God our Father,

      you spoke to the prophets of old

      of a Saviour who would bring peace.

      You helped them to spread the joyful message

      of his coming kingdom.

      Help us, as we prepare to celebrate his birth,

      to share with those around us

      the good news of your power and love.

      We ask this through Jesus Christ,

      the light who is coming into the world. Amen.

       Common Worship: Times and Seasons

      We are brighter than a thousand suns,

      cleverer than two thousand years,

      all power belongs to us,

      except the power to make peace:

      except that there is an ancient darkness of our hearts

      and a rage that steals our sanity.

      God forgive us

      and let true light shine on us

      and your world.

       Bob Warwicker

      With love and compassion,

      come, Lord Jesus.

      With judgement and mercy,

      come, Lord Jesus.

      In power and glory,

      come, Lord Jesus.

      In wisdom and truth,

      come, Lord Jesus.

       Common Worship: Times and Seasons

      For the darkness of waiting

      of not knowing what is to come

      of staying ready and quiet and attentive,

      we praise you O God:

      For the darkness and the light

      are both alike to you.

      For the darkness of staying silent

      for the terror of having nothing to say

      and for the greater terror

      of needing to say nothing,

      we praise you O God:

      For the darkness and the light

      are both alike to you.

      For the darkness of loving

      in which it is safe to surrender

      to let go of our self-protection

      and to stop holding back our desire,

      we praise you O God:

      For the darkness and the light

      are both alike to you.

      For the darkness of choosing

      when you give us the moment

      to speak, and act, and change,

      and we cannot know what we have set in motion,

      but we still have to take the risk,

      we praise you O God:

      For the darkness and the light

      are both alike to you.

      For the darkness of hoping

      in a world which longs for you,

      for the wrestling and the labouring of all creation

      for wholeness and justice and freedom,

      we praise you O God:

      For the darkness and the light

      are both alike to you.

       Janet Morley

      Lord Jesus Christ,

      your world awaits you.

      In the longing of the persecuted for justice;

      in the longing of the poor for prosperity;

      in the longing of the privileged

      for riches greater than wealth;

      in the longing of our hearts for a better life;

      and in the song of your Church,

      expectation is ever present.

      O come, Lord, desire behind our greatest needs.

      O come, Lord, liberator of humanity.

      O come, Lord, O come, Immanuel. Amen.

       Book of Common Order of the Church of Scotland

      The night is far spent, and the day is at hand:

      let us therefore cast off the works of darkness,

      and let us put on the armour of light.

       Romans 13.12 AV

      At the setting of the sun,