Prayer of Confession, P+13A

Call to Confession

Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth—do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:18-19)

God is still doing a new thing.
God is still making a way.
And God invites us to release all that keeps us
from becoming who we were created to be. 

Trusting in the grace of God,
let us confess together:

Prayer of Confession

God of transformation,
you created us with gifts
and called us to use them.
But sometimes,
we would rather conform than stand apart.

We hide our gifts
when the world does not understand them.
We diminish ourselves
when others expect us to be something else.
We compare our gifts to those of others
and decide that ours are not enough.

Forgive us when we forget
that we belong to one another--
not because we are the same,
but because each of us has something to offer.

Renew our minds.
Transform our hearts.
Help us to discern what is good
and pleasing and whole.

Remind us who we are.
Remind us whose we are.
And give us the courage to be
exactly who you created us to be.

Assurance of God's Grace

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.
God's mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning.  (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Friends, hear the good news: 
God has not given up on us.
God is still renewing us,
still transforming us,
still calling forth the gifts within us.

In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven,
beloved,
and free to become
all that God created us to be.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Since God has forgiven us in Christ, let us also forgive one another.
The peace of Christ be with you.
Please extend the peace of Christ to all whom you encounter this week.