After 60 years of Ministry a Solemn Assembly would give time and space to reflect.
“Solemn assemblies are for the purpose of spiritual renewal … with the intent of

  1. Turning more fully to God’s grace offered to us in Christ through repentance and confession.
  2. Laying ourselves bare before the Holy One in prayer
  3. Listening for the Spirits’ still small voice through scripture and preaching” [1]

Before a Solemn Assembly concludes in praise and worship, there is much time spent on Reflection, Repentance, Forgiveness and Reconciliation
In the “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook [2], Miroslav Volf says
“It is so crucial to see our forgiving not simply as our own act, but as participation in God’s forgiving.
Our forgiving is faulty. God’s forgiving is faultless.
Our forgiving is provisional. God’s is final…
The only way we dare forgive is by making our forgiving transparent to God’s forgiving and always open to revision.
After all, our forgiveness is only possible as an echo of God’s” 2
Forgiveness is hard. You cannot pretend things are fine when you feel stabbed in the heart and trust is gone.
“True forgiveness … is a costly heart rending process.”
The Chapter on the Discipline of Forgiveness, in its section labelled “practice [of Forgiveness] includes;

  • Forgiving myself for my mistakes and limits, as God has forgiven me
  • Attaching my heart to God’s forgiving heart and extending God’s forgiveness when I can’t extend my own
  • Naming wrongdoing, for justice sake, but asking for grace to see the wrong-doer apart from their actions.
  • Not tying forgiveness to another’s admission for wrong doing
  • Discerning between forgiveness and collusion in perpetual abuse [2]

May we all be healed and changed as we seek to forgive
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Prayer for you as an individual to quietly work through with God alone

  1. “Take time to come before God and write your list of things you need to forgive
  2. Ask God to extend forgiveness for those things you feel you can’t yet forgive
  3. Name wrong doing for justices sake, and ask for grace to see the wrong-doer apart from their actions
  4. Ask God to assist you to not .. expect an admission of wrongdoing
  5. Ask God to help you discern between forgiveness and collusion in perpetual abuse, [and if found, pray for the perpetual abuse to cease]”

This prayer may take time to work through with God’s help and make take time for change and reconciliation to come.
References:

  1. Biblical and Historical Background on Solemn Assemblies. – Presbyterian Church of USA. Web address; presbyterianmission.org
  2. Spiritual Disciplines Handbook; Practices that Transform us – Adele Ahlburg Calhoun . IVP 2015 Available in Paperback and e-reader