This prayer of confession (which I feel still needs some work) is inspired by the 2nd of the six Great Ends of the Church found in section G-1.0200 of the Book of Order of the Presbyterian Church (USA) – “the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God” – and the beloved children’s poem, “Here is the church…Here is the steeple…Open the doors and see all the people.” (Author unknown)
Nourishing God…
we are called to be your welcoming church,
and yet, most of the time, we keep our doors locked;
we are called to be a beacon of hope in our community,
and yet, we worry about the energy it takes to keep our lights shining;
we are called to be your life-changing people,
and yet, often, we prefer to maintain our own comfort.
Remind us, again, that the church is not a steeple
standing tall, without the faithfulness and comittment of the people.
Unlock the doors of our hearts and minds…
Fill us with renewed energy…
And give us the courage to take risks…
even now…as we offer our silent confessions…
Submitted by Scott Cervas, pastor at Meadowthorpe Presbyterian Church (Lexington, KY)
recent comments