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confession: turn impatience into action

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Faithful God,

Just like our ancestors in the faith, we are impatient. They did not want to wander in the wilderness. We do not want to wait in traffic. Help us to turn our impatience into action. Focus our frustrations on the things that need to be changed. God, we do not want to wait any longer for an end to war. We do not want to wait any longer for an end to homelessness and hunger. We do not want to wait any longer for everyone to have enough. Kindle our righteous anger, O God, and move us toward acts of justice, so all may experience the saving love of your Son, our Savior. Amen.
submitted by Rev. Susannah DeBenedetto, Salisbury, Maryland

confession: everyone except ourselves

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Call to Confession

The kingdom of heaven is a realm of reconciling love. Trusting in the promise of reconciliation, let us acknowledge our sin before God.

 

Prayer of Confession

O God, King of glory and Lord of justice,
we confess that when we proclaim your coming,
we are quick to envision your judgment
for everyone except ourselves.
You know, more than we can admit,
how many times we have failed to serve you.
We have ignored you when you sit begging;
we have turned away when you starve to death;
we have been all too happy to let your suffering go unnoticed.
We have denied your sovereignty and exiled ourselves from the kingdom of heaven.

Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

 

Assurance of Grace

Sing with joy to the Lord,
because our righteous Judge
is our loving Redeemer.
I declare to you, in the name of Jesus Christ,
we are forgiven!

Thanks be to God!
By the power of the Holy Spirit
we will live in joy and mercy.

Submitted by Rev. Nathan Williams, Echo Hill Presbyterian Church, Cedar Rapids, IA

confession: quite a mess

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Prayer of Confession

We come to you conflicted, Lord. We want to be people who love well, turn the other cheek and generously share what you have given us. But we find ourselves needing to be right, striving to win the argument and keeping a tight grip on both our stuff and your good news. We are afraid to be vulnerable and frightened by too much honesty in others.  Gathered like this, we must look like quite a mess…  a mess that only your grace can put right.  We come in need of your faithfulness, your cleansing, your healing, your forgiveness.

             (silent personal reflection)

 

Open our eyes to your presence. Loosen our grip so that you might be in control.   Love us most clearly through the ones with whom we have fought, so that the body might regain health and wholeness.  Amen.

 

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, hear this good news: the One who started a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. The saving work of Christ is done, for you and for me. The reconciling work of Christ is happening in you, in me, among us.   In Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.  Amen. 

Submitted by Laura Viau.

confession: meek and mild v. selfishness and greed

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Oh Holy Child of Bethlehem, God who comes to us so small, we confess the overwhelming enormity of darkness that rules our lives.  As you came into the world meek and mild, light within us a powerful glow that casts out dim selfishness and greed. Form us in your way of generosity, grace, joy, hope and love, that we may welcome your light and bear it to the world.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Submitted by Rev. Elaine Murray Dreeben, Canyon Lake Presbyterian Church, Canyon Lake TX

confession: such a time as this

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Emanuel, God with us, we know it is Advent, yet we wonder what time it is. Is it time to clean out our homes and our hearts, or is it time to be filled with cider and sweetness? Is it time to sing out carols with candles, or is it time to call out in anguish and lament?
According to scripture, there is a time for every purpose, and we trust that you create us for such a time as this. Give us wisdom to read the signs of our times, whether signs of hope in our halls or protest in our streets. Give us faith to read in all of them signs of the tiny child, the Human One. Give us ears for any alarm set for his hour of peace on earth, quickly coming, and help us all to be there in time. Amen.

Silent Prayer

Assurance of Grace
Friends, Jesus comes so that God’s time might exist in our time, so that we might know the fullness of heaven here on earth. Let us live with eyes wide open! Thanks be to God!

Submitted by The Reverend Laura Cunningham, Nauraushaun Presbyterian Church, Pearl River NY