Confession | Epiphany 4C | January 31st, 2016

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Confession

Epiphany 4C

January 31st, 2016

Here's a confession sequence for the 4th Sunday after the Epiphany (Year C) inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Call to Confession

Let us confess our sins to our loving God.

Prayer of Confession

Merciful God,
whenever we seek you, love is what we find.
But you do not always find the same when you seek us.
     Love is patient, but often we are impatient.
     Love is kind, but often we are rude.
     Love is not envious, but we often covet.
     Love does not insist on its own way, but we often do just that.
     Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but we often celebrate violence.
     Love never ends, and yet we do not always seek your love as our ultimate purpose.
Help us, loving God, to shed our sin and reflect the light of your love.
Guide us that we might have faith in your presence,
     that we might hope in your providence,
          and, above all, that we might live with your love as our muse.  

Assurance of Pardon

Though our efforts to love are often full of fault,
God's steadfast love never fails.
In the name of Jesus Christ,
we are forgiven!
Alleluia!  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.