Call to Confession: 

Each week we take a minute to practice a prayer of confession together.  It is a way we still our hearts before God, take seriously our sin, practice confessing together, and then we rejoice in the knowledge that we are already forgiven because of Jesus.  Today we celebrate as we celebrate Easter, let’s prepare our hearts for this time of confession by be reminded of these words Jesus spoke in John 14:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Prayer of Confession: 

Loving God,

We confess that at times we do not share in the joy of the resurrection but are instead caught up in the worries of the world.  We confess that we do not always live in the spirit of new life, but remain distant, grumbling, and anxious.

Forgive us for not sharing in the Good News.  Forgive us when we find it more comfortable to worry and complain than risk the joy and encouragement of new life in our Savior Jesus.

Call us back to you, God.  Remind us that you are the way, and the truth, and the life.  Help us to seek hope, restoration, and peace in light of you and extend it to those around us.  In the name of our Risen Christ we pray, Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: 

In the scriptures we find assurances of our forgiveness and encouragement in our walk. So hear these words from Isaiah 25, and rest in its truth for us today:

Surely this is our God;

    we trusted in him, and he saved us.

This is the Lord, we trusted in him;

    let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.