Advent, Peace, Prince of Peace, Christmas, Jesus, Baby
Advent Hymns
God the Weaver: To the Tune of Away in the Manger
Magnify the Lord: to the Tune of O Come All Ye Faithful
God of Peace: To the Tune of Silent Night
O Come, O Come Emmanuel Magnificat Version
Worship Services
Pageant
Unfreezing Xmas, No Rehearsal Version
Advent Candles/Worship Prayers/Etc
Tidings of Comfort and Joy Advent
Feel free to use/share/adapt with attribution to Pastor Katy Stenta aka “KatyandtheWord”
For a doc version for easy formatting email Katyandtheword at Gmail and title the email “Advent”
Included: Breath Prayers, Call to Worship (either of which could can be used for Candle Liturgy), Candles, Two Song verse options for Candle Lighting, Prayer of Confession and Assurance of Pardon
Additional Psalm Option
Hope: When the Lions Come at Night
Daniel 6:6-27
Luke 23:1-5
Psalm 57 all or v. 4-10
Breath Prayer
Breathe in: Holy Spirit we need you
Breathe out: comfort us
Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 57)
In God my soul takes refuge my soul takes refuge and comfort, God is my hope.
God will send forth steadfast love and faithfulness.
Even if I lie down among lions, with teeth as sharp as spears, and tongues like sharp spears, my heart is steadfast and I will sing and make melody.
I know I will awake at God.
My hope is in God, for your steadfast love is high as the heavens, and your faithfulness extends to the clouds
Come let awaken our souls to God in song.
Advent Candle: Hope
Hope of the World, we light this candle because we feel like we are surrounded by Lions
Hope of the World Comfort us
Hope of the World, we light this candle, because we are an apocalyptic people, overwhelmed with too many uncovering of knowledge
Hope of the World Comfort us
Hope of the World, we light this candle, because we await the moment that Justice reigns, and your truth is magnified
Hope of the World, Comfort us
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we do not always understand hope. Is its meant to inspire us? Or to comfort us? Awaken us to the condition of the world? Too often we feel too surrounded by Lions to hope in these apocalyptic times. Teach us how to understand hope as promise that you give balanced against our responsibility to act, and give us the tools we need to walk with Jesus along the way we pray. Amen
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good news, Jesus is our Hope, so we do not have to hope alone. So know the Good news and proclaim it to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen
(Verse 1) God rest you merry, gentlemen/folk
Let nothing you dismay
Remember, Christ, our Saviour
Was born on Christmas day
To save us all from Satan’s power
When we were gone astray
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Another Optional Hymn verse 1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel Magnificat (less political, substitutionary atonement version) https://katyandtheword.com/2023/11/08/o-come-o-come-emmanuel-magnificat-version/
Peace: Binding up the Brokenhearted
Joel 2:12-13, 28-29
Luke 11:(9-12) 13
Psalm 147:1-6 (7-11)
Breath Prayer
Breathe in: God you are peace
Breathe out: Bind our brokenhearted
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 147)
God you are Good, you build us up as community
God binds up our wounds: caring for us, healing our brokenhearts
Great is our God, powerful, because God sows peace and mercy
We recognize our God, because our God is the one lifting up the downtrodden, and knowing everything by name from the farthest star, to every person from the mighty to the meek.
Let us sing to the Divine who grants Peace
Come let us sing to God’s steadfast love
Advent Candle: Peace
Purveyor of Peace, we pray for the day that we shall learn war no more
We are seeing visions and dream dreams of peace together
We feel in our bones, that we need peace. We light this candle because we are hungering for it.
God, we will envision peace together
Purveyor of Peace, we light this candle because we know peace is your way, and you will bind our brokenhearts to make it possible.
