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Confession: Faithfulness

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based on Daniel 6
God, you are always faithful.
We confess that we have not always been faithful to you.
You call us to stand up for what is right,
but we go along with what other people are doing.
Forgive us.
Give us courage to do what you ask,
even when it is unpopular or scary.
Help us to be faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Amen.
submitted by Rev. Nathan Williams (he/him), Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA

confession for Advent: true peace

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Recognizing our need for true peace,
both with others and within our own selves,
let us confess those ways we have distanced ourselves from God.

Gracious God,
how often we settle for a ‘glittery greeting card’ kind of peace,
or the worn-out kind of peace that lingers
when all the wrapping paper has been recycled
and the good-byes have been said.
But in our hearts, we long for something more,
a strong and lasting peace:
when families are reconciled,
when the world’s divisions are healed,
and human dignity is restored to all.
We dream of a peace to come
when all people will love mercy,
seek justice,
and walk humbly with you each day.
Heavenly One, forgive our tendency
to make this season about shopping for gifts
rather than the priceless gift of grace, peace, and reconciliation
you have already provided.
In your mercy, hear our prayers…

The peace of Christ surpasses our understanding;
receive it, celebrate it and live into it with joy!

submitted by Jerie Lukefahr, First Presbyterian Church, Fernandina Beach, FL

Confession: invitation

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Call to Confession
Friends, the invitation list to the Lord’s Table
is larger than any of us could ever imagine.
Let us confess the ways in which we have sought to limit that invitation.

Confession
God of Hospitality and Wonder,
you welcome us to a table that invites those who are different than us.
This invitation has made us uncomfortable, unsettled, and defensive.
Our discomfort comes from an unwillingness to see other peoples’ perspectives.
Our unsettledness comes from a dependence on the status quo.
Our defensiveness comes from a belief that our image of you is the only one that matters.
Help us to surrender ourselves to the abundance of your invitation.
Inspire us to embrace the fact that diversity is strength, not weakness.
Gather us to welcome the stranger, care for the oppressed, and feed the hungry.
Forgive us for our short-sightedness and open us to your Gospel
that we might better embody the Beloved Community you call us to be.
In the Wild and Wonderful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon
Friends, we are ALL invited to this table.
I am here to announce to you
that whatever you think disqualifies you from God’s love
has been washed away by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
I announce to you that our sins have been forgiven.
Alleluia! Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Stephen M. Fearing, Beaumont Presbyterian Church, Lexington, KY

prayer of confession: make us courageous servants

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God of justice,
in baptism you anointed us
to live boldly in the reality of your coming kingdom.
We confess that we have not fulfilled our calling.
We have not used your power to serve our neighbors.
We have walked away from oppression and injustice.
We have turned our backs on your beloved children
who hunger and thirst in a world of plenty.
Forgive us, Lord.
Make us courageous servants
of your justice, peace, and wholeness,
in Jesus’ name. Amen.

based on 2 Samuel 5

submitted by Rev. Nathan Williams, Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines,  IA

Confession: other powers

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O God, our protector, we take refuge in you;
you alone are the source of all our good.
We seek to be counted among the godly and upright,
but we confess that we have run after other powers,
and we have brought trouble upon ourselves and others.

O Lord, our portion and our cup,
you sustain us and lead us in good and pleasant ways.
We confess that we have trusted in false wisdom
and set our hearts on short-sighted desires.

Forgive us, God our life.
Help us set you always before us,
and sustain us in your righteousness.
Let our hearts be glad, our spirits rejoice,
and our bodies rest in hope,
for you do not abandon us to our sin
or let your chosen ones dwell in the pit.
In Christ you show us the path of life;
you welcome us into the joy of your presence;
you feed us with pleasures forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Nathan Williams, Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA