Blaenau Gwent

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

God of all grace, good beyond all that is good, fair beyond all that is fair and loving beyond all that is loving; grant us to be of one mind in our faith, of one hope in our calling, and of one heart in our loving; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gracious God, draw us towards yourself,that in our busyness we may find spaceto be still in your presence,and in your presence be touched andtransformed by your glory.Ever-present God, as we encounter others,grant that we may glimpse in them your imageand in so doing be changed so as to mirror youto them.Yearning God, stir up within us your Spirit,that we may echo your aching for the worldand become agents of your change.Midwife God, deliver us from our self-centrednessso as to be liberated as the children of God,bearing witness to your kingdom breaking forth.Holy God, stop us in our tracks to gaze upon your glory,that we may be changed from one degree of glory to anotherand be lost in wonder, love and praise.

Luke 3:1-6Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (v 4)

Zechariah 8:1-8'They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.' (v 8)