Confess: what it means to confess and how to engage in the practice of confessing. Confession begins with seeing the choices and actions we take in relation to God’s desires for us and the world. To confess, first we must see our wrongdoing, also called sin, against God or others. Then we must acknowledge our sin. As we practice confession, we move from sin to repentance, which is feeling remorse and the desire to do better in the future, and to repair and restore what has been broken, if that is possible. The practice of confession is not a one-time deal; it’s a cycle that we repeat throughout our lives. We practice confessing as a way of being in right relationship with God and with others, trusting in the steadfast and unconditional love God has for us. “If we confess our sins, [God] who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9) This leader’s guide is for youth ages 11–18. It contains helpful information for the leader, including information about leading youth, background information about the practice, a note about supplies, and other helpful information for each session. There are symbols for each activity within the session that allow a leader to see at a glance the type of activity and customize each session for their group of youth. Our youth leader guide activity symbols assist the leader in accommodating both concrete- and abstract-thinking youth. Each session includes resource pages that may be copied, printed, or sent out electronically to participants. There are other helpful pieces for youth in the Congregational Guide.
