Come, O come, Emmanuel

Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for Advent and for the coming of your Son to the world.
Thank you for holding us in your gaze and in your love.
And hear our prayers as we come before you.
We pray for all who, like Joseph, are fearful :

Come, O come Emmanuel

We pray for those who are ridiculed and humiliated:

Come, O come Emmanuel

We pray for those who are pregnant and those nursing young babies, especially those who are far from home or have no home:

Come, O come Emmanuel

We pray for those who will join the angels in proclaiming the good news of your love for the world in the coming week.  We pray for our Bishops and the clergy of the deanery and especially for Gaenor:

Come, O come Emmanuel

We pray for those who will hear the good news of your love and respond in this coming week.  May they be sustained and encouraged to follow you.

Come, O come Emmanuel

We pray for those who will not allow you to touch their hearts:

Come, O come Emmanuel

We pray for our children, especially the children of St Greg’s, as they break up for the holidays.  For their parents and teachers, that among the excitement they may all be aware of your love with them.

 Come, O come Emmanuel

We pray for those who have been faithful to you over many years and who suffer the effects of illness or old age, remembering especially Elspeth this morning:

Come, O come Emmanuel

And we pray for those who have died in the faith of Christ in the last few days, and ask that the light of your love will be always with them and those who love them.

Come, O come Emmanuel.

Emmanuel, God with us, open our hearts that we may sing glory to you with the angels.

Come, O come Emmanuel

Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Amen