Thread by @DisabilityJ

1) Welcome

2) In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

ALL RESPOND BY TWEETING
AMEN!

3) YaY! It’s a boy!

4) And he is called Jesus

5) Mother and baby are fine

6) Alleluia! The King is among us, Alleluia! Repeat as your tweet response

7) Though we are far apart
Let us feel a closeness
Let us reach out across the ether
United across time and space

8) This is your temple Lord
Although there are no walls.
The web is where we gather
As real to us as any church
Computers, phones and tablets are our prayer books.

9) These strangers are my friends
Mark this as holy ground
A virtual sacred space.

10)
God of hope, bring us love
that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought peace into this world,
be the peace that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought joy into this world,
be the joy that dwells between us.

11) We praise You,  Lord,  because we’re ALL fearfully & wonderfully made.
In your house there is room for all, there are no rejects.
There are no able-bodied, no disabled, there are only His beloved children, all made in His image. Beautiful in His eyes.

12) We have been waiting through the dark days of winter, we have felt isolated, alone and abandoned.

We have been waiting for a saviour, a friend, one who would cast out the darkness and flood our world with light and warmth.

All: He is here alleluia!)

13) We have watched, we have waited, we have longed, hoped and prayed and this night our faith has been rewarded

All: The King is among us!

14) Open our eyes Lord to the coming of your light.

15) Open our hearts Lord to the warmth of your love.

16) Lift the darkness and cold of winter.

Lift these feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Lift the chillness that seeps deep into our bones, hearts and spirits making us frost hardened, binding our very souls from the cold but also blocking your love.

17) Open those souls Lord to the warmth of your coming, to the news of your birth.

Melt the hardness that separates us from you and one another.

18) Trees and branches bare against the steel winter skies, stems crumpled under weight of frost, the weight of snow.

Last year’s leaves - blackened and slippery underfoot.

Nature oppressed by wintriness -
yet resting - awaiting rebirth.

19) We have been like nature Lord, dormant, baron, fallow.

Wake us from this winter with the joy of your birth that we may thaw and bring forth fruit.

20) Warm our hearts Lord.
Defrost our souls
Souls oppressed by winter
Reassure us by your coming
Call us too into new life.

21) Enable us to rejoice with the heavenly hosts, to shout ALLELUIA! To proclaim the glory of Your birth.

22) We hear the cry of Your angels Lord! “It’s a boy! His name is Jesus”!

23) You have come to be with us, fully human, fully God.

There is no experience we have known that is unknown to you.

You have come to share our journey.

24) We gather here in this virtual space, alone yet together, connected yet apart and here in the ether you come to meet us.

In the seeming darkness of the internet you are kindling a light to the world, cause us to be that light for one another and to all who connect with us.

25) We join with all that gather online in your name, with Your saint s who have gone before and with all that would declare You as saviour and we give glory to God for the great news of Your birth.

26) We take our prayers out in to the world.

We pray for those unable to pray.

We offer our service as answer to prayers of others.

27) We take the light of Your compassion out in to the world.

To walk with the suffering.

To be their companions on the road.

28) We take the light of Your power in to the world.

We offer it to those who feel powerless.

We show them Your strength made know in weakness, Your life made known through death.

29) May the Christ Child enter the hearts of all who join us in this place tonight, those who feel unheard, those in pain, those who’s burdens are too difficult to carry.

Bless us all this night.

Goodnight & God Bless