Prayer of Repentance: A 21st Century Worship Resource for the Second Sunday of Advent, Year B

Prayer of Repentance
(Based on Isaiah 40:1-11)

Leader: Comfort us now, most Holy God. Speak tenderly to us and hear our cry.

All: For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Leader: Lord, we come to you broken and repentant.

All: O God, heal our brokenness and forgive us our sins.

Leader: Lift us, O Lord, from the depths of despair. We repent, and ask that our sins be forgiven.

All: Almighty God, forgive us for our sins.

(Silence)

Words of Assurance

Leader: Lift up your voices, O people of God.
Stand tall and lift your voices in triumph.
See, the Lord comes in victory and might.
His reward is salvation to all who believe.
The Glory of the Lord has been revealed!
And His mouth has spoken victory and grace!

All: Thank you, O God, for loving us, for comforting us,
for healing us, for forgiving us and for lifting us up
to greet another day.

About the Author: The Rev. Ruth Williams is an ordained Local Deacon with the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of Kairos Community AME Church, Nashville, Tennessee. Her educational background includes a B.S. in Journalism and an Ed.M. in Secondary and Continuing Education from the University of Illinois, Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, and an M.Div. from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.

21st Century Worship Resources: Prayer of Repentance, Copyright © 2008, 2011Ruth Williams. All Rights Reserved. Posted with permission on the Discipleship Ministries Worship website.