Prayers of Thanksgiving, Intercession, and Petition

Dearest God who promises peace, love, joy, and hope-

We reflect upon the unknown and how you come to your people in the midst of disorientation and uncertainty.  Though we may not be able to make sense of it all, the best we can hope for is to be like Mary, grounding ourselves in our identities as your servants.

We lift up prayers to you that emanate from what we have experienced in the world. 

For all peoples who experience war, we pray for peace. 

For those who experience instability and fear, we pray for peace. 

For those who are forced to leave their homes, we pray for peace. 

For those who lack their daily bread, we pray for peace.

For those whose hearts grieve, we pray for peace.

We also pray for our community and our city.  Even as the city lights up with holiday lights and laughter, we pray for those who suffer, for those who lack their daily bread, who experience homelessness, who experience violence, who are in prison.

We thank you, dear God, in the face of brokenness and material need, for the ways in which this church continues to be a beacon of hope in the community.  We pray for Brick’s leaders, and also for the members who form this community. 

We also thank you for the partnerships we have in the community, who promote peace by addressing community needs in such significant ways, especially, Grassroots Grocery, Interfaith Prison Partnership, and the host site of the youth-group mission trip, the First Baptist Church of Reading, Massachusetts.  Continue to bless their outreach into our communities.

Finally, we bring to you our own personal petitions for ourselves and those we hold dear.  Please hear our personal requests in the space of this silence (space for silent petitions).

We thank you, God, because even in the darkness, you come to us with signs of peace with promises of the most wonderful gift, Immanuel, God-with-us, today, and always.  In the name of the coming Christ child we pray, Amen.