God With Us

Christ was born in Bethlehem…
In humble circumstances
Surrounded by strife and injustice
To a life filled with human vulnerabilities and sufferings
As a breath-taking sign of Divine Love, God-in-the-flesh
To bring hope to the despairing and possibility to the unimagined
To deliver good news to the poor & justice to the oppressed
To teach mercy and compassion
To heal the sick and mend the broken.

Christ is born today…
When uncertainty and anxiety overwhelm us
When disasters shatter us and pandemics won’t shake loose of us
When true peace evades us and justice is denied
When grief grips our hearts, and our hunger for the Holy is vast
When healing of all kinds is the substance of our prayers and our deepest,
desperate need.

O come, Emmanuel, be born in us today.
Unmistakable New Life
Unrelenting Spirit at work
Unquenchable Hope
Unstoppable Love.

—Written by Rev. Shari Prestemon, Minnesota Conference Minister UCC, Christmas 2021