God of mercy, we come before you with open hearts

Leader: God of mercy, we come before you with honest hearts. We bring not only our praise, but also our pain. We confess that at times we have lost heart. Hear now our lament, and kindle in us your hope.

Leader: Lord, we grieve that many of our congregations are shrinking. Sanctuaries that once rang with children’s laughter now echo with silence. We lament the aging of our members, the friends we have buried, and the absence of new generations in our pews.

People: How long, O Lord? Renew your church. Our hope is in you.

Leader: We lament the hard…