December 20, 2011

A Christmas Prayer

Source of Wonder, Source of Joy,

We don’t use the word much – incarnation. We scarcely use it for we scarcely understand it. Yet, this week we seek to believe it, claim it, trust it. We want to believe that You, in all your fullness, became fully human.  We want to claim that the Eternal One become one of us.  We want to trust that the Creator of All Flesh took on human flesh.  This is a great Mystery. This is almost impossible to grasp.  This is beyond our comprehension.  Yet, this is the reason for our  hope.

Thank you for getting to know us.  Thank you for your commitment to be part of our lives.  Thank you getting inside our heads and our hearts.  Incarnation.  Help us make this soaring truth part of our vocabulary of faith.

Help us also to understand that incarnation not only describes what you do, but what we can do with you and for you. In ordinary ways and ordinary places we would incarnate your peace, hope, joy and love. We would give these gifts flesh and voice and so better ourselves and bless our world.

In the name of the Incarnate One,

Amen.

Prayers of the Congregation

• Shirley Jones – Alta Bates Hospital (no calls or visits please)
• LaSahya Alexander
• Sandra Dunn – for a near neighbor after a fire in her home
• Paige Bence and John Lee for the Sharpe family on the death of Robert Sharpe
• The Sims and Muckeroy families
• Our Adopt A Family Ministry
• The Peace of Our City
• The world as it mourns the death of Vaclav Havel
• Thanksgiving that Marie Johnson has been able to be in worship
• Tor our children and youth and their families
•  Thanksgiving that Cecil White and Ruben Artery were able to be in worship
• Larry Hutchings for the family of his dentist who died at age 53 and for his mother.
• Larry Sims for the Sims and Muckeroy family and for himself as he remembers the 17th anniversary of his mothers death.
• Thanksgiving that Steve Leichter was in worship
• Ruth Smith
• Edna Dorenzo
• Susan Joachim
• Debra Dizin for her daughter
• Kay Baxter for her family
• Ann Fields, eye surgery on Wednesday
• Doris and Ted Evans for their family
• Zondra Martin for her family
• All who feel sad, alone and afraid this season
• Doug Marques
• Joan Patten for her brother in law
• Al Johnson and Roy Browner for Brigette
• All who are hospitalized and those who  care for them
• All who are incarcerated and those who care for them
• Mary Alice and Abe Cirimele for their neighbor
• The Kachin People, both in Burma and i the USA
• Rae Rita Thompson for Amber’s grandmother
• Felicia Bock – Eden Hospital
• The people of North Korea in a time of uncertainty
• Phyllis Miller
• All who are traveling
• Declan and Sheila Brown for Lloyd Hurst

Announcements

Thanks to all who made the last weekend of Advent so wonderful. I am getting rave reviews on the Youth Christmas Party, the Christmas Tea, the Caroling on Lakeshore, the Children’s Play and the Adopt A Family Preparation. There were many volunteers that made the happen well. A behind the scenes presence who helped make most of them happen well was Pastor Allison. Please recognize her for her efforts.

In Memorium

The world lost a great leader with the death of former Czech President Vaclav Havel on Sunday. One of my favorite Havel quotes is, “Keep the company of those who seek the truth – run from those who have found it.”