Rejoice

Posted 25 December 2012, 0 comments

By The Right Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham From our Guest bloggers

Happy Christmas. Today join with the angels, the shepherds, and Mary and Joseph in rejoicing in Jesus’ birth as Saviour of the World.

'And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’ (Luke 55:14)

Heavenly Father,
As the good news of Jesus’ birth was given
first to the outcast shepherds of Bethlehem,
may this good news still come to those
who feel left outside –
to those seeking sanctuary, to the runaway,
to the disabled –
and use us, and The Children’s Society,
to be like the angels,
bringers of your good news to the world.
We pray in the name of Jesus who is Christ the Lord. Amen.

The Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham

Thank you for travelling through Advent with us on a journey of reflection and prayer. We wish you a joyful Christmas and every blessing for 2013.

Epiphany resources
As we move beyond Christmas into the season of Epiphany, do have a look at our resources for Epiphany Sunday. We’re offering a set of sermon notes and a film to use in churches. These have been written and produced by The Revd Canon Dr Angus Ritchie and The Contextual Centre for Theology, and invite us to consider contemporary issues of asylum in the context of the Epiphany story. You can find these resources here.

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