God, we will envision peace together
Prayer of Confession: Divine One, at times it feels like the world is full of war and brokenness. Peace seems impossible. Comfort us, teach us to be peacemakers, so that we can catch glimpses of your kin(g)dom, we pray. And remind us that we are not doing this work alone. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon. Hear the good news, the Prince of Peace is coming. It is promised. Let us proclaim the the truth in our hearts: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Magnificat Version V. 3 or V. 7 (or Both) https://katyandtheword.com/2023/11/08/o-come-o-come-emmanuel-magnificat-version/
(Verse 7) Now to the Lord sing praises,
All you within this place,
And with true love and brotherhood/siblinghood/Kindomhood
Each other now embrace;
This holy tide of Christmas
All other doth deface.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Joy: Comfort and Joy
Isaiah 61:1-11
Luke 4:16-21
Alt. Isaiah 40:1-8
Psalm 27: 13-14
Breath Prayer
Breathe in: Comfort your people
Breathe Out: God teach us Comfort and Joy
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 27)
God is our stronghold
With God as our comfort and salvation, who shall we fear?
God who comes out of the holy creative darkness
You come and show us the way, so we are not afraid
You shelter us under your wings, and comfort us
Come, let us rejoice with God that Jesus is coming.
Advent Candle: Joy
Holy Comforter, speak tenderly to us, so that we have the seeds of joy planted in us.
Holy Comforter, Send your Spirit of Joy to us.
We light this candle so that you can teach us joy
Holy Comforter, Send Your Spirit of joy to us
Send your Spirit to us, Prepare the way for us, light the candle with us.
Holy Comforter, Send Your Spirit of joy to us
Prayer of Confession: God, I confess it is hard to feel joyful when I feel afraid. I sometimes feel like I want to hide under the covers, or turn off the news, or quit. Please send us your Holy Spirit, Shelter us under your wings, and teach us where to find joy, so that we can remember that you are walking with us. Give us threads of joy even in the long waiting season of Advent we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God is with us, even as we wait, understanding us, loving us and comforting us. Thus we know the Good News: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.
(Verse 3) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came;
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same:
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name.
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Another Optional Hymn O Come, O Come Emmanuel Magnificat Version verse 5 https://katyandtheword.com/2023/11/08/o-come-o-come-emmanuel-magnificat-version/
Week 4 Love: Love: Fear Not, Love’s comfort and empowering work
Luke 1:26-45 [46-56]
Psalm 113
Psalm 27:1-4
Call to Worship
Give Thanks to the Lord
God’s Love endures Forever
God is Divine always
They have made a Covenant with all the World
They have made the sun, the moon the stars, and all the earth
God’s steadfast Love endures forever
We can tell stories of God’s love, and who God is, and still not fully understand God’s love
Come Let us sing of God’s love together.
Advent Candle: Love
God shows God’s love and favor by being with us
Divine Love, Be with us now
We light this candle remembering God’s promise to be with us, Sending Jesus as that promise.
Divine Love, Be with us now
Beloved God, we long to magnify your promises, for they are full of love, so we light a candle of love together.
Divine Love, Be with us now
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that Love is a struggle. It takes work to love humans. It is not an easy thing to practice. Help us to lean into our own belovedness, when I struggle imperfections—my own or others. God we desperately need to remember that you are love. Help us with that we pray.
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News, God loves us. We can sink into God’s love, and thus we can say with confidence the echo of God’s promise to us: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen
(Verse 4) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
“Fear not then,” said the Angel,
“Let nothing you affright,
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright,
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan’s power and might.”
