The document contains an opening prayer asking God to shape people's spirits through Christ's power so they can live with compassion and justice. It also contains several quotes and passages about hope, justice, God's coming kingdom, and living with expectation of God's fulfillment and mercy. The closing prayer asks God to rain down mercy so people can stand in awe of God's deeds and yearn for the coming day of the Lord without blame.

1. Opening Prayer
Creator of the world,
you are the potter, we are the clay,
and you form us in your image.
Shape our spirits by Christ's transforming power,
that as one people we may live out
your compassion and justice,
whole and sound in the
realm of your peace.
Amen.

2. the CHURCH
CALENDAR

4. To the one who lives
in chronic hopelessness,
consequences mean nothing.
Brenda Council

5. You’re supposed to feel the wait,
the anticipated arrival of something
you want so badly, and by feeling
the wait deeply, you’ll be even
more satisfied by the celebration
of the arrival on Christmas Day.
At least that’s the hope.

6. Now faith is the assurance of things
hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1

7. …to the hungry soul
even what is bitter
tastes sweet.
Proverbs 27:7b

8. In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations
shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, "Come,
let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach
us his ways and that we may walk in his paths."
For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 2:1-3

9. He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob, come, let us walk
in the light of the LORD!
Isaiah 2:4-5

10. Richard Rohr
The suffering, injustice
and devastation on this planet
are too great to settle
for any infantile gospel
or any infantile Jesus.

11. Richard Rohr
Our “Come, Lord Jesus!”
(the very last words of the Bible)
is not a cry of desperation,
but an assured shout
of cosmic hope.

12. To each and all we bring this (word):
God will come, and God’s justice will prevail,
and God will destroy evil and pain in all its forms, once
and forever. To be a Christian is to live in expectation of
that fulfillment. The life of the church, lived in solidarity
with those in darkness, carries
with it the embodiment of a certainty: when God
comes again, it will be the God of Mercy and
no one else, and it will be morning. Amen.
Fleming Rutledge

13. Closing Prayer
God of justice and peace,
from the heavens you rain down mercy and kindness,
that all on earth may stand in awe and wonder
before your marvelous deeds. Raise our heads
in expectation, that we may yearn for the
coming day of the Lord and stand without blame
before your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns
with you, One God, for ever and ever.
Amen.