• Pray for our keeping of Advent, and for all the preparations for the celebration of Christmas.
  
  
• Pray that we may all experience afresh the Light of the World coming into our lives at Christmas.
  
  
• Pray for all of those who come to Church at Christmas, that they may experience something of the love of Christ for them, and that they may be changed by that love.
  
  
• Pray for all of those who find Christmas a sad, or lonely, or difficult time.
  
  
• In this time of recession, pray that people will be sensible at Christmas time, and not get into debt.
  
  
• Pray for the work of the Samaritans, for the Credit Union, and for all who give advice and help over the Christmas period.
  
  
• Pray that we may be generous with our money and our love at Christmas, and pray for all charities appealing for funds at this time.
  

Prayers of the Month

Work of Christmas Begins

When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…
And to radiate the Light of Christ,
every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins.

Howard Thurman, adapted 

Let me not wrap, stack, box, bag, tie, tag, bundle, seal, keep Christmas.

Christmas kept is liable to mould.
Let me give Christmas away, unwrapped, by exuberant armfuls.
Let me share, dance, live Christmas unpretentiously, merrily, responsibly with overflowing hands, tireless steps and sparkling eyes.
Christmas given away will stay fresh—even until it comes again.

Linda Felver