Cycle C Easter 7

5/12/2013 Confession

Sunday Title:  Prayer Sunday

Sermon Title: Pray Hard

Previously:

Sunday Title:  Unity Sunday

Sermon Title: Heritage in Word

Sunday Title:  Love (yes again) Sunday

Sermon Title: "Love and Unity”

Scripture Cuttings:

Acts 16:16-34 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

Psalm 97 The heavens tell about his righteousness, and all the people of the world see his glory.

Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21 The one who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon. “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

John 17:20-26 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Confession:

All may make the sign of the cross in remembrance of baptism

as the presiding minister begins:

P:  In the Name of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen

P:  Together let us open our hearts to our loving God.

    (pause for honest reflection)

P:  Oh Lord...

C: we are in this room together,

  but we set aside unity for self-interest,

    we set aside unity for self-righteousness,

      we set aside unity in our self-absorption.

Jesus prayed that we might be one…

  we forget.

“The Holy Spirit makes us one”

  yet we do not say this as hope and vision

    but as an excuse to cement division.

We have lost your Love in our disunity.

Forgive us the sins we confess

Save us from what we withhold (Pause for reflection)

P:  In love the heavenly Father sends to us his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. In love Christ died for our sins. We are forgiven. Because he rises from the dead we are strengthened in his love so we may rise from our sins and walk in the way the world will see the Love of God. All to glory of the Father, and the Son, + and the Holy Spirit.

C: Amen. -wjw

P:  Christ is risen!

C: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

P:  The peace of the Lord be with you always!

C: And also with you!