Nov 20th Christ the King/Light Sunday

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

November 20th Christ the King Sunday
Swords into Plowshares (Thanksgiving?): Light
Isaiah 36 1:3, 13-20, 37:1-7, 2:1-4 Swords into Plowshares
Matt 5:14 Light of the World City on the Hill
Psalm 131

Call to Worship 
Come let us go to the mountain of the Lord
That God may teach us God’s ways
For out of Zion shall come instruction and light, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem
Come, the Lord’s House will be established, and peoples will stream to it
They shall beat their swords into poughshares, and know peace
Come let us find peace, and learn war no more in the God’s place

Call to Confession: Come let us draw ourselves closer to God with our confession

Prayer of Confession: God, we long to be a part of your City on the Hill. We confess that this longing is so deep that sometimes we try to manufacture it here on earth. We also confess that we do not have the patience to plant and grow peace. We do not want to wait for people to stream to God, we do not want to see God’s city come. We do not have the patience for God to open our eyes. It all seems really hard. Encourage us, Enlighten us, Imbue us with peace we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God’s peace is from everlasting to everlasting. Know then the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go forward knowing that God is the City on the Hill, not us. God is helping us to plant the peace that is needed. Let us go forward ready to build the tools of peace. Amen

Hymns: I’ve Got Peace Like a River,  Crown Him with Many Crowns, Jesus Priceless Treasure, Lord Make us Servants of Your Peace, O Day of Peace, Song of Hope, Near to the Heart of God, As Deer Long for The Streams, For the Fruit of All Creation, Let All Things Now Living, We Plow the Fields and Scatter

With Children: Talk about how peace is hard work, and how war is built on hate/fear, and what the tools of peace might be “Harold’s Fairy Tale”

Harold and the Purple Crayon Book Featuring Harold drawing a Crayon

Image: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/harolds-fairy-tale-further-adventures-with-the-purple-crayon_crockett-johnson/403566/item/70790/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqoibBhDUARIsAH2OpWg5QyBw_HnoXPv16N2_WQ-o2VHHTQ19pBZe7JFOEeAftSrrGWim_GoaAtFcEALw_wcB#idiq=70790&edition=2339925

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologianthrough donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Extended Advent Resource

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

If you need a doc version of these resources-please email and I will get it to you as much as I have completed* (I have medical leave so things may slow a bit)

Advent Readings Calendar: If you have Canva

Advent Readings Calendar: Pdf Link

Expanded Advent Daily Suggested Reading Calendar by Rev. Dr. Barb Hedges-Goettl (expanded for full story) with Hymn Suggestions Goettl https://bjhlog.wordpress.com/2022/11/27/daily-readings-for-advent-and-songs-through-january-7/?fbclid=IwAR2xFTVltIRayRlsOSy1QI0Z7E6QG5j9ZzH3r1oA4e8hiwuslBZJUGIlWJY

Unfreezing Christmas: A Narnia Christmas Pageant (Easy)

Unfreezing Christmas: No Rehearsal/Pickup Version Narnia

Advent Candles Liturgy

God of Peace: To Silent Night

God the Weaver to Away in the Manger

Magnify the Lord, To O Come All Ye Faithful

Blue Christmas Worship Including Suggested Comfort Candle (also see: Advent Prayer)

Christmas Ingredients Poem

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Advent Unleashed: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/11/28/advent-unleashed/

Advent Prayer

Messy Hope, A Prayer

Nov 13th Micah: Mercy

November 20th Christ the King Sunday/Swords into Plowshares

November 27th Faith

Dec 4th Love and Justice

Dec 11th Justice & Joy: Magnificat Realized

Dec 18th Jesus as Emmanuel

Tender Christmas Prayer

Nov 13th Micah: Mercy

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

November 13th (Wouldn’t it be cool if we had a Mercy Candle)
Micah: Mercy
Micah [1:3-5]; 5:2-5a; 6:6-8
God promises a ruler from Bethlehem
Matthew 9:13 God wants mercy not Sacrifice
Lamentations 3:20-27

