Advent discipleship group: week 5

CHRISTMAS             Overflowing gladness and praise

[This fifth conversation is intended to take place at some point over Christmas.]

We light all four Advent candles, and the Christmas candle

Opening prayer

Blessed are you, sovereign Lord, King of peace:

to you be praise and glory for ever.

The new light of your incarnate Word

gives gladness in our sorrow,

and a presence in our isolation.

Fill our lives with your light,

until they overflow with gladness and praise.

Blessed be God for ever.

Conversation starter

Optional props: a selection of Christmas cards and letters received in recent weeks.

What was your favourite Christmas card this year, and why?

Bible passage

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:1-11

Explore

What are you thankful for, this Christmas?

Where have you known gladness in sorrow and presence in isolation?

How might we hold one another in our hearts, and so share in God’s grace?

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus, Light of light,

you have come among us.

Help us who live by your light

to shine as lights in your world.

Glory to God in the highest.

Amen.