confession

We remember – the erasing of populations

This litany of remembrance and confession arises from an Armenian Genocide Remembrance Service in Dublin, Ireland.  Each year, sadly, current cases of  ethnic or racial cleansing and other atrocities are added. In our Modern Time…is it forgotten? Will the horrors of human devastation ever lead to peace? We persist in remembering, lest we forget.  We […]

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Confession of destruction — United Methodist Church, USA

God, keeper of the atoms and stars, you made us collaborators in creation, but we have pilfered the secrets of ordered existence and justified their immoral use in the name of ‘security’ and ‘peace.’ We could say then that we didn’t know the consequences. Now we do know, but we are complacent and silent. Have […]

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Confession, you know us — Cara Heafey, UK

Confession and assurance God of love, you know us inside and out. With you there is no point in hiding or pretending. You invite us into your presence, and we come as we are. We confess that we often forget to listen for your voice. That moments of stillness are few. We hurry about with […]

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Our violent world, Confession, Advent 2 — Allison Goerke, USA

  In the second week of Advent, churches traditionally light the Candle of Peace.  This prayer of confession might be used in worship on Sunday with this explanation: Several denominations are ‘calling on congregations NOT to light their second Advent candle — in solidarity with all those who are suffering in the war between Israel […]

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Peace sign at Salisbury United Reformed Church, Ana Gobledale

Peace dwellers, prayer — Simon Cross, UK

A responsive prayer of intercession, confession and blessing Silence:  a diamond symbol (♦) indicates a short pause. One: God, we call to mind those that we love. All: May your people dwell in peace. ♦ One: We call to mind those that would call us enemies. All: May your people dwell in peace. ♦ One: […]

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Justice dwellers, prayer — Simon Cross, UK

A responsive prayer of intercession & confession Silence:  a diamond symbol (♦) indicates a short pause. One: God, we call to mind those unfairly imprisoned. All: May your people dwell in justice. ♦ One: We call to mind those who need help but cannot get it. All: May your people dwell in justice. ♦ One: […]

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Confession from my soul — William Stephenson, USA

‘Last week one of my daughters and I had a terrible argument, and we remain quite distant. It is from that event that this prayer poem surfaced.’ — William Stephenson O God, I come to you now, even when my heart has been closed to someone I love. Even as I am aware of the […]

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Confession of a Class-Bound Church — Amanda Udis-Kessler, USA

A Responsive Reading (could be read by two voices) One: Spirit of love and life, far too wildly inclusive to care what’s in our wallets, Many: We confess that we have failed to live up to your radical generosity. One: We have kept our religion to ourselves. Many: We have made ourselves comfortable with worship […]

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May compassion break out, prayer — Simon Cross, UK

A responsive prayer of intercession & confession Silence:  a diamond symbol (♦) indicates a short pause. One: God we call to mind situations of inequality and unfairness. All: May compassion break out amongst us. ♦ One: We call to mind those that live in fear of running out. All: May compassion break out amongst us. […]

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Climate Kairos is now! — Ana Gobledale, UK

The Climate Kairos passed. The crisis is now! We must act to restore God’s creation to a place of health and wholeness. Is it too late to make a difference? Can we fix the damage done? God, hear our prayer and spurn us into radical action. We have acted out of self-serving ignorance and frightening […]

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Reflection & confession of the Magi — Jim Burklo, USA

Reflection of the Magi A Christmas & Epiphany Poem What wisdom I have Awakens me to my blindness. I cannot see light itself What I know of light Is only an alluring shadow Of what it is and does. From billions of years away in space-time, Through darkness intervening, At its inconceivable speed The light […]

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Where is the Love? — John van de Laar, South Africa

Where is the love? Prayer of confession and intercession When we treat our faith as nothing more than a self-help system and you, God, as simply a cure for whatever ails us, Where is the love? When we use the gifts our planet gives us with little care for our wastefulness and destruction, Where is […]

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Bleak Gaia — Sam Goodman, UK

