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confession: we forget

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O God, every breath we take should be a reminder of your life giving Spirit! And yet, in the midst of our lives busy-ness, we often forget to give you praise  – or even to think of you at all. Be such a force in our lives that we cannot forget you. Shine through us, Holy One, that we might also show the world your grace and love. In your name we pray – Amen.

 
This was used in a service dedicated to the third great end of the church – Divine Worship. It would be useful in many other settings too.
 
Submitted by Rev. Lucus Keppel, Ancho Community & Corona United Presbyterian Churches, New Mexico

confession

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With out feet still wet from the waters of our baptism, we have sinned yet again.  Ever dependent on the grace of God, let us affirm our brokenness and trust God’s goodness to carry us through to a new day, with a new name, and a new song.

God of our baptismal waters,
You sent the Baptist to point to your Son.
But too often, we abandon his message and point only to ourselves.
We point to our worship preferences rather than the God we worship.
We point to our status rather than the grace that makes us all equal.
We point to our values rather than the One who has always valued everyone.
We point to our traditions rather than to the One who calls us to let go.
We point to our past rather than to the One who calls us into the future.
Forgive us, Lord, for pointing in all the wrong directions.

(A sung kyrie and/or a time for silent confession can be made)

God of our baptismal hope,
Forgive us when we do not wait patiently for your direction.
Forgive us when we are too patient with our misdirection.
Hold our gaze on your baptismal promise
sealed in the life, death, and resurrection of your Son.
Through the power of your Spirit,
give us the courage to speak what we have seen
and point to the One who takes away the sins of the world.
In the name of your son, Jesus Christ, we pray.

 

Submitted by Stephen Fearing.

confession: seduced by control

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Call to Confession

God longs for relationship, and through relationship to transform the world into the kingdom. When we confess our sin, we find our relationship with God renewed and our life turned again to God’s way. Let us pray together.

Prayer of Confession

God, we think we know what you want, and we try our best to follow the rules. So often, though, we are seduced by our own desire for answers, for black-and-white lists of do’s and don’ts. We like to believe we can earn, or even buy, our way into your kingdom. We confess our need to control, and pray for your forgiveness when we impose our rules on you and on others. We confess that we like things the way we are, and pray for your forgiveness when the status quo keeps some away from you, even as it benefits us. Turn over the tables in our hearts, minds, and churches, and make room for your grace to dwell.

~silence~

We pray in the name of the One who disrupts the world with love, Jesus the Christ.

Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness

Friends, hear this good news: only Christ is in a position to judge, and his very nature is mercy. If anyone is in Christ, the whole creation is made new, filled with hope and grace, infused with forgiveness. Thanks be to God. Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, the Presbyterian Church of Palatine, IL

confession: full to the brim

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One: Loving God, the world is full to the brim with your grace,
All: yet so often we see only what we do not have.

~silence~

One: Joyful God, you call us to glorify and enjoy you forever,
All: yet so often we insist that faith must be cut and dried, strait-laced, and serious.

~silence~

One: Calling God, you ask for obedience to your will,
All: yet so often we prefer our own way to yours.

~silence~

One: Forgive our faltering faith, O God.
All: Soften our hard hearts, unclench our grasping hands, and open our darkened eyes, that we may follow you into kingdom life. We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, who makes all things new. Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, the Presbyterian Church of Palatine, IL.

confession: come and see, go and tell

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You call us to come and see, and then to go and tell. So often we are looking the other way—away from your image shining in the face of another, away from your people in need, away from the things we would rather not see. So often our words are not of grace, justice, love, and peace, but rather words of hurt, exclusion, and fear. Forgive us for praying for vision while holding our eyes closed. Forgive us for holding firmly to the logs in our own eyes even as you offer us lenses to see what you see. Forgive us for keeping silent, and for speaking our own desires rather than yours. Give us courage to witness your glory and testify to your good news. Give us grace to admit our shortcomings and still point to you. Give us strength to follow you, wherever you might lead.

~silence~

You call us to come and see, then go and tell. Help us to follow in faith. Amen.