Call to Worship (based on Micah 1)
Lo, look, God promises, that God will come and tread upon the earth
All this labor is not in vain, the Lord promises
Peace, God promises, there shall be one peace
Come let us be fed on the strength of the Lord

all to Confession: Who is ready to pour oneself out to one who is always merciful and listening, Come let us confess ourselves to God

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that sometimes we want change so badly that we promise ridiculous things. What can i give God? Do I need to sacrifice my firstborn? Do you need all of my riches, the work of my hands? What can I do to negate the sin and evil that I feel upon the earth? I confess God that it all feels to heavy for me. Yet you promise that small steps of mercy, loving acts of justice, humbly walking with God is enough. I confess that it is hard for me to hang onto that some days. Light the candle when my fire goes out, so the I might learn your mercy I pray. Amen.

Hear the good news, God’s mercies renew every morning, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go in the world remember that God has already lit the way for us—and the path is lit with mercy. Come let us walk the path together as we go. Amen. 

Hymns: A Balm in Gilead, What Does the Lord Require, O For a Closer Walk With God, Heave Mercy Lord on Me Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us, O For a World

With Children: Talk about respecting innate Humanity not out of pity, but because we are all made in God’s image. “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-day-you-begin_jacqueline-woodson/18597559/item/31060451/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwqoibBhDUARIsAH2OpWja6ZvJDHqhz9Tsy7fTM8bJeAYWT-nFGHgxWq1p25woNK-D_F7FDWoaAjpJEALw_wcB#idiq=31060451&edition=19786298

Full Extended Advent Resource

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Advent Candles Year 1 Narrative Lectionary

All Artwork by Katy Stenta on Canvas, feel free to use

Blue Christmas/Longest Night Comfort Candle Suggested: Liturgy Guide

Nov 27 Hope Candle
Faith as a Way of Life
Habakkuk 1:1-7; 2:1-4 3: [3B-6], 17-19 
Prophet grieved by injustice: Faith as a way, not an answer
Matt 26: 36-38 Gethsemane Jesus is grieved, asks Disciples to watch
Hope

God, what does hope taste like?
Does it taste like clear cool water after a faithful run
God says, faith is a path. 
God light our path with Hope
Help us tp the light the Hope candle
So we might find your justice, mercy and light. 

Suggested Hymn V. 1 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Dec. 4
Esther Love Candle
Esther 4:1-17
For Such a Time as This, Esther was Made Queen

Salt and Light 

Too often we feel in our souls the meaning of for such a time as this!
We need love candles, to light our way.
God sends the Esthers, to love us in terrible times.
God light our path with Love
Help us to light the Love candle 
So we might find your justice, mercy and light. 

Suggested Hymn V. 2 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 3 O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Dec 11 Joy Candle
Light of Nations
Isaiah 42:1-9 Through Spirit bring Release to Prisoners
Matthew 12:15-21 Spirit of justice, fulfilling the prophecy

Light of Nations, how we desire you
We long for the taste of freedom
God sends the Holy Spirit to free all prisoners
God light the path to freedom with Joy
Help us to light the Joy candle
So we might find your justice, mercy and light.

Suggested Hymn V. 3 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 2 O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Dec 18th  Peace Candle
Jesus as Immanuel 
Matthew 1:18-25
fPsalm 23:14

Holy Spirit, we cannot even fully conceive your peace
But how we need the fullness of God’s Shalom in our souls
God be with us, our Emmanuel, tell us the story until it lives in us
God light our path to Peace
Help us to light the Peace candle
So we might find your justice, mercy and light.

Suggested Hymn V. 4 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Dec 24 Christ Candle
Birth of Jesus 
Luke 2:1-14 [15-20]
Psalm 96 (10-13)
God, you are coming to us in Christ
We long to fill your presence here
God what a miracle you become, a baby
a human translation of God’s love
Come let us welcome Christ
Come let us find you in justice, mercy and light

Suggested Hymn It Came Upon A Midnight Clear or O Holy Night

 

Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

If you enjoy my work please consider giving to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/554d36e3

Epiphany Thoughts

Epiphany is being able to step back and see how all the puzzle pieces that have already been put into place form the picture–and realize what the picture makes. It doesn’t change the picture, it just allows you to understand the picture better!