Bleak Gaia* A climate kairos worship resource responding to the climate crisis All at peace Slowly rotating Tomorrow creeps Procrastinating Swirled in mists Alone in space Where we exist On a wafer-thin face Clothed in blue Silently screaming And wrapped anew Resplendently dreaming Suspended and drifting A mountain of wealth And angels are lifting More […]

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New Beginning — William Stephenson, USA

God, who wanted and willed me into life, so often I come to you with needs to be met. Seldom I come with joy for all that has been given. Re-sensitize me today to the silent ministries of your quiet gifts, the rest and renewal of last night, the freshness and feeling of this morning, […]

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Autumn Prayers of Approach and Confession — Cara Heafey, UK

God our creator, The glory of this season reminds us of your artistry As nature displays a riot of colour: Bright berries on the hedgerows, Trees aflame with oranges and reds, Golden leaves carpeting the rich dark earth. Let all creation sing your praise! God our provider, The bounty of this season reminds us of […]

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Call of Compassion — John van de Laar, South Africa

If we’re honest, compassion does not come easy to us, God; We see others who struggle; those without homes, or food; those dying from curable diseases, simply because they can’t get access to the medicine they need; those who have lost loved ones through death or circumstance, and long for human companionship; those who are […]

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Lazarus Prayer — Ana & Tod Gobledale, UK

God, sometimes we feel like Lazarus—dirty, unclean, poor, with nothing to offer the world. And yet, sometimes we are guilty of acting like the rich man. Many things – wealth, possessions, beliefs, opinions, fears – can limit our hopes, limit our discipleship, and keep us from living and loving as you would have us. We […]

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Like Lazarus, prayer — Ana Gobledale, UK

Luke 16:1-13 Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 20) Year C God, sometimes we feel like Lazarus—dirty, unclean, poor, with nothing to offer the world. And yet, sometimes we are guilty of acting like the rich man. Many things – wealth, possessions, beliefs, opinions, fears – can limit our hopes, limit our discipleship, and keep us […]

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Prayer of Confession – Cara Heafey

Gracious God We confess our greed. To feed our insatiable appetites we have plundered the earth and its resources, stripped the forests, polluted the rivers, depleted the oceans, poisoned the soil, choked the good clean air. We take and hoard more than we need, leaving others without enough. We continue to feed the monsters that […]

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Help me stay awake, prayer — Cara Heafey, UK

Originally written for Good Friday Jesus, man of sorrows, give me the courage to be a faithful witness to those who are suffering. Help me to overcome my awkwardness and fear to sit with them among the ashes, and to stay alongside. Help me to not recoil from sickness or death, but to be a […]

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Prayer of Confession — Ana Gobledale, UK

Merciful God, we approach you asking for forgiveness, For healing and reconciliation To once again feel the power of your Love. As individuals and as a nation we have tempted fate. We have stretched our grasp with greed. We have protected our privacy with isolationism. We have ravaged your creation with entitlement. Forgive us. As […]

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Home musings — Ana Gobledale, UK

Home is where the heart is. We remember the bereaved. Home is where I lay my head at night. We remember those sleeping in the street. Home is the hotel midway between here and there. We remember the refugee. Home is the guestroom of friends. We remember the outcast. Home is the terrace house on […]

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Advent Confession — Cara Heafey, UK

When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem They found there was no room. We confess that in the midst of all our anxieties We have not made room in our hearts for others. We confess that, paralysed by fear, prejudice or apathy We have not made room in our homes for the stranger. We confess […]

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Called to Prayer — Ana Gobledale, Turkey

Written in Antalya, Turkey, upon hearing the 11:15 am call to prayer after a coach tour visit to a gold and gemstone showroom. Call to prayer slicing through the cold bended knee bended heart contrite God, in your mercy, hear our prayer. Gems of your earth Shining bling catch the eye catch the heart God, […]

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Autumn’s Bounty — Ana & Tod Gobledale, UK

