Joyce Wilkinson forwards this wonderful Advent wreath liturgy for global poverty... as you'll note from her email below, some of the wording needs to be adjusted because of the calendar, but that shouldn't be so hard. Mike Kinman

Advent Wreath Prayer: Week 1

Leader: For unto us a child is born...
Isaiah 9:6

Let us prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus by remembering all of the children who are born to us somewhere in the world every day who suffer from poverty and hunger, who are our brothers and sisters, who are the least among us, whom Jesus taught us to love.

Sing first verse and chorus of "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel", or sing "Come Lord Jesus"

As the first purple candle is lit, the reader reads:

To have hope
Is to believe that history continues open
To the dream of God and to human creativity.

Leader: Emmanuel we wait in joyful hope to celebrate your presence among us. Throughout this week, which includes World AIDS Day, we pray especially for the 40 million people who are living with AIDS throughout the world, mainly in developing countries. And we recall also the 15 million children in the world who have lost one or both parents to AIDS. We know that you are with them and that you call us to join you.

All: Help us to be a light of hope in the darkness. Help us to stand with those who live in poverty, to lift their voices and to proclaim their dignity. Amen.

To download of copy of this prayer, please click here