The document contains excerpts from the Bible and Christmas hymns and poems. It discusses passages from Isaiah about the coming Messiah who will bring peace and justice. It references Jesus Christ being born as the Prince of Peace and Savior who will deliver God's people and establish his kingdom. The excerpts celebrate Jesus and the peace, justice, and salvation he brings.

1. Opening Prayer
God of Peace, form us into your Peace-makers.
Enable us to look within ourselves, to make straight
our crooked hearts, to patiently and lovingly await changes
in ourselves and others. As you gather us tenderly, and hold
us close, may we show that same compassion to the world.
Fill our hearts with your peace, and our lives with your love,
that these may flow from our lives into our world. We ask
this through Christ,
the Savior and peace of the world. Amen.

2. ADVENT ~ Week 1

3. A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit
of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom
and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide
by what his ears hear; but with righteousness
he shall judge the poor, and decide with
equity for the meek of the earth…
Isaiah 11:1-4a

4. Righteousness (and faithfulness) shall be the belt
around his waist. The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf
and the lion and the fatling together, and a little
child shall lead them. The cow and the bear
shall graze, their young shall lie down together,
and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
Isaiah 11:5-7

5. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the
adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on
all my holy mountain; for the earth will be
full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11:8-9

8. The Child Under the Rubble

9. Peace is not merely
the absence of tension;
it is the presence
of justice.
Martin Luther King Jr.

10. FAMILY PROMISE
of LAWRENCE

11. THE D.A.R.E.
CENTER

12. THE PROPEL FOUNDATION

13. JUSTICE
MATTERS

16. Truly he taught us
to love one another
His law is love
and his gospel is peace
Chains shall he break
for the slave is our brother
And in his name
all oppression shall cease
O Holy Night

17. And the government
will be upon his shoulders
and his name shall be called:
Wonderful! Counselor!
Almighty God!
The Everlasting Father!
The Prince of Peace!
For Unto Us a Child is Born

18. Joy to the world
the Savior reigns…
No more let sins
and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest
the ground
Joy to The World

20. By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
(1807-1882)
Christmas Bells

21. By Steven Curtis Chapman
(Released 2005)
I Heard the Bells
on Christmas Day

22. (Jesus): born your people to deliver,
born a child and yet a king;
born to reign in us forever,
now your gracious kingdom bring;
by your own eternal Spirit,
rule in all our hearts alone;
by your all sufficient merit,
raise us to your glorious throne. Amen.
Come Thou Long Expected Jesus