LiturgyLink

a community creating for the relentless return of Sunday

You are here: Home / Archives for confession

confession

confession: on this Pentecost Sunday

By Leave a Comment

submitted by Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo, Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church, North Plainfield, NJ

On this Pentecost Sunday, we confess to You, O Lord –
our division, for we are not gathered together as Your people in one place;
our fear of the rush of your Spirit in our lives and what it might call us to do or to be;
our desire for a monolingual society,
even when you allowed the early church to transcend all language,
not favoring one over another;
our actions that can be like the crowds that taunt and torment,
mocking those who are filled with your Spirit that burns like fire and rushes like wind.
On this Pentecost Sunday, O Lord –
help us to let down our barriers to your Spirit;
guide us to live with joy, abandon, and faithfulness;
and create in us new hearts to be new people who worship only You.  Amen.

confession: Isaiah 55

By Leave a Comment

A prayer of confession for (World) Communion Sunday, based on Isaiah 55.
Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church

One: God, you call us to come share a rich feast
All: but we often choose to spend ourselves
for things that do not satisfy.
One: You call us to listen carefully and to delight in you,
All: but we often choose to look our own way
and impose our own will.
One: You call us to open our doors and our tables
to stranger as well as friend,
All: but we often choose to close
our doors and hearts to those unlike us.
One: You call us to seek you, to call on you, to find you near us,
All: but we often choose to ignore your cries
for justice and your plea for boundary-less love.
One: Your thoughts are higher than ours, O God,
and your ways are higher than our ways.
All: Forgive us,
Invite us again to your feast,
fill us with your word and your Spirit,
that we might go out in joy and come back in peace.
Amen.

prayer of confession: compassionate and gentle God

By 5 Comments

submitted by Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo, Watchung Avenue Presbyterian Church, North Plainfield, NJ

Compassionate and Gentle God,
you have created us in Love to be your people.
As we gather for worship,
we are reminded that we have lost sight of this Gift
and forgotten how to really love you.
We have worshipped other gods,
put our faith in the riches of this world,
and impressed ourselves with misguided power.
We have looked for help in the wrong places
and ignored the extravagances you lay before us.
Send your Spirit to come and breathe its life-sustaining and life-altering presence into us
in these moments of worship.
Send your Spirit of renewal and transformation.
Send your Spirit that up-ends our lives and sets us on a new path.
Send your Spirit, O Lord.
Hear our prayers
and remake us in Your image once again.
We pray these things in the name of the One who rose from the grave.

prayer of confession: keeping the commandments

By 1 Comment

submitted by Andy James, First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone, Queens, New York

connected to the gospel reading for Easter 6A, John 14:15-21

Gracious God, we love you,
but too often we do not keep your commandments.
We turn away from your path
and love our way of life more than we love you.
We love ourselves but forget to love our neighbors too.
Forgive our misdirected love.
Help us to respond to your love in new ways each and every day.
Strengthen us so that we may know your promises
and see your risen presence in Jesus Christ our Lord.

prayer: clarity

By Leave a Comment

A prayer for wholeness for Easter 4 (Psalm 23, John 10), combined with the day of prayer for Colombia.
Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, Ridgefield-Crystal Lake Presbyterian Church

One: Lord, we pray that we may have clarity of vision,
even when what we see is uncomfortable.
All: We pray that we may have clarity of hearing
as you call us to join your mission.
One: We pray that our hearts remain open to
seeing you in the others you call, from other places,
that there may be one flock, one shepherd.
All: We pray that our voices may sing,
proclaim truth and only speak words of love.
One: We pray that our feet always remain
“eager to bring the gospel of peace.”
All: Help us, O God, to step forward in confidence,
breaking down barriers and welcoming all people
into your life of shalom, of peace and healing. Amen.