06A*
A Call to Worship
Christmas 1A 2010
Psalm 148

At the voice of God, all things came into being, arising out
of chaos, with God breathing life into each creature.
Praise the Lord! Let the heavenly beings and all the
saints in light endlessly sing their praises to the Holy God!

Let the Universe, the Milky Way and outer space sing
to the glory of God, the Almighty Creator of all things!
Let the suns and moons circle gaily in their orbits,
and the planets and stars sparkle with delight at God!

Let the earth in all its varied formations; its seasons
and weather patterns; and all creatures praise the Lord!
As we gather to worship our Great Creator, the Holy
God, may we join with all creation in praising the Lord. Amen.

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Prayers of Praise and Exaltation
Christmas 1A 2010
Psalm 148

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord all you people!
Let all creation sing its praises to our Creating God!

With songs of praise and joy, we exalt the Holy God, King
and Lord of all things visible and invisible; all things real
or imagined; all things hidden and secret; and all things
that are there for all to see. We praise and exalt your name
for all creatures in embryo, in seeds, in nuts or in kernels,
but which all have the gift of God’s life hidden within them.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord all you people and creation!

Creating God, with prayers of praise and thankfulness, we join
in the chorus of praise that arises from all things in outer space,
with its swirling masses of vapours and moisture that circles our
earth. We join in the praises of the basic elements of creation—
earth, air, water and fire, all of which speak to us of God’s
ageless majesty and glory. We join too, in songs of thanks for
the God who creates the raw materials of the earth’s resources.
All these things are under the control and direction of God.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord all the earth and outer space!

Generous God, we join with our brothers and sisters in joyful
meditation on the mysteries of the mighty ocean depths, with
its creatures great and small; we reflect on the life that abounds
in the rivers and lakes; and for the delight we find in tiny streams
and mud puddles, that remind us of our childhood’s innocence.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord all creation! Praise the Lord! Amen.

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A Personal Meditation
Christmas 1A 2010
Psalm 148

How miraculous is life - that mysterious force that guides us all!
I rejoice in the faith that tells me that God is that ‘mysterious’
life-giving, life-sustaining and life-renewing force; that all things
are in God’s hands to direct, control and maintain for ever.



How miraculous is creation – I am but a miniscule speck in one
small corner of the universe, and in the solar system, around
which our earth circles, and yet, the mystery of creation remains
something that fascinates me, even though I know little about it—
yet God’s hand directs, controls and maintains its established order.



How miraculous is growth – the way plants and animals grow!
Tiny seeds become mighty trees; a single cell becomes an embryo;
a particle of dust gathers to itself other particles to become a
mountain or part of a plain; and drops of water combine to grow
into an ocean, lake or river; and yet they all start off as a tiny cell.
God’s hand directs, controls and maintains this mystery of growth.



How miraculous is light – that indescribable element that is so
necessary to life, creation and growth. Yet how can I describe light?
Scientists can describe ‘light’ - but for me, I prefer to appreciate it
and thank God for it! I give thanks for the way it brightens the world,
and encourages me to believe that the spiritual concept of light is ‘love’—
which is God’s gift to this world, and all of this earth’s creatures.

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Acknowledgements:
Unless stated otherwise, all Bible readings and extracts used in these weekly Prayers and Meditations are from
‘The New Revised Standard Version’ Copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

*The additional weekly numbering is from the Revised COCU Indexing Scheme
COCU = ('Consultation on Church Union'); as it offers an easy sequential numbering
for the Revised Common Lectionary for the Church Calendar.

If any part of these Prayers and/or Meditations is used in shared worship, please provide
the following acknowledgement:
© 2010 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year A. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

Download/view a pdf file of this document here: christmas1a_2010.pdf

© 2010 Joan Stott - " The Timeless Psalms" RCL Psalm Year A