Act of Confession for Advent

Here’s a beautiful act of confession written for the second Sunday of Advent (December 4, 2011).  It was written by Thom Shuman.

Call to Confession

We can no longer play dumb. We not only know the lives we are called to lead, we are well aware of how we fail - through our words as well as our silence, by our deeds and our unwillingness to act. Let us confess to the God who comes to us,

Unison Prayer of Confession

You call us home to live with you, Comfort of the lost, but we are too busy right now to listen. We flock to the stores run by temptation and seduction, seeking the best prices. We rush to judge everyone around us, but ask you to be more patient with our repeated errors. We feast at the table piled high with broken promises and drink from the cup of fading dreams.

Yet you continue to cry out to us, Broken Heart, speaking to us of your love. Forgiveness is the gift for every moment, not just one day; hope is our constant companion as we journey with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, who is your Messenger of mercy.
Silence is kept

Assurance of Pardon

At the beginning, at the end, and in every time between,

the good news speaks to us of God's tender mercy and love for us.
God comes!

Not to punish, but to gift us with peace,

not to judge, but to save us.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

— written by Thom Shuman, and posted on his excellent Lectionary Liturgies website. Visit that site for other great lectionary-based worship resources.

For more worship resources for the second Sunday of Advent (December 4, 2011), click on Advent 2 in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page, or see this Advent Worship Resources Index.  

For other resources related to confession, click on Confession or words of assurance in the list of “Labels” at the lower right side of the page, or see the Confession & Assurance index at the upper right.