Service of Prayer for Christian Unity:
Sermon Texts: John 17:6-26, 1 Corinthians 11:17-13:13
Prayer of Confession:
Leader: God, we confess that in our hard-heartedness,
we have become
quite skilled at undermining the unity that You desire
for us.
People: We have
become adept at withholding love from one another
and
from a vast array of people who differ from us in one
aspect
or another.
Leader: Forgive us!
People: Transform
us!
Leader: Remove every obstacle that we have erected in
our hearts or in our
environment to keep us from loving others as You have
loved us.
People: Remove
from our memories every hateful word and name that
we
have used to diminish the humanity of others.
Leader: Unshackle us from our
pride, envy and greed.
People: Unshackle
us from our prejudices and our fear of the “other”
whom
we have been taught to see as
a threat to us.
Leader: Liberate us to practice love that is both
vulnerable and tenacious.
People: Liberate
us to practice welcome and generosity that embraces
and
shares with others beyond our lingering fears.
Leader: May our choices and actions be an answer to
Jesus’ prayer that we
may all be one in communion with You and with each other.
People: May we
practice the most excellent way of self-giving love that
Jesus
has modeled for us.
All: Amen! Amen!
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