O tidings of comfort and joy,
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Another Optional Hymn verse 4 or 6 (or Both) O Come, O Come Emmanuel Magnificat Version https://katyandtheword.com/2023/11/08/o-come-o-come-emmanuel-magnificat-version/
Full Directory of Advent and Christmas Resources Here
Feel free to use/share/adapt with attribution to Pastor Katy Stenta aka “KatyandtheWord”
For a doc version for easy formatting email Katyandtheword at Gmail and title the email “Advent”
Thanks for reading KatyandtheWord! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
God,
I don’t know what I need
I don’t know what we need
The world
is not as it should be
My soul hurts
I am hurt
scared
overwhelmed with emotions
and I don’t know what I need
Because
there is no way
to fix this
Trust has been
broken
again
More
has been
uncovered
apocalyptically
And at this moment
the work
seems to be
too much
And so
I make time
to hug by beloveds
To
Breathe In: I Exist
Breathe Out: That is enough
To remind myself
That the very existence
of difference
joy
grace
love
solidarity
Is an act of resistance
So definitely,
today
That is enough
Breathe in: I exist
Breathe out: That is enough
Tomorrow
or Sometime Soon
I will build more community
Maybe figure out more
what it is
we need
Today
I will breathe
I exist
That is enough
Feel free to share/adapt/use with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
*With thanks to Rev. Tawnya Denise Anderson who first posted these words
Without community there is no liberation-Audre Lorde
NL and RCL covers Elijah going to the Widow of Sidon during the drought. She says “I don’t know why YOUR God sent you here, I have but one meal left for my son and I and then we will die.” She talks about the pain, loneliness and shame of having nothing. Elijah then asks–“Do you have a cup of water?” and she agrees (I like to think begrudgingly as a tough woman) that she does.
Over this established Table Fellowship and Hospitality Elijah offers pastoral care to a widow. I like to think that as she opens her heart to him, she feels seen and heard, and she realizes that the table fellowship was a moment of openness that was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship. He then says that if they establish a community, that she, her son and he will not run out of the oil, meal/flour (and one would think Elijah would then help to gather the wood to cook them).
Mutual aid works because people who have little share what they have and form strong bonds of community. Community is formed here hospitality, pastoral care, table fellowship and mutual aid, among foreigners of different races, religions, genders, and socio-economic statuses. Community is not just about leadership, but about what the people do to help one another along the way, in the times of trouble when the leadership was terrible Elijah and the widow formed community. This is the work, the hope and the blessing that is before us. 1 Kings 17:8-16
People often romanticize “being in community” without realizing community is formed and sustained through reciprocity—fulfilling mutual obligations to one another—and that this is sometimes inconvenient and often taxing! But your can’t receive support without offering it! by Baena@Silkyyy with thanks to decolonizing.love on Facebook for the images
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta, “KatyandtheWord”
God,
We just don’t know
Picture of the United States drawing scribbled over/colored by a child “What we know so far” Shared by Dan Chan @danchaon.bsky.social on bluesky social app
So many have done
what they can
to sew peace
To establish
humanity
human rights
And
Lord have mercy
because
we are
already
exhausted
“Next Week Has Been Exhausting” by Diane Duane
Anticipatory
Exhaustion
may be the hardest
I remember
when my child
was in the run away
and legitimate
insomnia
(beyond normal)
phase
And I would
wake up
looking forward
to a nap
I would have for
the day
after
today
God
you know
My soul is weary
Is your
soul weary
God?
Because
even after the
election
You know
We know
That no matter
the outcome
There is
hard work
to do
This is about more
than leadership
(I remember
in the Old Testament
When
Hebrew people
wanted a King
and you warned them
That is not enough)
And yet
Breathe in: I am here
Breathe out: God is here
This is true today
This is true tomorrow
This is how I will wait
Because all good work counts
Maybe especially
when
it seems
like it doesn’t
Pneuma
Holy Spirit
Breathe for me
When I can’t
Breathe in: I am here
Breathe out: God is here
Amen
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
Throughout all the many beautiful metaphors for the church
from bride
to Phyllis Tickle’s rummage sale
I thinking of the church
as a teenager
When I say the church, I mean of course the amorphous cloud of saints,
where it is hard to say who is in or who is out, but somehow contains the multitude of faith
trying,
practicing and
sometimes even succeeding to follow the ways of Jesus Christ.
