Prayer of Confession and Assurance

from the service today at the Seward Memorial United Methodist Church.

Emptier of tombs, roller of stones, sender of angels, wiper of tears, breaker of bread, sharer of cup, bringer of grace, inspirer of beauty, source of wisom ... God of Easter, we draw near to you in prayer.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Look into our hearts and see the places where we need you the most... the places of regret and guilt, the places of fear and sadness, the places of sin and selfishness, the places of loneliness and despair.


Lord, hear our prayer.

Look into our hearts and see the places where we often forget you...the places of joy and accomplishments, the places of wonder and awe, the places of welcome and forgiveness, the places of learning and beauty.


Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord, we need you in good and bad...help us to trust in the names by which we know you, in the faith that proclaims our God to be a God of Easter, of renewal, of possibility, of promise, or life.


Lord, hear our prayer.

Not everything has been revealed to us, but this we do know: as God's children, we are blessed, we are loved, we are forgiven!

Our lives are transformed by the abundance of love that flows from Easter's empty tomb. Thanks be to God. Amen.