Confession | Maundy Thursday | Year C | March 24th, 2016

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Confession

Maundy Thursday (Year C)

March 24th, 2016

Call to Confession

     As Jesus prepares his body to be broken on our behalf,
    let us confess to the ways that we have betrayed him in word and deed.

Prayer of Confession

    God of Self-Giving Love,
    we thank you because you have heard our voice
    and listened to our supplications.                               
    Yet we confess that we often express our gratitude in word only;
    Too often, our thankfulness is not expressed in faithful actions.     
    Forgive us for the moments when we’ve betrayed you:
       for the times we’ve turned our backs on the poor…
       for the times we’ve shunned those who scare us…
       for the times we’ve included only those who look and act like us…
       for the times we’ve forgotten our call as hopeful disciples…
    Forgive us for the moments when we’ve betrayed you.
    Gracious Lord, you are headed to the cross.
    Help us to take up our cross                           
    and love one another as you have first loved us.  Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon

    Just as the blood of a lamb protected the Israelites from death,
    so too does Jesus’ death and resurrection protect us from death’s grasp.
    Friends, I proclaim to you that our sins are 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.