a community creating for the relentless return of Sunday
Christmas God,
because you came to us as a helpless little baby,
we are reminded that each of us, young and old alike, are your children.
Through the incarnation of your Son, Jesus Christ,
the Word has been made flesh and light has shattered the darkness.
Bless this our worship and lead us to your everlasting light. Amen.
As we continue the season of Christmas,
let us confess our sins,
our actions and our inactions,
that are contrary to the kingdom of the newborn King.
Almighty God,
The verbs of Psalm 147 remind us of your actions:
you strengthen, bless, grant, fill, send, give, make, and declare.
But we confess that our verbs do not always match yours:
we argue, fight, lie, steal, oppress, ignore, refuse, and silence.
Forgive us, Lord, for what we’ve done to tarnish your holy name.
Give us courage, merciful God, to make our actions match yours.
Help us to shed our sin and join you in your redemptive work.
This we pray in your good and gracious name. Amen.
The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that our sin does not have the final word.
God will turn our mourning into joy, God will comfort us,
God will give us gladness for sorrow.
Friends, in the name of the Jesus Christ, you and I are forgiven!
Alleluia! Amen!
A new year begins, and with it new opportunities to preach the Gospel!
We give thanks to God for the year past,
and look with anticipation at what God will bring in the year to come.
God has destined us for adoption as God’s children,
the season of Christmas reminds us of the fulfillment of that adoption.
We are God’s children, and the Lord is our God!
In Christ, we have obtained an inheritance;
We, who have set our hope in Christ, live for the praise of his glory!
Come, let us worship the newborn King!
Holy God, your Son Jesus Christ grew in wisdom as a child.
Send your Spirit to this place that, in the reading of this scripture,
we may, too, grow in wisdom by the proclamation of your Word. Amen.
Call to Confession
Christ has been born and has come before us.
Now let us come before him and confess that which we have done
that is contrary to his peaceful kingdom on earth.
Prayer of Confession
We are told by your holy word to clothe ourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
But too often we clothe ourselves with hurtful garments;
we clothe ourselves instead with stubbornness, selfishness,
impatience, rudeness, and apathy.
Help us to clothe ourselves with love
that the peace of your son might rule in our hearts.
This we pray in your merciful and forgiving name. Amen.
Hear the Good News of the Gospel:
God has broken into our broken world
and saved us from ourselves.
With God’s help,
we are now able to put on clothes of righteousness and justice.
In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Alleluia! Amen!
Submitted by Rev. Stephen M Fearing, Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, NY.
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