Here is the Church, thinking it knows how to be mature, and all grown up. Thinking it knew what it meant to be together, thinking it understood everything–when
Boom, the place in society shifted,
Or society itself shifted
(probably both)
who the church was, what the church wanted to be, even who the church was hanging out with proved to be….. not really false, just not as authentic as the church wanted it to be.
It seemed….to not fit anymore
I mean did we really think that cozying up to institutionalism? buildings and nationalism was a good idea?
The answer is yes, yes of course, we thought fitting in was the answer.
It was so nice to have everyone flocking to our doors, Sabbath off, and people listen.
It’s always nice to feel heard.
Here we are all awkward again, and the church its body is doing weird, unspeakable things that we do not understand
I say this as the parent of a teen who
wanted a Halloween costume
Sat before Halloween (which is on Thurs)
then didn’t want to go trick-or-treating (as of Tues)
Then
Last Min
Realized that meant the costume was useless
Could I please help them assemble and dress in costume
And drive them to the Halloween event
That was going on at the high school RIGHT NOW on Weds
(never mind that dinner was just being served)
then they stayed for 15mins, and everyone saw them
And there was nothing else to do
So naturally
They called me
As I rolled in the driveway
To be picked back up
The church is a little uncertain
as to what is going to happen next
And what to wear
What to do
When everything was so certain before
We had five year plans
and programs
and even Building extensions
And now everything just seems hard!
What are our goals and purpose
And how are we even going to do them
If everything has to be different?
And our job is not to save the church
Not to take over, but let its find its way
To hold hand
like my three teenagers
and to say wow
Its so hard, when Two things are so true
Two Things (Both things)
That the angst is
real
understandable and scary
and change is really,
really hard
And no I’m not sure how everything is going to turn out in the end
that I trust that everything will turn out ok
because–because I believe in you, and you have good roots.
There are good teachings
models of behaviors out there
Because, mistakes and missteps are not all there is to life
Because just because you try some fad on
Like thinking Praise music, Projectors, or just getting enough young families is going to save us
Or putting our buildings on the covers of the bulletins
Or that only white men are the legitimate preachers (sometimes married sometimes single)
Or that we need to keep the four hundred and ninety seven million buildings to keep being the body of Christ–I mean heaven knows how many sparkles and chokers I wore in the nineties, and I still love my big earrings–
I truly love how spiritual conversations weave their way more naturally, more (w)holistically* throughout life these days.
God knows
just like any parent
There are probably more awkward phases
for us to go through
After all what’s a couple of thousand years
or So
In God’s Calendar Anyway?
We are just starting to Grow up!
Teenagers know what’s real
what’s authentic
Into the latest fad
because teenagers figuring out identity
it is developmentally appropriate for teens to be hungry to express themselves,
except when they are too depressed or angsty to do so.
The church is trying to find itself
It feels like we are the outcast at the party–
Christianity used to be cool, but it isn’t anymore
However, we, like most teenagers,
haven’t figured it all out yet
I will confess, I feel much more at home in the marginal church
than the up and coming popular one
However, I can understand what it feels like to ache to be wanted
to be at the center of things
to want to sparkle for a moment
I have teens who all want that moment in their lives
to know they are able to shine, but are struggling
The gift of church right now though
The people who are here,
Want to be here,
because we love it
We
Want to be here
We have no hanger ons
No fakers
Very few power seekers (though a couple of bullies sneak in)
There is not much money in the church**
People who are at church
Want to be here
We know that the Church sings to them
in some weird way
And we are angsty, because we want to express that
with everyone else.
It’s hard to be a teenager
Some of us haven’t been one for years
And wouldn’t go back if you paid us
However
a lot of us
are good at remembering
How to hold one another’s hands
And saying
Things will be ok
We don’t know what we are growing up to be
yet
What will take shape
Where it will go
What it will even look like
It may not even be our job
to make it happen
(is that scary or comforting?
