God of peace, hear our prayer for peace;
the peace of the earth, felt bodily,
our feet on this good ground,
our eyes towards the stars;
the peace of fellowship, around us,
fellow Jesus followers joining together to worship.
God of peace, hear our prayer for people working together to care and to comfort, to heal,
making sure that no one is forgotten.
There is so much peace to celebrate, gifts from your hand and gifts of love:
neighbours checking in on one another, mask wearing and safe distancing, the peace of snowflakes falling, the peace of a candle’s flicker.
God of peace, hear our prayer for places where we still need peace: hear our prayer for all who are in pain, facing sickness, including all impacted by covid.
God of peace, hear our prayer for the most vulnerable amongst us, especially those in long term care. May hope burn bright for those receiving treatment or awaiting surgery. Comfort the hurting, encourage the weary, grant full healing and restoration to broken bones and tired spirits. May the hope of gentle healing and the gift of accompaniment of family and friends be a deep source of comfort for all who grieve.
God of peace, hear our prayers for our Households of Faith. We pray for their wide circle of family whom they will not be with this Christmastime for the sake of everyone’s health. May comfort and understanding run deep and may they find meaningful ways to celebrate this season.
God of peace, rain down peace in our hearts, in our homes, in our land, and in your world. Rain down peace in the places in our world where violence rages;we think especially of Ethiopia and Eretrea, gun violence on city streets, homes where people are hurt by those they love. We want peace to grow, we want to be your ambassadors for peace. Show us this week how we can make a difference, through our presence, through our resources, through our prayers.
God of peace, the angels came with a message of peace on earth so long ago;
that message still echoes, it still calls our name. May we hear the angels song anew. Receive all of our prayers in the name of Jesus, the Christ. Amen.