Call to Confession -- December 13, 2020

One of my great joys is getting to talk with high school students about life and faith. In one of these conversations, a high school senior said something that stuck with me and inspired these prayers. Note: only the call/assurance were written by me.

Call to Confession:

Confession is the beginning of the Christian life. When a bunch of our high schoolers virtually got together last week, we were reminded of that fact when Amy Stafford said this: “Too often religion feels like a litmus test of deserving.” I’ve been thinking about that ever since. Amy drew us back to something simple but essential: faith in Jesus Christ is not a catalog of our achievements but a way of being honest about our shortcomings. We are people of that promise. Let us confess our sins, first musically, then silently, and then as one.

(Sung Confession & Silent Confession)

Prayer of Confession (unison):

How many times, Lord Jesus, have you come to us unwelcomed? How often have you visited yet we have been too busy to notice,

spoken yet we have been too full of ourselves?

Change all our insensitive habits and help us to do better during this Advent.

Make us so sensitive to your immediate comings in the ups and downs of each ordinary day

that we shall be well prepared to welcome your final coming as a consummation of love and joy. For your love’s sake, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon:

Even when you think you don’t deserve it, even when it feels absurd or too good to be true. The Healer of the Universe was born, died, and rose again for us. We are forgiven. Amen.

These prayers were offered at Second Presbyterian Church, Indianapolis on December 13th, 2020. For a video, see below: