Thank God for Pastor Daniel’s message from Luke 1:67-79 for the fourth Sunday of Advent. Bless all who heard with the confidence that God is for us no matter the trial.

Pray for our Christmas Eve service to glorify the Lord and bring us closer to Him. Ask the Lord to draw new people to this service.

Praise God for our Lessons & Carols service on Sunday afternoon. May those who attended rejoice all the more this Christmas, and may Chuck King and the musicians who worked so hard on it be blessed. 

Pray for Pastor Chris as he prepares to preach this Sunday morning. His planned message, “Image Restored,” is from 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. Ask the Spirit to empower his message and bless all who attend this week’s service. 

Pray for those among us and in our community who have recently lost loved ones. 

Pray for Bob and Diane in their continuing journey with cancer. 

Pray for some of our unchurched neighbors to attend our Christianity Explored class beginning on January 11, and may the Spirit be powerfully present among us. Ask the Lord to give us the bold joy we need to invite them. 

God of glory, God of light
God whose presence fills our days
We praise you, for you illumine our minds
and you pierce our calloused hearts,
in this world of shadows

You came to dispel the darkness
Encircled by an angelic chorus
Before joyful shepherds
Beneath contemplative parents
As the newborn King

We confess that in the midst of our pain & heartache
we often fail, to acknowledge your glory
we question your motives, we complain
What shortsightedness—to think that you don’t care
—that you have left us as orphans

We find comfort in the words of Isaiah: that the promised Savior will
Bind up the brokenhearted
Comfort those who mourn
Give a crown of beauty for ashes
Provide garments of praise to those whose hearts are heavy

We believe, Lord; please help our unbelief
Help us to grasp it
To possess it
To be changed by it
Please do for us what only you can do
Even now in these moments, as we silently pray,
asking you to forgive our sins, and empower our faith:

Thank you, Father, gracious Savior, blessed Holy Spirit.
You open the eyes of our heart,
And show us the radiance of the glory of God,
The One who upholds all things by the word of his power.
Your Son, our Savior—Jesus Christ.
May we encounter your glory this morning. Amen.