Our Christmas Greetings…

Listen along to our Christmas prayer…

Listen and read along our Christmas prayer read by Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler.

Holy Creator,

In the beginning, your Spirit hovered

over the watery darkness

and called into being light and life!

In the tumult of occupation

Your Spirit hovered over Mary’s dark womb.

And planted a seed of hope.

On a cold, sacred night

Your Spirit circled warm-breathed creatures,

Winged and furry,

silent and squawking

To witness your seed of hope bursting forth,

A fragile human child,

full of life and light.

In the quiet of midnight,

Your Spirit summoned the whole host of heaven

To resound with song,

startling sleepy shepherds with

Glory to God in the highest! And on Earth, peace!

In a shadowy hour of political intrigue,

Your star’s light pierced the sky,

guiding rulers to bow before the child,

power bending before the Prince of Peace.

Into our darkness

You come.

In the midst of our mysteries

You create new life.

In our midnights of tangled awe and fear,

You are present:

Birthing light and life.

Giving hope and joy.

Encircling all creatures with peace and love.

Empowering low and high ones,

young and old ones,

rich and poor ones,

black, brown and white ones,

winged, scaled, and furry ones,

voiced ones and silent ones,

So that together, we may extend your light and life,

Your hope and joy,

Your peace and love

To all the world.

We welcome you,

We celebrate you,

Holy One,

Maker of Peace,

Builder of Justice,

Immanuel,

God-with-us in the night.

Merry Christmas from Mennonite Church USA

Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler

Dona Park

Prayer written by Karla Stoltzfus Detweiler, MC USA climate justice coordinator. Artwork by Dona Park, MC USA’s 2021 Bring the Peace award recipient.