CPW Advent Resources, 2010
An Advent Meditation on John 1
In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus was in the beginning with God,
All things came to be through him. (John 1: 1-3)
Jesus, light of the human race,
light overcoming darkness,
It is You who we seek during this Advent-time.
For You are the Word made flesh who dwells among us.
It is You, Jesus, our Lord and Savior, that we will follow,
and no other earthly principality or power.
Jesus, Son of God, Human One, Healer, Peacemaker, and Redeemer,
help us to disarm our hearts and our world of violence, fear and weapons.
Help us to rid ourselves and our world of all that wounds, divides and destroys.
Help us, dear Jesus, during this holy Advent season,
to make Your Word flesh,
and become channels of your peace, justice, mercy, and reconciling love.
Amen!
written by Art Laffin
An Advent Coloring Book: Bethlehem: Then and Now
These PowerPoints and coloring pages for children's times were created by our Mennonite brothers and sisters in 2006, but the story hasn't changed and the materials can be used for Advent this year. They'll help your congregation connect the Bethlehem Jesus knew with the reality of living there today. Go to http://peace.mennolink.org/resources/advent06 to download the booklet.
An Advent Prayer on the Sacred Womb and Depleted Uranium
In this season of expectant waiting, we hold in our hearts those mothers in Southern Iraq and many other places where the sacredness of the womb has been violated by the use of Depleted Uranium (DU) weapons. According to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, (www.cnduk.org) The use of DU in weapons disperses toxic and radioactive dust which can then be inhaled. It is thought that using DU has caused a sharp increase in the incidence rates of some cancers, such as breast cancer and lymphoma, in areas of Iraq following 1991 and 2003. It has also been implicated in a rise in birth defects from areas adjacent to the main Gulf War battlefields.
One: Behold the handmaid of the Lord
All: Be it done unto me according to Your word
One: O God, as we clothe ourselves in the fiat of Mary...
All: We mourn the violation of the sacred womb causing heinous birth defects, cancers, and death.
One: The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary
All: And she conceived by the Holy Spirit
One: O God, as we prepare for the Christ child in our midst...
All: We give ourselves to the work of preparing the world for the children yet to come.
One: And the Word was made Flesh
All: And dwelt among us
One: O God, as we prepare for the dawning of Christ in our heart...
All: We pray for the clarity of mind and conviction to disarm our hearts, our nation, and our world.
One: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
All: May we protect the fruit of all wombs and abolish depleted uranium weapons forever.
Amen.
—Eda Uca-Dorn, based on an adaptation of the Roman Catholic prayer of the annunciation, called The Angelus
Advent Reflections from Pax Christi
"The Presence of God" is the title for Pax Christi USA's daily advent reflections, this year written by Judy Coode, a long time partner with CPW.
Click here: http://www.paxchristiusa.org/news_Events_more.asp?id=2072 to read excerpts. Click here: http://paxchristiusa.3dcartstores.com/The-Presence-of-God-Reflections-for-Advent-2010_p_224.html to purchase a copy of the full booklet for just $3.
A Prayer for the United Nations at Christmas
Dear God,
In this time of birth we pray for life.
We pray for people, not for buildings.
We pray for faith in Jesus, not for faith in institutions.
We pray for miracles.
We move with hope.
In the midst of the Nations, we move with hope.
To Afghanistan and Iraq, we move with hope.
In the Balkans and past biological weapons, we move with hope.
...
Come and fill our hearts with your peace
As we witness that grace still abides on this earth,
And proclaim the miracle
That even in this broken world,
Miracles are possible,
Expected,
Awaited,
And born out of deep hope.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
—Joel Hanisek, former Presbyterian United Nations Representative
For complete prayer go to http://www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/worship/unchristmas.htm
A Christmas Eve Prayer
On this night
bellies spasm with hunger
winter seeps into the bones of people with no homes
soldiers seek "enemies" in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Congo, Colombia, and places unknown
people plot violence because they see no other way
...
life does not have to be the way it is
but that it can be filled
with
hope and
faith and
grace and
sharing and
commitment and
community and
justice and
righteousness and
well-being and
wholeness and
peace . . .
. . . on earth . . .
. . . for all!
Glory to God, may it be so.
—W. Mark Koenig, Presbyterian Church USA
For complete prayer go to http://www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/worship/2003advent.htm
Human Rights Day – December 10, 2010
Resources from the Presbyterian Church USA
http://www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/worship/worship.htm#rightsday
http://www.nrcat.org/index.php?option=com_content&task;=view&id;=472