Please find below the notes from the Elder's Prayer this past Sunday.

Almighty, eternal Father,

You are Lord of the whole world, creator and governor of all things, and you have bought us by the blood of Christ.

You are faithful throughout all generations, righteous in your judgments, marvelous in strength and excellence. You are wise in creating and establishing what you have made. You are good, and faithful toward those who trust in you, and to sinners you show great pity and compassion.

We stand amazed that, in the person and sacrifice of Christ, you have provided for our redemption and our restoration, and given us the promise that those who come to you in repentance and faith will in no wise be cast out. We are assured of your salvation, and we hold to Christ as the only-sufficient provider of our salvation and sanctification, knowing that in him there is now no condemnation,

And yet, in our new spiritual nature, we are still engaged in a conflict with the impositions of our carnal selves—old habits, old attitudes, old sins, and ongoing desires to elevate ourselves over you by sitting upon a throne of self-determination and by manufacturing our own moral prerogatives.

We pray, Father, that you would forgive us our personal and collective sins, our unrighteousness, our transgressions, and our shortcomings.

We stand assured by your consoling Word, Father, that if we confess our sins, you are faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and cleans us from all unrighteousness. We cling to your promise, Lord, having no collateral of our own to offer for the infinite price of our redemption.

May the depth of our error be clear to us today, and may we mourn our violence against your holy law and will. May we despair of what our sins are against you, and may we rejoice in the knowledge that you have saved, are saving, and will save all who turn to Christ.

All this we pray in our Savior’s name,

Amen.