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Episcopal Priest Phillips Brooks served the Holy Trinity Church in Philadelphia during the Civil War. After the war he traveled to Israel and on Christmas Eve 1865 he was sitting on a hill overlooking the town of Bethlehem.

Upon his return he penned the Christmas Carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”

It’s the fourth verse that serves as our prayer this day, in this season of Advent as we anticipate the coming of the newborn King - Jesus Christ!

Let us use these words from Phillips Brooks that formed the fourth verse as our prayer for today and this Christmas season…

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
Descend to us, we pray;
Cast out our sin and enter in;
be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels,
The great glad tidings tell;
O come to guys, abide with us, 
our Lord Emmanuel!

Grace and peace, 
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!