The Confessing Church

As Reformation Day (the Sunday we remember/memorialize/celebrate Martin Luther's act of nailing his 95 theses to the door of the church -- a conversation for another post) suddenly looms large, I've been seeking a confession for the church. Turning up empty in searches through my print resources, I turned to Google. I found many pages on Catholic confession, why to confess, the necessity (or lack thereof) of confession. I found a few on The Confessing Church. I have yet to find a resource that helps us, as church, confess our sins. That is, a confession of our sins as church. As such, I will do my best to create something holy. Use in worship as appropriate to your context, with credit given, please.

Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God,
Who, in loving, inspires life,
Who, in serving, inspires healing,
Who, in breathing, inspires peace.
Amen.


As a church inspired by God but built by humans, we at times preach and teach wrongly, cast God's children aside, claim infallibility for ourselves, and become complacent in our routines. Let us examine both ourselves and the Church, that we might continually repent of our sin and open ourselves to be re-formed in the image of God.

Silence for reflection.

God who judges with mercy, to you we make our confession:

For believing ourselves to be right and judging others, we confess.
For teaching through words or actions that your love is conditional, we confess.
For using your Word to crush instead of build up our brothers and sisters, we confess.
For forgetting our own humanness and fallibility, we confess.
For our insensitivity and thoughtlessness, we confess.
For failing to stand up for the rights of all people, we confess.
For our lack of courage to be your prophetic church, we confess.
For our apathy and refusal to be your manifestation in the world, we confess.
For our unwillingness to share the good news of your grace with all of your children, we confess.

God of mercy,  
humble your Church. Remind us again that we are stewards of your good news. Build us up to truly manifest your healing grace extended to all the world. Grant us the courage to speak your Word, and the humility to do so with care. Re-form us in your image, and send us out with peace in our hearts and joy in our spirit. We pray with confidence in the Triune Name of God, Amen.

We are reconciled to God through Christ,
and reformed through the movement of the Spirit.
With mercy and love, God + forgives our sin and draws us into one,
a holy and healing community of grace,
that we might find freedom and peace for the journey.
Amen.