Sisters and brothers,
the Light has come!
The announcement has been made!
The mystery has been revealed
and Christ is the solution! Let us pray:

Lord, lift up our eyes
so that we may gaze upon Your Light,
so overwhelmed by You
that we nudge our neighbors,
point to the sky, and say, “Look!”

May our hearts be thrilled,
and may our souls rejoice
at the wealth of Your richness.
May our arms open wide
to receive whatever blessings
You choose to give us.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord over all,
as we begin this new year,
we ask that You be our focus.
Let us exult in Your grace,
Your justice, Your righteousness.

Work in our hearts in 2019,
that we, Your Sanctuary body,
will grow closer and larger this year.

That we, like individual trees,
would be rooted together,
becoming a vast and welcoming forest,
full of grace and peace.

May You make us
an orchard of Your compassion
as we embody Your heavenly kingdom
on earth, here and now.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

Lord over the heavens,
You made a star speak.
Let Your church look to that star
—the one that guided the wise men to You,
that met them where they were—
and say, “We wish to do likewise."

Let us proclaim
Your boundless riches
both to the poor, the oppressed, those in need
and to those in positions of power,
the rulers and the authorities.
That all may know the wisdom of Your mystery:
that those who used to be on the outs
are now part of the inner circle.
And that inner circle

is so great as to include all who desire to join it.

All this we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy.

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy.