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Hymns
Hymn GTG #620, “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven”
Hymn GTG #754, “Help Us Accept Each Other”
Call to Worship (based on Matthew 15:24-28)
Leader: Jesus has been sent to the lost sheep, the people of Israel.
People: Christ is the Good Shepherd!
Leader: Jesus has chosen to feed all who come to him in hunger.
People: Christ is the Bread of Life!
Leader: Jesus is here, ready to welcome us in!
People: Let us worship the Lord!
Call to Confession (based on Matthew 15:22, 28)
Leader: When we cry out to Jesus for mercy, Jesus offers healing, no matter who we are. Let us, then, turn to Christ so that the broken and sinful parts of ourselves might be healed according to his abundant mercy.
Prayer of Confession (based on Matthew 15:23)
You are invited to speak a word or short phrase that describes a personal or collective sin of which you repent and seek forgiveness.
When the gathered community is finished sharing, we pray together:
People: God of Compassion, we confess that we are not good siblings to our fellow humans. When someone comes to us begging for help, we do not see their need; we only see our own inconvenience. We are far more eager to send them away than to listen to them. We put ourselves first. Forgive us, O Lord, and help us to see our human siblings as you do, even if they are not “one of us”: with love - first, last, and always. In your mercy, hear our prayers…
(Silent prayers of personal confession)
Declaration of Forgiveness (based on Matthew 15:27)
Leader: It has been said that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall off their masters’ table. But we are not dogs, and our master does not offer us mere crumbs. The Lord is a God of compassionate abundance, and so I proclaim this Good News to you, now and always: in Christ’s name, we are all forgiven!
People: Thanks be to God!
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