Confession | Lent 3C | February 28th, 2016

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Confession

3rd Sunday in Lent (Year C)

February 28th, 2016

Here's a confession sequence for the 3rd Sunday in Lent (Year C) - Lent 3C - inspired by Luke 13:1-9.

Call to Confession

Let us gather by the waters of God's mercy,
to repent of our sins,
and to turn our faces upon God's abundant grace.

Prayer of Confession

Good and gracious God,
though you have planted us in fruitful ground,
we have failed to produce the fruits of your Spirit.
Though you care for us as a loving gardener,
and tend us with a loving mother's touch,
we stand barren in fruitful ground.
Forgive us for the things we have done
and the things we have left undone
that have caused us to wither and wane:
     for the sin of stubbornness and short-sightedness, forgive us, Lord.
     For the sin of selfishness and pride, forgive us, Lord.
     For the sin of ingratitude and entitlement, forgive us, Lord.
     For the other sins we lift up to you in silence, forgive us, Lord...

Time for silent confession

Merciful God,
Help us to grow into the promise of your fruitfulness
and to have courage in this wilderness of Lent.
This we pray in your holy name.  Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Friends, hear the good news of the Gospel:
our barrenness is not the final word.
The final word is to be found in God's everlasting mercy.
God's fruitfulness will be showered upon us.
I declare to you, in Jesus Christ, our sins have been forgiven!
Amen!
 

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Stephen Fearing

Stephen was born in 1988 in Cookeville, TN, where his parents met whilst attending Tennessee Tech. Shortly after, they moved to Dalton, Georgia where they put down roots and joined First Presbyterian Church, the faith family that taught Stephen that he was first and foremost a beloved child of God. It was this community that taught Stephen that it was OK to have questions and doubts and that nothing he could do could every possibly separate him from the love of God. In 1995, his sister, Sarah Kate, joined the family and Stephen began his journey as a life-long musician. Since then, he has found a love of music and has found this gift particularly fitting for his call to ministry. Among the instruments that he enjoys are piano, trumpet, guitar, and handbells. Stephen has always had a love of singing and congregation song. An avid member of the marching band, Stephen was the drum major of his high school's marching band. In 2006, Stephen began his tenure at Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC where he majored in Religion and minored in History. While attending PC, Stephen continued to explore his love of music by participating in the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Jazz Combo, Jazz Trio, as well as playing in the PC Handbell ensemble and playing mandolin and banjo PC's very own bluegrass/rock group, Hosegrass, of which Stephen was a founding member (Hosegrass even released their own CD!). In 2010, Stephen moved from Clinton to Atlanta to attend Columbia Theological Seminary to pursue God's call on his life to be a pastor in the PC(USA). During this time, Stephen worked at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Silver Creek Presbyterian Church, Central Presbyterian Church, and Westminster Presbyterian Church. For three years, Stephen served as the Choir Director of Columbia Theological Seminary's choir and also served as the Interim Music Director at Westminster Presbyterian Church. In 2014, Stephen graduated from Columbia with a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Arts in Practical Theology with an emphasis in liturgy, music, and worship. In July of 2014, Stephen was installed an ordained as Teaching Elder at Shelter Island Presbyterian Church in Shelter Island, NY. Later that year, Stephen married the love of his life, Tricia, and they share their home on Shelter Island with their Golden Doodle, Elsie, and their calico cat, Audrey. In addition to his work with the people who are Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, Stephen currently serves as a commission from Long Island Presbytery to the Synod of the Northeast and, beginning in January of 2016, will moderate the Synod's missions team.