Appendix
Confession of sin and absolution
FROM THE SERVICE WITH COMMUNION
Friends in Christ: Let us draw near to God our Father with a true heart to confess our sins, and ask him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
He máde heavên and earth.
I said, I will confess my sins to the Lord.
Then hé forgave the guilt of my sin.
Almighty God, merciful Father,
I, a poor helpless sinner,
confess to you all my sins,
and repent of all the evil I have done.
I have deeply displeased you
and deserve your punishment
in time and in eternity.
But I am sorry for my sins,
and I ask you,
for the sake of the holy innocent sufferings and death
of your dear Son Jesus Christ,
to be gracious and merciful to me. Amen.
I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart:
Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins?
I do.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed you from all your sins, and do you desire forgiveness in his name?
I do.
Do you intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God's presence, and to strive daily to lead a holy life, even as Christ has made you holy?
I do.
Upon your confession, I, as a called and ordained servant of the word, announce the grace of God to all of you. On behalf of my Lord Jesus Christ and by his command, I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit. God forbid that any of you who reject his grace and forgiveness by refusing to repent and believe, and your sins therefore remain unforgiven.
May he comfort you with his holy absolution, and strengthen you with his sacrament, that your joy may be full.
Peace be with you.
Amen.
OR
Christ gave to his church the authority to forgive the sins of those who repent, and to declare to those who do not repent that their sins are not forgiven. Therefore, upon your confession, I, as a called and ordained servant of the word, announce the grace of God to all of you, and on behalf of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
Amen.
FROM SERVICE WITHOUT COMMUNION
Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we confess to you that by nature we are sinful and unclean, and that we have sinned against you by thought, word and deed. Therefore we flee for refuge to your infinite mercy and plead for your grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ
Most merciful God, you have given your only Son to die for us: Have mercy on us, and for his sake grant us forgiveness of all our sins. By your Holy Spirit increase our knowledge of you and your will, and make us obedient to your word, so that by your grace we may come to eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, has had mercy on us, and has given his only Son to die for us, and for his sake forgives us all our sins. To those who believe in his name he has given the right to become children of God, and has given them his Holy Spirit. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved. Grant this, Lord, to us all.
Amen.
FROM THE SERVICE—ALTERNATIVE FORM
Friends in Christ: Let us confess our sins to God our Father and ask him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.
We confess that we are born in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have failed to do. We have not loved you with our whole heart, and we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves. We deserve your eternal punishment. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart:
Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins?
I do.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed you from all your sins, and do you desire forgiveness in his name?
I do.
Do you intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God's presence, and to strive daily to lead a holy life, even as Christ has made you holy?
I do.
As a called and ordained servant of the word, I announce the grace of God to all of you. On behalf of my Lord Jesus Christ, and by his command, I forgive the sins of all of you who repent and believe, in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
Amen.
FROM THE ORDER FOR CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION
Friends: Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted his holy supper to comfort those who confess their sins, and to strengthen those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Before we come to the Lord’s table, we should examine ourselves, as St Paul urges us. Yet when we examine ourselves in the light of God's holy commandments, we find that we are guilty and deserve to die. But our Lord Jesus Christ has had mercy on us. He took on himself our nature in order to fulfil God's law for us, and to save us from the sentence of death. He gives us his body and blood to eat and drink in this holy sacrament, so that we who believe his words may be assured of his forgiveness, live in him as he lives in us, and receive eternal life.
In this celebration we remember that Christ died for our sins and was raised for our justification, and so proclaim his death until he comes. Therefore, in thankfulness for what he has done, take up your cross, follow him, and love one another as he has loved us. For as we all share in this one bread and drink from this one cup, so we are all one body in him.
Let us pray.
Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily praise your holy name; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sins to God our Father, and ask him to forgive us through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor helpless sinner, confess to you all my sins, and repent of all the evil I have done. I have deeply displeased you and deserve your punishment in time and in eternity. But I am sorry for my sins, and I ask you, for the sake of the holy innocent sufferings and death of your dear Son Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me. Amen.
OR
Lord God, our heavenly Father, I confess that I have sinned against you, not only in my words and actions, but also in my secret thoughts and desires which I cannot fully know or understand, but which you know completely. I am sorry that I have displeased you, and repent of the evil I have done. For the sake of your dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, have mercy on me, forgive my sins, and graciously help me in my weakness. Amen.
I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart:
Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins?
I do.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed you from all your sins, and do you desire forgiveness in his name?
I do.
Do you intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God's presence, and to strive daily to lead a holy life, even as Christ has made you holy?
