This Advent, Bishop Stephen is asking everyone in the diocese to pray together this simple prayer, suitable for use in homes and by church congregations, as we prepare together for Christmas in a season in which so many of us are facing serious challenges.
He said: “Many of us are worried and fearful about what we may face this winter, with rising bills and food prices and the continuing war in Ukraine. Often we think there is little we can do but so many people turn to prayer in times of great difficulty and find in it the comfort and strength to carry on. This simple prayer, for use in church schools and congregations and at home, encourages people to come together to pray, to acknowledge their fears, and find strength and solace.
“Advent is a time of waiting and preparing for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Through this prayer we are praying for Jesus, the light of the world, to lighten the darkness around us.”
- A video of the prayer for schools is available here, read by pupils at Winterbourne Earls CE primary school. It is also available in British Sign Language here.
- A video of the prayer for churches is available here and a British Sign Language version is available here.
Resources are also available on www.salisbury.anglican.org/advent.