From one of the readings...
Into This Silent Night (From Ann Weems, Kneeling in Bethlehem)
Into this silent night
As we make our weary way
We know not where;
Just when the night becomes it’s darkest
And we cannot see our path;
Just then is when the angels rush in,
Their hands full of stars.
Pastoral Prayers
God of Mercy, hear out prayer in this Advent Season for ourselves and our families who live with the painful memories of loss. We ask for strength for today, courage for tomorrow and peace for the past. As we gather here this afternoon to confront our pain in the midst of the world's celebration. Help us to know that you are present with us in all of our moods and feelings and seasons. Grant us a taste of the hope, peace, joy and love that you promise to all of your people through the gift of your son Jesus. We ask all these things in the name of you Christ who shares our life in joy and sorrow, death and new birth, despair and promise. Amen.
Comforting God, wrap us in your presence in this time of remembrance. With these candles, help us find your light, a light that will guide us day-by-day, step-by-step, as we try to live life fully and wholly. We cherish the special ways in which our loved ones have touched us. We thank you for the gift their lives have been to us. Now comfort us. Encourage us. Empower us. Amen.
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