Advent & Christmas Prayers

by PRINGLE GIRLS

We just want to wish you Merry Christmas and say, “God bless you” this Christmas and into the new year when it comes, from Jamaica. Things have not been easy because of COVID and other things that have been going on in our lives but it is important to try our best to remember that through it all, no matter how difficult it may seem to be, no matter what we are going through, at least we always have God on our side or in our corner and our heart. I just wanted to share this praise chorus with you as an encouragement as we are reflecting back on the year we have lived and start to think about Christmas and Christ’s birth and coming, which we learned is what ‘Advent’ means.

Your grace and mercy brought me through

I am living this moment because of you

Oh my Lord

Your grace and mercy

Oh it brought me through

I am living this moment because of you

So I want to thank you

For everything you gave me

Oh and praise you too

Ohh your grace and mercy

Brought me through.*

A.H., age 12

*Lyric excerpt from Franklin Williams’ “Your Grace and Mercy”

God of hope, peace, joy and love, thank you for everything you have done, for your grace and your mercies too. Thank you for making us see another year through. Thank you for the food you’ve put on our table each day. Thank you for keeping us safe, and thank you for making our family, friends and all your people out there see another day too. As Christmas comes near, help us not to get distracted by the big, stressful things; let us remember these important little things, like hope, faithfulness, peace, joy and love, like having life and strength, and your compassion too. Help us to trust you this Christmas and lean into your understanding of what this holiday really means. Thank you for the beautiful day of Christ’s birth. Help us to focus and remember that. In your name, amen.

J.F. (age 12) & K.J. (age 12)

God, as you formed Jesus,

You were already one.

Thank you for choosing to be born.

Thank you also for our own lives too

For the chance to see another Christmas,

For family and friends as much as food and water.

Please continue to share your blessings with us;

Me and our family and friends too.

We worry a lot about people at Christmas,

And I bet you do too.

Help them to take one breath at a time,

And realize that they are breathing in You.

Help them dare to worship you,

Dare to love you, Jesus.

Help them have a merry Christmas,

And see a glimpse of heaven on earth:

The coming of Christ, your birth, this Christmas.

Jesus, we love you.

Amen.

B.R. (age 15)

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11 (NIV)

Jesus, happy birthday. Thank you for choosing to come into this world, to show us the way of compassion, mercy, peace, hope, love and especially joy. Thank you for giving us joy in your presence. Thank you for never leaving or forsaking us; just as the Bible says. Help us to focus on you this Christmas. Let our gifts be more of you and your eternal pleasures, like life, hope, peace, joy and love as we draw closer to you evermore.

K.B. (age 16)

My name is [R.B] and I am 12 year old. I live in Jamaica, at a place called Pringle Home for Children. My favourite scripture verse is Psalms 119: 105, which says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” and my favourite praise chorus is called “Pour out your Spirit” which reminds me that my life is the best offering I can give. I just wanted to tell you Merry Christmas from Jamaica. I have a grandpa in Canada so I hope to go there one day. Well, here is a prayer I wrote for advent:

Dear God, thank you for waking us up this morning, and for the new day. Thank you, God, for creating this beautiful day and for holding us in your hand. Thank you for putting food on our table and for the clothes on our backs. Thank you for the beds you gave us to rest our heads. This season we especially remember all the people who don’t have food to eat, clothes to wear, or a safe place to sleep. Heavenly parent, protect these people, and help those who have money to remember to buy these people food to eat this Christmas because they are like us: your children. We are all family, friends united by your life and death. God, people celebrate Christmas for a lot of different reasons, but this time let us celebrate Christmas because of the birth of Christ. And as the new year comes, please keep us and the people we love safe so we can keep seeing another day. Help us to be thankful for everything you have and continue to do. Let our hunger and thirst be only for you. In the name of Jesus who makes us one, amen.

R.B. (age 12)

Pringle Home for Children is a ministry of The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands (UCJCI), which partners with Global Ministries. Approaching 100 years in ministry, Pringle Home for Children has provided and continues to provide a loving and nurturing home-away-from-home for girls between the ages of 8 and 18. Pringle Home’s mission is to provide safety and care in a family-oriented residential atmosphere where past hurts are healed and hope is restored so that the girls and young ladies who call Pringle “home” may maximize their potential and fulfill their purposes.

You can partner with Pringle Home and invest in its work by donating through Global Ministries. You can also make an impact by sponsoring a child at Pringle Home.