COnfession/Assurance and Blessing

I will be out of town until Thursday next week and so have already done next week's bulletin. With the extra lead time I actually wrote some of the stuff and thought I'd share them. They go with a sermon titled "The Word Lives -- and Cuts"

PRAYER OF CONFESSION/ASSURANCE OF PARDON
God who spoke at the beginning, your Word continues to live and inspire.
But sometimes we crowd it out with words of our own.
And yet you continue to speak a Word that calls us to New Life.
But we pretend not to hear, we are comfortable in the old.
And so sometimes you offer a Word that cuts us to the core with challenge or rebuke.
Leaving us to choose whether to respond or to walk away.
Gracious God, Living Word, open our ears to hear you again.
Living Word, forgive our deafness or inattention.
...time of reflection…
The Word of God does live with and among us. God is still speaking and will continue to speak. The Word brings not only challenge but blessing, not only rebuke but forgiveness.
We are a forgiven people. Thanks be to God! Amen

COMMISSIONING AND BENEDICTION
The Word lives in you as you go out from worship.
We go to share the Word of hope and promise with the world.
And may the Speaker, the Word, and the Spirit go with you in all your ways.
Amen.

ADD October 8:

Opening thoughts for this Sermon have now been posted at Riverview Rolls On.