That’s why, when big changes happen, a good thing to do is to go back to the things you know for sure: identity, facts, spiritual disciplines.


And of course, in the story of the Magi, the answer is Jesus! Same for John the Baptist and the Shepherds! And each of them figured it out by doing what they do best–studying the stars, baptizing and preaching, tending the sheep, etc. For the Magi, its a good news picture, for Herod, not so much. But when they look at the pieces of the puzzle and they go back and look at it, they realize, the answer is Jesus!


As we enter this year after 20 months of Monumental changes–people moving, changing jobs, retiring and dying. And all of these changes are happening on a huge global level, we can be pretty sure that humanity is ripe for an Epiphany, we are about to discover some things about ourselves.


So, now is a good time to hone in on the basics–who are we? what do we love? what are our spiritual practices?


So when we are finally able to step back and see how the puzzle pieces fit together, we are well grounded for that moment of epiphany.


All right, let’s go 2022. Let’s get ready for our Epiphany.

Blessings for a Gentle Holiday (full text)

Blessings for a Gentle Holiday

May you have a gentle Holiday

Full of kindness, and understanding

and moments of warmth and coziness.

May you have a holiday with enough space and time

to be alone or together

to weep or sigh

to remember…

***

May your holiday give you the kind of rest you need

with reading or physical activity or doing nothing

or to do the crafting or peopling or not peopling

or sleeping or creating or not knowing

or caring…

whatever it is that you need to do,

or not!

***

May you have a gentle holiday

with the permission you need to not have to be “Merry”

but to be your full authentic self,

and to be kind to yourself, your boundaries, and those you love.

This is both my blessing and my prayer for you this season.

Amen.

What is Sacred, Christmas Prayer

No photo description available.

God I approach this Christmas season
with some trepidation,
and a lot of fear and trembling.

Because I don’t know if I really
understood before,
what was really sacred,
before now.

All the pomp and circumstance of Christmas
lies by the wayside now, like crumpled wrapping paper.

After all, we are not here to impress anybody.

What is left, is the Christ Candle,
burning the conviction into our hearts,
that life is sacred,
precisely because it is all so
unique and beautiful and brief.

The fact that a young girl, a shepherd and a magi
could each magnify God
in their own,
and yet important way
makes me want to cry
silent tears
at the magnitude of the meaning of Christmas

So here we are…

Fill us up,
with what Christmas
means for each of this year

Reminding us
that God sent a baby
in a manger

for each and every one of us
and God values us–

enough to send
babies and angels
and teachers and doctors and nurses
and vaccines and masks

and phone calls and cards
and candles and stars
and every other symbol that we need to remind us

That we are beloved.

And that we are here to fill the world with love
any way we can,
because that is the Christmas miracle
turning emptiness into something else.

Let us Go, and be comforted by the Love of God.

May God Bless you
and Keep you

in Belovedness–

wrapped in the miracle
that God is here.

Amen.

Always, forever,
God is even now. Here.
Alleluia.
Amen.

Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

More Advent/Christmas Resource

Christmas Eve Readings

First Lesson Luke 1:26-31, 2:1-5 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’ 29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be registered. 4Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.

Second Lesson John 3:16-17 ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Third Lesson Luke 2:5-7 5He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Fourth Lesson Luke 2:16-20 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’

Fifth Lesson Luke 2:16-20 16So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

 Sixth Lesson Matthew 2: 1-3,7-12 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men* from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising,* and have come to pay him homage.’ 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him. Then Herod secretly called for the wise men* and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising,* until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped,* they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Seventh Lesson Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favours!’

Eighth Lesson Luke 1:46-55 46 And Mary said,‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
47   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
48 for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.
   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
   and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
   from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
   and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
   and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
   in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’