God of justice
God of love
God of hope
in this Advent season cause us to hear the challenge of your Word
to make straight the paths
and make real your good news of hope
Lord in your mercy...
We pray for nations who have just had elections (insert as appropriate) or are hoping that the future might be better than the past
Lord in your mercy...
We pray for our fragile world as we together face the challenge of climate change, cause each of us from influential policymakers to humble homemakers to make wise choices and act with courageous hope
Lord in your mercy...
We pray for the care of the vulnerable in our nation, that it might bring hope to all who are frail or in distress and be characterized by justice, love and compassion
Lord in your mercy...
God of hope we pray for the many people who have one of their occasional visits to church this Christmas time. May they catch a glimpse of the wonder of Christ and come to hope and hunger for more and more of you
Lord in your mercy...
And God of hope we pray for ourselves
in these dark days
when uncertainty threatens
and climate change beckons
and when people increasingly try to live their lives without you
we turn to you in need of hope and courage
and in the silence we bring to you our fragile hopes for better times
Silence
Lord of hope, in your mercy...