God of winter morning,

Of new day born from the waters of night;

A feeble cry from Mother Earth's horizon,

A murmured moan from lingering stars;

Infant soft, blue-veined is your child, Dawn.

Into the waiting arms of Your people

You gift this newness to us...

O God, help us to look with awe-laden eyes,

Let us hear with soft-edged hearts the first cries

of the New Year, of a new day,

that we may come running as if life,

fragile and tear-stained,

awaits us.

O Creator, lover of life,

What child has been born as Day this hour?

Stretched across heaven and earth,

Arms wide open

Waiting for us to return the embrace --

To count fingers and toes of light and rivers,

bird and flower,

woman, man, and child.

Straining to hear a whispered word --

A song of peace,

A hymn of promise,

A lullaby of justice.

God who was, now is, and will still be,

Show us the way of newness --

conceived by Your desire,

born of Your Love's labor,

made visible,

embraceable.

O Lord,

In this now toddling year,

we move, outstretched in hope, toward You.

Amen