A responsive prayer Luke 12:13-21 Provider of Life, creator of the earth and all that is in it, we lift our prayers of thanks to you For the beauty of the earth that surrounds us, For spring flowers that dazzle us and summer’s greenery that delights us, For autumn’s bounty that sustains us and prepares […]

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Bubble Prayer — Joan Smith, UK

Supplies:  Bubble-making paraphernalia Inside, individual small bubble liquid containers with wands suffice, as sold for weddings. Outside, any size bubble containers and wands will do.   An especially large wand might be used for a ‘big’ group prayer. Think about your week. What questions, worries or confessions do you have? What positives, joys and hopes do […]

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A Transplant’s eco-confession — Ana Gobledale, Australia

Each of us can act now to restore God’s creation to a place of health and wholeness. My neighbours may be a bit aghast at my commitment to return our ‘English’ garden to a sustainable form, a home for indigenous plants that need no extra water, an environment that is content with the rains that […]

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Creative cosmos dance — Stephen Best, UK

We open our hearts to The God that is within, around and beyond This God we know, glimpse and are yet to discover Whose voiceless words invite us Personally, intimately To a creative dance across the cosmos And yet this very magnificent God Is also waiting to be discovered in Refugee campsite, rundown shopping centre, […]

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Confession, Reign of Christ Sunday — Cara Heafey, UK

Jesus said, “My realm is not of this world.” And yet, we confess, sometimes we still get seduced by the values of empire: wealth and power and glory. Loving God, you see us as we are. You know our secret battles and all the ways in which we fail to live out your call upon […]

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I forget to breathe, a confession — Ana Gobledale, UK

My confession Spirit, remember me. Sometimes I forget to breathe, to pause. I race through the day. I forget to stop long enough to take a deep breath. I could blame the computer. I could blame pressures of work The importance of life’s tasks The necessity of chores. I know the wisdom of pausing. I […]

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Prayer of praise & confession–Juliet Kamanga, Zambia

Great and mighty you are, creator of heaven and earth and everything in it. We offer praise for your goodness and love, for forming us in your image and setting us over the whole world to serve you, our creator. But we disobeyed your will, and turned against each other. You have given us life […]

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Prayer of confession, Matthew 11 — Ana Gobledale, UK

Living One, we are your disciples – your hands and feet in the world today. In this time when we are staying away from one another, we sometimes feel extremely burdened, as if under a great weight. Truthfully, we have frequently been tempted to turn to fear and doubt, not trusting in your presence. We […]

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Prayer of approach & confession — Cara Heafey, UK

Prayers of approach and confession Loving God Our souls sing out in worship And all of creation bursts forth with praise! For you look with compassion on all who suffer. You shed tears of sorrow with those in grief. You reach down into the dark pit of hopelessness. You kneel in the dust to lift […]

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Transfiguration Confession — Thandiwe Dale-Ferguson, USA

Christ, Brother, Teacher, Friend, As we look upon your face transformed by the light of Love, we confess that we have chosen to walk in the darkness of fear, prejudice, selfishness, shame and pride. As we marvel at your ability to forgive and heal, reconcile and make new, we confess that we have chosen to […]

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Help us — Mary Carpenter, UK

Echos of the Jesus Prayer Loving God, we know that you forgive us our trespasses as we must forgive those who trespass against us. And yet how hard we find it to follow your loving example in our day to day lives. Help us to resist the temptations of revenge and retribution and turn instead […]

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Marked at Birth – Ana Gobledale, Zambia & UK

Born white Into privilege and power No hiding Birth mark Marked at birth Step into access Step into education Seen as a full wallet/purse Walking with a shadow Of responsibility Of oppression Of exploitation So many wrongs How many generations must pass To be free of the burden of the sins of our ancestors? To […]

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Opening prayer of praise and confession — Ian Kapembwa, Zambia

Almighty and everlasting creator, redeemer and sustainer of our lives, the true and only wise God, we thank you for the marvellous works of your hand. Indeed, they signify how great you are. The morphological design of earth describes the splendour of your beauty. Gracious and merciful God, despite your goodness toward humanity we have […]

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