A Christmas Confession

Our Father in heaven,

We acknowledge that the only reason you would send a saviour is because we need saving…

You have been merciful to us.

You have performed mighty deeds so that we may know of your mercy.

You have redeemed your people.

You have saved and rescued us.

We confess to you our brokenness;

Our wilful rebellion;

Our toxic words;

Our self-centred actions;

Our desire to shake off the boundaries that you define;

Our attempt to live as if you are not there;

Our lack of compassion for those who need;

Our contempt for those different to ourselves;

Our indifference to the poor.

Forgive us and be merciful to us

Be merciful to our city.

Be merciful to our nation

Be merciful to our world

Remember your covenant to us.

Give us new hearts.

Give us your Spirit.

Forgive us

And make us like your Son Jesus.

We pray these things through our Immanuel, Jesus Christ, God with us

Amen

Christmas Blessing

May the joy of the angels be the song of your heart:

May the reality of Jesus birth, give you confidence in a world of despair:

May the favour of God provide you with security in this fragile life:

May the promises of God assure you of his love and unchanging commitment:

And may the sovereignty of God offer you peace in a world of conflict:

May the death of Jesus bring you forgiveness from your sin: release from your shame and confidence in your fear

May his resurrection give you the hope of life eternal:

And may his triumph over death remind you that there is coming a day when you will see him face to face…

Merry Christmas

Our God is for us

Our giving Father,

You are for us; who could possibly oppose us.

You have given us your son; there is nothing more precious that you could supply.

You have justified us; who shall convict us.

Christ intercedes for us; who shall condemn us.

We are downtrodden; but nothing will separate us from your love.

Attached to you we are hyper-conquerors.

Thank you.

Amen

Adopted

Father you have loved us;

Set your seal upon us;

Chosen to live in us;

Made us to belong to you;

Taken us as sons and daughter;

Redeemed our bodies;

Filled us with hope;

Inhabited our prayers;

Given us life;

And given us an inheritance.

We thank you that we are loved indeed.

Advent Confession

O promised Christ:

We are a sinful people;

Our pardon depends upon your grace.

We are a world in darkness;

Our light depends upon your word.

We are a world in death;

Our existence depends upon your life.

We are a world under wrath;

Our salvation depends upon your mercy.

We are a world at war;

Our peace depends upon your coming.

We are full of good intentions but unable to do them.

We make promises to ourselves in the moments of strength that we do not keep in the moments of weakness.

We are intentionally and wilfully rebellious.

We do not regard sin as serious or Christ as precious.

Forgive us we pray.

Forgive us most of all our self-sufficiency

That we do not long for relationship with you;

We do not long for a messiah or a father;

And we do not look for salvation.

Forgive us we pray.

You have come in humility, suffering and death.

And you are coming again in power and victory.

And so we live, waiting,

looking backwards towards the manger and the cross.

And looking forwards to the day when

Our hope will become sight

Our darkness, light

Our tears, joy

Our death, life

And our sin defeated by your grace.

Come, Lord Jesus come.

Amen.