Prayers of Thanksgiving and Confession: 2nd Circuit Cyber Church 5th April 2020 - Palm Sunday

We gather here in your space O Lord, scattered yet united,

Offering praise and thanksgiving, for your steadfast love endures forever,

We gather here in your time O Lord, isolated yet interdependent,

Offering praise and thanksgiving for your steadfast love endures for ever,

We celebrate the arrival of Jesus on a donkey as a humble king and as a servant king,

We thank you Jesus for you have come to turn the world upside down, only to serve and not to be served,

We thank you for assuring us in Jesus your presence to be with us at all times and in all situations,

We thank you for the unheard hosannas today that we hear in our claps for our keyworkers,

We thank you Jesus, that you on that Palm Sunday parade to Jerusalem were silent amidst the shouts of the crowd, perhaps praying to God to hear the hosannas of the people and save them,

We thank you Jesus for inviting us to join with you in your journey for justice, dignity, liberation and salvation.

With that sense of gratitude, we also gather at your space to confess for our shortcomings and sins,

Lord Jesus, you have come into this world to show alternative kingship,

Forgive us when we become complacent, when change is difficult and we give up, - Hosanna save us

Merciful God, forgive us for we have over-emphasised on the shouts of hosanna and the processions for hosannas and not on the actions of hosanna, for it is actions of prayers and kindness that matters to you – Hosanna save us.

Creative God, forgive us for when our world around us has become an infected space due to the virus, we have repeated the same old ways of doing church and for not being bold in doing church differently. Help us to be a church relevant in our theology and practice for today – Hosanna save us.

Compassionate God, you came to meet us where we are. Forgive us, we don’t stand with each other through the pain and struggle. Help us to change the world by serving one another – Hosanna save us

Create in us a new vision for our churches at a time like this, create in us a new heart to receive the gospel in new ways, and restore unto us the joy of your salvation. Fill us with your love and with your grace – Hosanna save us.

Benediction:

As we leave this place, may we go in and with the peace of Jesus Christ,

a peace that grants healing to this world infected by Coronavirus,

a peace that grants strength to cope with our isolation and support in our physical and mental well-being,

a peace that grants compassion in caring for one another in prayer and in kindness,

a peace that helps to turn our shouts of hosannas to actions of hosannas

May the blessing of God our creator, God our healer and God our comforter be with us all today and grant us a meaningful time during this Holy Week. Amen.