I do.
As you believe, let it be done for you.
By the authority the Lord has given his church and by his command I declare you absolved: Your sins are forgiven; in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit.
God forbid that any of you reject his grace and forgiveness by refusing to repent and believe, and your sins therefore remain unforgiven.
May he comfort you with his holy absolution, and strengthen you with his sacrament, that your joy may be full.
Peace be with you.
Amen.
FROM COMPLINE
Let us confess our sins in the presence of God and of each other.
We confess to you, almighty God,
before the whole company of heaven,
and to each other,
that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed,
by our own fault.
Have mercy on us, for Jesus’ sake,
forgive us all our sins,
and bring us to eternal life. Amen.
May the almighty and merciful Lord grant us pardon and forgiveness of all our sins.
Amen.
Restore us again, O God our Saviour.
Do not be angry with us any longer.
OR
I confess to almighty God,
before the whole company of heaven,
and to you, brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed,
by my own fault.
Therefore, I beg you, brothers and sisters,
pray to the Lord our God for me.
May almighty God have mercy on you for Jesus’ sake,
forgive you all your sins,
and bring you to eternal life.
Amen.
We confess to almighty God,
before the whole company of heaven,
and to you, brother/sister,
that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed,
by our own fault.
Therefore, we beg you, brother/sister,
pray to the Lord our God for us.
May almighty God have mercy on you for Jesus’ sake,
forgive you all your sins,
and bring you to eternal life.
Amen.
Restore us again, O God our Saviour.
Do not be angry with us any longer.
FROM THE SERVICE OF THE WORD
Let us confess our sins in the presence of God and of each other.
The congregation may kneel.
We confess to you, almighty God, before the whole company of heaven, and to each other, that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed by our own fault. Have mercy on us, for Jesus’ sake, forgive us all our sins, and bring us to eternal life. Amen.
The almighty and merciful Lord grants you pardon; in his name, I forgive you all your sins.
Amen.
FROM SING THE FEAST, SETTING 1
Friends in Christ: Let us confess our sins to God our Father, and ask him to forgive us through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Lord God, our heavenly Father, I am a sinner and I have sinned against you, not only in my words and actions, but also in my secret thoughts and desires which I cannot fully know or understand, but which you know completely. I am sorry that I have displeased you, and repent of the evil I have done. For the sake of your dear Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, have mercy on me, forgive my sins, and graciously help me in my weakness. Amen.
I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart: Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins?
I do.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed you from all your sins, and do you desire forgiveness in his name?
I do.
Do you intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God’s presence, and to strive daily to lead a holy life, even as Christ has made you holy?
I do.
As you believe, let it be done for you. By the authority the Lord has given his church and by his command I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit. The peace of the Lord be with you.
Amen.
FROM SING THE FEAST, SETTING 2
Friends in Christ: Let us confess our sins to God our Father, and ask him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to forgive us.
We confess that we are born in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done and by what we have failed to do. We have not loved you with our whole heart, and we have not loved our neighbour as ourselves. We deserve your eternal punishment. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us. Amen.
I ask each of you in the presence of God who searches the heart: Do you confess that you have sinned, and do you repent of your sins?
I do.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ has redeemed you from all your sins, and do you desire forgiveness in his name?
I do.
Do you intend with the help of the Holy Spirit to live as in God’s presence, and to strive daily to lead a holy life, even as Christ has made you holy?
I do.
As a called and ordained servant of the word, I announce the grace of God to all of you. On behalf of my Lord Jesus Christ, and by his command, I forgive the sins of all of you who repent and believe, in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
FROM SING THE FEAST, SETTING 3
Friends in Christ:
The minister may say one of the following Scripture verses.
Advent
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
Christmas
Jesus says: ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’
Epiphany
Jesus says: ‘I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.’
Lent
Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.
Easter
God the Father gave Jesus to die for our sins and raised him to life in order to put us right with himself.
Pentecost
Jesus said to his apostles: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you proclaim them unforgiven, unforgiven they remain.’
Trinity
God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
General
1 God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him. If we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.
2 Jesus says: ‘Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I didn’t come to invite good people to turn to God. I came to invite sinners.’
3 You have been baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven.
4 Jesus Christ gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.
Let us confess our sins to God our Father.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we confess to you that by nature we are sinful and unclean. We are sorry that we have sinned against you by thought, word, and deed. Have mercy on us, for Jesus’ sake, forgive us all our sins, and bring us to eternal life. Amen.
By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pardon all of you who repent, and I forgive you all your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son † and of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.
Amen.
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