I was pretty happy with the following opening confessional that we're using today in the Cathedral Service.
Preparation for Worship
Opening Sentence (sitting)
Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.
A Decalogue Confession (kneeling)
Officiant: God said these words: I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You will have no other gods but me.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to love you with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
Officiant: You will not make for yourselves any graven image, not the likeness of anything in heaven above or in earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. You will not bow down to them nor worship them.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to keep away from idols of our making.
Officiant: You will not take the Name of the LORD your God in vain.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to where our yes is yes and our no is no. Then we need not swear at all.
Officiant: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts that everything we do we do with faith, nothing doubting.
Officiant: Honor your father and your mother.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to thanksgiving for all that has been given to us.
Officiant: You will not murder.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to love our neighbor as ourselves and neither to think or speak that which is hate.
Officiant: You will not commit adultery.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our thoughts and actions to faithfulness to that which is our one flesh.
Officiant: You will not steal.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to be thankful for all you have given us.
Officiant: You will not bear false witness against your neighbor.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to truth and deliver us from the temptation to speak falsely to our advantage and the disadvantage of others.
Officiant: You will not covet.
All: Lord, have mercy on us. Incline our hearts to be content in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves.
Officiant: Lord, have mercy on us.
People: Christ, have mercy on us.
Officiant: Lord, have mercy on us.
Affirmation of Forgiveness
Officiant: The Almighty and merciful Lord grant you forgiveness and remission of all your sins, true repentance, amendment of life, and the grace and consolation of his Holy Spirit.
All: Amen
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6 comments:
I was equally pleased. Incredible. I liked how you left plenty of time between each commandment for contemplation. That was a bit uncomfortable at first, but that's a good thing.
Wish I could have been there to particpate in it. I'm glad College Wesleyan has invested in such a venue of worship. I have no doubt it enriches the character the church and broadens the appeal of the church overall. Are there plans to keep the service going once the new building is completed? Or, will the added space transform all things into worship service ala Willow Creek?
They plan to keep the venues... and I hope they might actually invest in some prayer benches for us eventually!
Thanks for sharing this liturgy.
It strikes me that we often do not make us of the law to convict within the context of a worship service - and especially as Wesleyans who tend toward instruction. Thanks for sharing. I would like to use this sometime.
It strikes me that we often do not make us of the law to convict within the context of a worship service - and especially as Wesleyans who tend toward instruction. Thanks for sharing. I would like to use this sometime.
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