DAILY  DEVOTIONAL  by Charlotte Adams  “Invitation, Confession and Pardon”- Another Perspective I have always found it enlightening when I have had the opportunity to visit other Churches when we are away from home.  Those of you who know me are aware that my husband and I return every year to Northern Virginia for our Annual Family Fourth of July Picnic the first Saturday in July, which is a fantastic gathering of my many relatives and friends of our families (hundreds of us).  This year, our family was pleased to welcome Donald & Yolande Lowe, who also happened to be visiting friends back East, and their friend, Narcisse, to share the event with us. While back there, we have often attended Church with our Nephew, who worships at a Baptist Church, but this year decided to attend Church with my older Sister, as a sort of continuing celebration with her of her 80th birthday.  She is a member of a Methodist Church, which is about 144 years old, formed post-slavery by ancestors of many of the attending congregants.  On this particular Sunday, July 2nd, it just so happened that her Church was merging with a nearby Sister Church, adopting the new name Agape United Methodist Church.  Their service was quite different than what we are accustomed to, as it consists of a number of responsive readings.   Also, it was Communion Sunday, so the service was about two hours long, as they conduct Communion quite differently than our Church.  Before Communion, their Pastor gives the Invitation and the Congregation responds with a Confession and Pardon, which I decided that very day that I would want to share with you as my next devotional because it spoke to me.  I hope that it speaks to you as well. The Invitation: Christ our Lord invites to His table all who love Him, who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.  Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another. Confession And Pardon: Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart . (Deut. 6:5, Jer 9:13, Mat 22:37) We have failed to be an obedient church. (Acts 5:29, John 14:23) We have not done Your will.(Matt 6:10,, Matt. 26:34)   We have broken Your law. (Psa 19:7) We haverebelled against Your love. (1John 4:16, 1John 4:7)  We have not loved our neighbors , (Mark 12:31) and we have not heard the cry of the needy. (Is 58:10-11, Acts 20:35, Luke 6:38, Luke 12:33-34)  Forgive us, we pray.  Free us for joyful obedience, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (I’ve added some Scripture verses on point , and there are many more because His Word speaks volumes, and invite you to search them out and be refreshed). The Pastor and Associate Pastor greet each communion taker.  As each taker comes forward, their Pastor presents and says an individual blessing over the wafer (the Bread) which is then dipped in the cup (the Wine) held by the Associate Pastor.   Their Church is obviously a much smaller Body than our Church, and so they are able to conduct their Communion in this fashion, but to have shared in this time of Communion with fellow believers, from another perspective, was truly a blessing. Wishing you a very blessings-filled weekend and week. We welcome you to join us Sundays at Grace Harbor for Children’s SundaySchool and Adult Bible Study at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday Worship Service at 10:00 a.m. Love In Him, Charlotte