Beloved of God, we give thanks for the gift

Pastor: Beloved of God, we give thanks for the gift of eternal life that is ours through Christ Jesus.  Because He died in our place and rose again, we rejoice to be numbered with the saints. In confidence, let us come before our gracious Lord to confess our sins and to receive His grace and forgiveness.

People: Almighty God, we are by nature sinful and unclean. We repent of our sins in thought and in word and in deed. In Your mercy, forgive us. Create in us clean hearts, O God, that we may serve You as Your redeemed people now and forever.

Pastor: This is the good news: We deserve only death because of our sins, but Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” Rejoice, give thanks, and sing, your sins are forgiven and eternal life is yours! Believing that promise, may you ever live as the saints that you are in Christ Jesus.

People: Amen.