For Sunday

Reading of the Law of God

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20.4-6

Confession of Sin

Our Father, You are the one who gets to decide how we are to worship You. You have told us in Your Word the kinds of things that we are to do and not to do. But all too often we want to ignore Your Word and worship you in ways that we like and choose. You have warned us about the foolishness of doing this since You are a God who is jealous for His own honor. We ask that You would forgive us this sin for Jesus’ sake. By Your Spirit teach our hearts to submit to Your ways of worship so that You would receive the worship that is Your due. Amen.

Declaration of Pardon

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 1 Timothy 1.15

God, the Father of mercies, has reconciled the world to himself through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ, not counting our trespasses against us, but sending his Holy Spirit to shed abroad his love among us. By the ministry of reconciliation entrusted by Christ to his Church, receive his pardon and peace to stand before him in his strength alone, this day and evermore.

The Book of Common Prayer