Second Sunday in Advent

The Nativity play is another key part of Adventide as we progress towards Christmas Day, the children love reminding us of the story and so at church this morning we had the Nativity Story.  We are a little short on children and so they presented the “Well Good News of Christmas” via the Bible Society’s Pop-Up Nativity, making use of the knitted nativity scene that we have been left with. 

Jesus’ birth is certainly Well Good News that we should be sharing with all those that will listen.  The Angels of course declare Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all men, at least according to the carol.  Prepare ye the way provides us with the following prayer for us to to think about those whose home is not a peaceful place at this time of year:

A voice cries out “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord”.
We live in a world troubled by conflict,
Where concern for power and prestige often dominates.
We long for the day when people will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
We thank you Lord that we have come one step closer to that through the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
We pray that our leaders may be given the vision to work constructiviely towards a more peaceful world
And that we in our daily lives may build a future in which nations will no longer take up swords against one another.
We ask all this so that we may make straight the highway for you coming.
Amen.

It is worth noting the the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons we introduced last year by the United Nations.