Merry Christmas from our Partner ARDF

We wanted to share with you this amazing Christmas card that we received from The Anglican Relief and Development Fund (ARDF), featuring calligraphy from ARDF staff member Emily Misner! ARDF is the official international relief and development arm of the Anglican Church in North America, partnering with local communities and churches to work about positive change in a variety of public sectors including health, food security, education, and vocational training.

As we contemplate the imminent coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we invite you to pray along with us the liturgy from the New Zealand Anglican Prayer Book, which was enclosed in the card:

Creator God,

We praise you for your love in coming to us,

unworthy though we are.

Give us grace to accept the Christ who comes in your name,

and the courage to be Christ for others.

*

We praise and thank you, Creator God,

for you have not left us alone.

Each year you come to us, Emmanuel,

God with us in a manger.

Each time you come to us

in the broken bread and the cup we share.

In time or out of time you will be revealed

and we shall see you face to face.

*

Give us courage, God our strength,

to see your Christ in all who suffer,

to be hands to the helpless,

food for the hungry,

and rescue for the oppressed.