one thin bowl of porridge to survive on.
Nyevero felt desperate as she watched her children get sicker and weaker. She wanted to give them a good education, but they were too hungry to go to school.
Through the support of the Christmas Bowl, Nyevero found hope at the most desolate time. She became a conservation farmer, learning to raise healthy crops, gain new sources of income, and transform her family’s life.
Giving to the Christmas bowl helps women like Nyevero to farm through the leanest seasons, so they can lift their children out of hunger and poverty and give them hope for the future.

Watch, watch and pray,
Jesus, the Word, will come.

We pray for Zimbabwe.
A country where the reversal of wealth and poverty
has brought hardship to millions,
where peace and security has given way to conflict,
and the fecundity of the land has given way to food-aid and dependency.
We pray for those living with despair,
that their eyes may lift to hope on the horizon.
We pray for those supporting innovative new projects for sustainability.

Watch, watch and pray,
Jesus, the Word, will come.

Hear our prayer, O God,
and bring your healing love and justice
to the people of Zimbabwe
and to every situation of suffering and grief in our world.
In the name of Christ, the Word of Hope and Prince of Peace.
Amen

Christmas Bowl resources, offered for worship by Ian Ferguson and Amelia Ware, 1/12/19, Advent 1C