In the light of the Gospel, let us ask God for a good Christmas:

that no nation should tax the poor or leave them without hope;
that no unmarried mother should be put away in disgrace;
that no door will be shut on those who need to find it open;

that shepherds and sheep and all of nature need not be afraid;

that barbed wire and angry soldiers may not be found in Bethlehem;
that refugees and asylum seekers might escape the terror and find welcome and        warm hospitality;
that children might be protected from those who would abuse them;
That this Christmas, worship may become a manger, and the church a stable, and the rumour become a reality that Christ has come among us.

Loving and present God, who Luke and Matthew tell us led shepherds and wise men by the light of a star, when we feel most lost, we pray you will light a way forward.

As we scan the headlines, we see a world that is broken, fragmented, shattered by war and conflict: Israel and Palestine, where the war seems to keep intensifying, with over 2 million people displaced, over 20,000 deaths and where children in Gaza face steeper and steeper odds of survival; Russia and Ukraine, entering their 665th day of fighting; the suffering in Yemen with 233,000 deaths; and the ongoing conflict in Congo, where millions have been displaced.

Bring your peace, O God, to these points of pain and suffering.

We are mindful this morning of our neighbours in northern Queensland confronted by the destructive impact of cyclone and floods that have engulfed their homes and townships, leaving them totally devastated and without hope. We’re thankful for the heroism of emergency and rescue workers and for the evidence of communities pulling together to bring encouragement, support and relief.

Bring reassurance and healing, O God, to these stricken communities.

We are uplifted by news about international collaboration and inspiration, bridging gaps that divide. We raise prayers of thanksgiving as a couple of weeks back we saw positive change happen when leaders came together for the benefit of the globe. At COP28, the UN Climate Summit, there was agreement on a global transition away from fossil fuels.

Guide us, O God, to a more hope-filled future.

We remember before you O God this Christmas all those who suffer within our own community. We think particularly of people known to us, members of our own congregation, who are facing the personal challenges involved in life-changing illness and disability.  Our hearts go out to them Lord and we pray that you will help us find constructive ways to stand by them.

As Hanukkah, the festival of lights in the Jewish faith, comes to an end, and as Christians celebrate Advent and the coming of the light, teach each of us to recognize the divine light within all of humanity. Show us new ways to nourish that light.

Help us to learn, even in the midst of so much uncertainty, from the miracles of this season: your lessons of love, justice, and peace. O God of mystery, as you did all those years ago, and you do again and again: light the way for us.                                  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.