Probably depends upon the day)
But it will be brilliant
We are quite sure
God will walk us
all the way there.
Resource List: (I feel like I should list nothing or everything here, so I just put 2 small resources to get started, maybe I’ll edit and add more)
Small Church Data: https://www.churchleadership.com/leading-ideas/6-ways-forward-for-very-small-congregations/
Gone for Good: Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property TransitionBy Mark Elsdon, Foreword by Willie James Jennings, https://www.cokesbury.com/9780802883247-Gone-for-Good
*I love holistic with a w, it imbues it with a meaning of natural, whole and in my mind it carries with it an inclusive meaning. Permitting us to include all those things that we find helpful science, nature, spiritual, emotional meanings instead of trying to separate them out.
**Again there are exceptions, but as a whole the church has fallen so much in power that most churches are small and there are few opportunities for big money or power in church.
Feel free to share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
Zits Comic by Scott and Borgman: Jeremy: Mom do you have a phone book? Mom (getting it from the drawer): Sure right over here. Pierce: NO WAY!” Mom: Aren’t you going to take it? Jeremy: Naw. It was just a bet. Pierce: Now ask her if she still uses a landline Comic found at: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450219293983937704/
Via: farmerricshi I tried a new phrase in a meeting today. Instead of “underserved,” “underprivileged” “historically marginalized,”
Try Strategically undervalued.”
I like it because it emphasizes the purposefulness of racism(rather that the historically” which gives a kind of happenstance energy) and uplifts the community, rather than emphasizing the marginalization.
God
Almighty
in
Heaven
This is
definitely a
“Do not put your
trust in princes
powers
or principalities”
week
as the value of
actual human
beings
was strategically
cleverly
humorously
manically
and with
immediate
deniability
undervalued
The weariness of
political clamor
falls away some
God
you understand
that this is
systematic
dehumanization
Bad theology
kills
And that
for us
Christians
imago
dei
is essential
for faith
We
carry God
And that
God contains
multitudes
God is community
To deny
the complexity
of humanity
To make
the human
experience
one
is to
lose
faith
God
I pray for
humanity
re-human-ing
I pray for
peace
I carry
hope
that we
will find
flashes
of true community
Walk with us
in this time of
anger and fear
we pray.
Amen
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
It is a lot of work
this
human
Being
Be
ing
Human
Existence
Thing
Sometimes I think
we are
eternally
Suspended
in the
What Ifs
Embodiment
is so difficult
If potential
is always
teasing
(sometimes
even mocking)
me
How can
I do what my
body needs
When capitalism
demands
grind
And yet
God
you sit with us
How can
I feel my feelings
The hard work of Grieving:
Good things
Bad things
To sit in comfort
To be thankful
To sit in-between both
To feel a slow stretch
(within your comfort range of motion
without any pain as my favorite
yogi friend says)
so slow and gentle
that you are stretched
in such a way
that there is no pain
and still
tears
Of relief comes
dripping
To your eyes
to my eyes
And
God is there
in each tear
Reminding us
sanctuary
is holy
Community
is holy
Upholding your
boundaries
is holy
Silence
Is holy
Taking time alone
is holy
You string the sky with stars
and give us dandelions
beautiful leaves
and even single blades of grass
to remind us of the holiness of the world
Breathe in
Breathe out
To be
lost
in holiness
Amen
Feel free to share/adapt/use with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
Sometimes
Miracles
Are friends
Sharing
Pics
Of
Things
Seen
Through
In other
Parts of the world
And you
Feel like
The world
is full of
Magic
Cameras
The Aurora Borealis
Colors of miracles
And sometimes
Miracles
Are
Your
Friends
Checking
On you
After the
Storm
$20 given
Without tracking
A new hobby
That has no
Meaning
Just beauty
Or even
The moments
To collect yourself
I believe in
All the
Real
Miracles
In life
katyandtheword 