Leader O Lord once again you have permitted

Leader: O Lord, once again you have permitted us to approach the light, the celebration and the joy of Christmas Day; All: The day which brings before our eye that which is the greatest of all: Leader: Our love, with which you have so loved the world as to give your only Son, All: So that we all might believe in him and therefore not be lost but have eternal life.

Leader: What then do we have to bring and give to you? All: The so great darkness in our human relationships and in our own hearts! Leader: The so many confused thoughts, so much coldness, so much stubbornness, so much fickleness and hate. All: So much which separates us from you and one another, and which certainly does not help us on our way.

Leader: What then can you do with such gifts? And with such persons as we all are? All: But these are things you would have from us at Christmas and would take from us: Leader: All the refuse and ourselves as well, just as we are, in order to give us in exchange Jesus our Saviour.

All: And in him a new heaven and a new earth, new hearts and new desires, new clarity and a new hope, for us and all people. Leader: Be among us, as we draw closer to the celebration of his birth. All: And fill our worship with true and thankful awe, with expectation and with joy, as we seek together to prepare ourselves to receive him as your gift. Taken from “Be Our freedom, Lord”. Just Salvos 2016 Christmas Resource Pack