Prayer of Confession for Advent/Christmas

Lord of Christmas Peace,
we have done wrong.
We have tarnished the gift you gave freely.

We have buried you so deeply in our hearts, the world doesn't see you.
We have not followed Christ,
we have ignored your teachings,
we have lived lives of apathy
against your love,
we have built fences and fortresses to push people away,
and we have silenced the screams of those in need.

Forgive us, we pray.
Free us from our sin,
Free us from our captivity,
Free us to a life lived in Joy
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

The Rev. Nathan Decker is the pastor of the South Sussex Charge of the Petersburg District and a clergy member of the Virginia Annual Conference. His great love is the diversity and inspiration of God's creative nature in worship.