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A prayer of lament and confession in memory of Ahmaud Arbery.
LEADER: God of grace, you have always called your people to weep with those who weep and mourn with those who mourn;
We join our voices together today in lament and confession for all that has been done and all that remains undone.
The effects of sin and brokenness are deep and wide: racism, sexism, abuse, economic disparity, pandemic, violence, slavery and oppression of every kind.
Let us take a moment to reflect on this question:
MEDITATION: How have you recently observed the world or yourself to be incomplete, lacking, or broken?
MEDITATION: Take a moment to reflect on the senseless and hateful death of Ahmaud and others like Ahmaud who have fallen victim to racism and bigotry.
LEADER: May your grace and love heal with greater depth and width than any evil thing created or allowed by us. Lord, have mercy.
EVERYONE: Christ, have mercy.
LEADER: Most merciful God, we confess that we sinned against you, our neighbors, friends, family, and strangers by what we have done and what we have left undone.
Let us take a few seconds to reflect on this question:
MEDITATION: In what ways, internal or external, have you participated in racism, bigotry, prejudice, or injustice?
LEADER: May your grace and love fill us and make us whole in spite of our propensity toward disobedience. Lord, have mercy.
EVERYONE: Christ, have mercy.
LEADER: Jesus, your yoke is easy and your burden is light. We are weary, we are broken, we are sinful
EVERYONE: Will you stand in our place? Will you hold us up? Reconcile us with God, with our neighbor, and with ourselves, we pray. Amen.