For Sunday

Reading of the Law of God

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6.25-30

Confession of Sin

Our Father, we live among a people who are very anxious. And sometimes we act like them. We act like them when we do not believe You when You tell us that You will meet our every need. We recognize that our lack of trust is a great insult to You. It is only because of what Jesus has done that we are so bold to ask You to forgive this offense. We also ask that You would change us so that we would always believe You and Your great promises of love. Amen

Declaration of Pardon

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, “‘Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Jeremiah 3:12

May the God of love and power forgive you and free you from your sins, heal and strengthen you by his Spirit, and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord.

The Book of Common Prayer