Disturb the City: 21st Century Worship Resources for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C

Leader: Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end

People: Root of Jesse, Son of David -- Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Leader: Let everyone who is thirsty come!

People: Let everyone who is hungry come!

All: Living Water, Living Word, we come to sit at your feet!

Disturb the City! -- A Prayer of Confession
(Inspired by Acts 16:16-34 )

May we hang our heads in prayer

for little boys who are given live ammunition

and forced to fight wars that someone else started.

for little girls who are dressed up and painted up as women of pleasure

for children who work their way through childhood without play

(Silence)

May we hang our heads in prayer

For released ex-offenders with no safe place to go -- not even the local church

For every person who suffers in silence

with an addiction,

or an HIV diagnosis,

or a heart-wounding secret that can never be told

(Silence)

Lord, have mercy,

upon the exploited and suffering peoples of the world

Lord, have mercy,

upon all who have lost hope

Forgive us, Lord,

for turning our heads and pretending not to notice

Forgive us, Lord,

for the complicity of silence

Forgive us, Lord, for neglecting to disturb the city on behalf of children in harm's way.

(Silence)

LEADER TO PEOPLE:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon you. God has anointed you to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and to cause the oppressed to go free.

(Hands extended in blessing)

May God give you strength to shoulder heavy burdens

for those whose strength is gone.

May God give you a voice to lend to the voiceless.

May God give you perseverance to pray and fast, to work and travail until women and children, men and boys everywhere are able to live in peace. Amen.