05B*
A Call to Worship
Christmas Day (i) Year B 2011
Psalm 97

The Lord our God is a flaming Light of truth and justice.
The earth and its peoples rejoice in the Light of our King.

The Lord our God is a shadowy Cloud of righteousness.
The earth and its peoples rejoice in the Mystery of our King.

The Lord our God is the exalted One in holiness and love.
We gather to worship our God and King, joining with all
the earth, the universe and outer space to bow in reverent
awe before God the King, the great Creator and Sustainer. Amen.

Prayers of Praise and Thankfulness
Christmas Day (i) Year B 2011
Psalm 97

We gather together to worship, praise and honour
the Lord our God, King and Ruler of all things, all
peoples, and all creation. With hearts overflowing
with thanks for God’s glorious majesty and power,
we gather to share together in the wonders of our
God and King; the delights and mysteries of our God
that are far beyond our comprehension; and for the
way we as humans can worshipfully respond to our God.

Through the centuries, the people of God have known
and understood that our Great God is beyond all other
gods – those facsimile gods created by humans, or
objects that people endow with false supernatural powers
that are but fleeting shadows in comparison to our Glorious
God – and the misguided people who honour them are
searching for the mysteries of God in the wrong places.
We give thanks that these mysteries of God are revealed to
receptive and responsive people – who reply in reverence.

The people of God rejoice and celebrate in their personal
knowledge and experiences of their Trustworthy God.
Together, they join in the chorus of songs of praise;
prayers of thankfulness; and sharing in the joyous
fellowship of believers in their God and King of justice,
mercy and righteousness – all of which are the foundation
stones of the throne of our eternal King. As a community
of the faithful, we are warmed and embraced within the
mantle of the majesty of God’s Holy Being and Presence. Amen

A Personal Meditation
Christmas Day (i) Year B 2011
Psalm 97

How awesome is my God – how mysterious and glorious!
Wherever I look, God’s presence is announced in beauty;
whatever I hear, God’s voice echoes through creation;
however I experience God, the reality of God is tangible;
why God is so generous and gracious, is a great mystery to
be joyfully celebrated every day with praise and thankfulness.

Creative pause: I celebrate God every day.


As a human being, my capacity to understand, experience
and learn about God is very limited, yet there is a need within
me that continues to reach out - searching for as deeper and
richer knowledge of my God. Imagining my God as King is
also limited by my human understanding of the history of earthly
kings, rulers and despots who, with varying degrees of delusional
self-esteem, imagine themselves to be omnipotent and beyond
judgement. Thankfully, the God that I worship has always
fulfilled the promises ever made to humanity; has always shown
the divine qualities of mercy, faithfulness, love and justice; and
has the heart and response of a compassionate Good Shepherd!

Creative pause: I have a continuing need to reach out to God.


With the God-given blessing of faith, I know I can trust in the God
whom I worship to be always the same – whenever, wherever
and however I encounter my God – Ruler Supreme, Divine Judge,
Eternal Creator and Sustainer, Compassionate Embrace, and
Tender Father. The earth with all its diverse beauty trembles
and melts away before the power of my God, and yet, this
same God reaches down to fragile humans in their need to
save them in their troubles and struggles, and shows them a
better way to live together. Praise be to this my wonderful God.

Creative pause: God reaches down to fragile humans in their need.


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:
© 2011 Joan Stott – ‘The Timeless Psalms’ RCL Psalms Year B. Used with permission.

jstott@netspace.net.au

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