These unison confessional prayers were created to accompany the sermon series The Apostles’ Creed: Ancient Words, Fresh Faith. You are welcome to use or adapt these liturgies for worship, with credit. When printing these liturgies, please use the following credit line: “Prayer by Rev. Carol Holbrook Prickett.”
Week 1: “God”
Almighty God, forgive us
for how large the chasm is
between what we mean to do
and what we actually do;
between what we believe
and how we live.
Give us the integrity, Lord,
to walk the walk,
and to glorify you
in all we say and do.
In your holy name we pray. Amen.
Week 2: “Jesus Christ”
Merciful Christ, forgive us
when we ignore your call to follow you,
stray from your teachings,
jockey for power and privilege,
and deny all that you are.
Give us the same grace
you gave your first wayward disciples:
the gift of your presence,
the gift of your correction,
the gift of your forgiveness,
and the gift of your spirit.
Guide us ever more into living in your image,
becoming like the Christ we love.
In your saving name we pray. Amen.
Week 3: “The Holy Ghost”
God of mystery,
the wind blows and we hear the sound,
but we do not know where it comes from.
So does the Spirit confound and astound us.
Yet we ignore the Spirit’s power,
deny the Spirit’s direction,
and swat away the Spirit’s urgings.
We prefer the convenient, the safe, and the known.
Give us the courage, Lord, to follow
wherever the wind of the Spirit may blow;
the freedom to live transformed lives;
the faith to fall in love with the Holy Unknown
.In your great name we pray. Amen.
Week 4: “The Holy Catholic Church”
Merciful Christ, when it comes to your Church
we need buckets of forgiveness.
We have built straw houses
on the rock of your foundation.
We have been quick to anger and slow to forgive.
We have championed division.
We have been petty and possessive,
built walls instead of bridges,
and made an art of self-righteousness.
Holy Spirit, blow through your church anew.
Burn away all that is not holy in the Church universal,
everything that is not done to the glory of God
everything that is not done out of love for your world.
We pray in your name—your name we all adore. Amen.
Week 5: “The Communion of Saints”
Merciful Christ, we confess
that we have fallen short
of all that “holy” means.
You have set us apart for your service,
but we have followed the crowd.
You have called us to live in fellowship,
but we have demanded our own ways.
You have drawn us together in love,
but we have drawn lines to exclude.
Help us to hunger for your holiness again:
holiness that holds fast to all that is good,
holiness that follows in your own loving footsteps.
In your holy name we pray. Amen.
Week 6: “The Forgiveness of Sins”
Merciful God, we confess
that we struggle with forgiveness.
It’s hard to forgive.
It’s hard to be forgiven.
It’s hard to offer forgiveness,
and hard to ask for it.
And even offered and received,
it’s hard to believe forgiveness is real.
Lord, teach us to forgive as you forgive,
not grudgingly, but out of an abundance of love
and a belief in the power of mercy
to redeem and transform the world. Amen.
Week 7: “The Resurrection of the Body, and the Life Everlasting”
Gracious God, forgive us for living
like tomorrow doesn’t matter.
For abusing creation,
neglecting relationships,
exhausting ourselves,
putting faith last.
Teach us to live as if our labors aren’t for nothing
but are part of your eternal purpose to redeem the world.
Invite us into your resurrection life.
In the name of Christ, who paved the way.
Amen. (time for silent confession)
Deep Well Worship 