Category: narrative lectionary

Narrative Lectionary, Year 2, Lent 3

March 3rd, Lent 3
Mark 12:1-12 [13-17] Wicked Tenants, Pay Caesar (Sacrifice)
Psalm 86:8-13

Kneeling with Christ
The Promise of a New Kin-dom
Breaking [A World Beyond] Capitalism

Lent 3: Serving God: Rendering to God what is God’s, What do you have to offer?

Breath Prayer Option
Inhale: Great is God’s Steadfast Love
Exhale: God delivers me

Call to Worship
God is great and wondrous
You alone are God
I give thanks to you, of you alone are God
Let us give our whole hearts to God
God’s steadfast love is eternal
Come let us glorify God’s name forever

Call to Confession: God allows us to sit in the Divine presence even when we feel uncertain, come let us confess ourselves to God.

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we do not know what to render to you. It feels like everything belongs to society and Caesar: our bodies, our time, our work. We confess that it angers us in such a way that we might become like the tenants, ready to lash out even at those who come to with messages from God. Help us to move beyond the structures of this world, so that we can serve the Kingdom we pray. (Silent Confession) Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News, the yoke of Jesus Christ is light, and He is ready to forgive, so we know the Good News of Christ’s grace In Jesus Christ we are Forgiven.

Communion Prayer: God you are here to serve us and to feed us. You stooped your divine self into human form–translating divinity into a body and Good News into a format that we can understanding, so that we can taste and see the Good News of your life, one of service and foot washing. Send your Holy Spirit upon these elements so that we can feel your holy presence as a moment of communion with you and understand your teachings as moments of grace and love, we pray in the name of your son Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God, we are here to dedicate ourselves to you, because when we do, our lives are more joyful and complete. Help us to recognize the ways you move and are in our lives, so that we might live more fully in service to you we pray. Amen.

Hymn Suggestions: We Give Thee But Thine Own

Taize Option: Ubi Caritas

Children’s Activity: Talk about offering and what it means, and why it is you give offering–and how one can give offering of money, time and talents. Arrange a service project–preparing food or toiletries or birthday kits for the community.

Children’s Book: The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig or Children’s Book: The Power of One by Trudy Ludwig how goodness has ripple effects or Thank You Mr Panda by Steve Antony about how waiting is hard but it can have good effects.

Entire Liturgy

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Narrative Lectionary, Year 2, Lent 2

February 25, Lent 2
Mark 10:32-52 Son of Man to Serve, Heal Blind Bartimaeus
Psalm 34:11-14

Disciples want to get close to Jesus, Jesus continually points the disciples to look outward
Kneeling with Christ :When Jesus Comes Every Knee will bow,
Because Christ will return as he came, Kneeling to Serve
And we will Kneel to be Beside him
The Promise of a New Kin-dom
A World Beyond Capitalism, Breaking Capitalism

Call to Worship
I will bless the Lord at all times
Praise shall continually be in my mouth
Let my soul make its boast in the Lord
Let the humble hear and be glad
Let us hear the good news, and be warmed by it
Let us taste and see that God is good together
Come, magnify the Lord with me, for God is humble to be with us
Let us exalt the name of God together

Lent 2: Serving God: Whole Person/Confession & Serving God

Breath Prayer Option
God is with us
God Knows us

Call to Confession: Let us confess ourselves to Jesus Christ, the one who is human with us and for us, and so he accepts us as we are.

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we are sometimes ashamed, we are afraid to come with our full selves. Afraid that we are incomplete, or not enough. We are afraid, and so we find it hard to serve. But you reassure us, that fear is part of the process, and that you will always answer and take care of us. Help us when we are afraid we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear this, God answers and delivers us, forgiving us so that we are radiant with the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of The Day/Dedication: God who sees us as complete and calls us by name in the midst of our struggles, lead us towards a faith that helps us to serve in a way that is not about ability* but about faith we pray. Amen.

Hymn Suggestions: What Does the Lord Require of You, Taste and See, Lift High the Cross

Taize Option: Lord Remember Me

Children’s Activity: Self Portraits–talk about how everyone is different and how God knows us and loves us exactly how we are, and how each of us have imperfections like most handmade work

Children’s Book: God Gave Us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren https://www.amazon.com/God-Gave-You-Lisa-Bergren/dp/0307729915

*Healing stories have a potential to turn ableist really quickly. Though it is amazing that Bartimaeus is healed, it is the fact that Jesus saw him as a full and complete person (notice how he is even named!), and took his faith as a priority that might be the most important aspect of this story.

Entire Liturgy

Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting
Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy $75
(you decide what is fair for portions)
Receipt Available upon request
Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”

 Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword@gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
GoFundMe

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Lent 2024, Narrative Lectionary, Year 2

Themes:
Disciples want to get close to Jesus, Jesus continually points the disciples to look outward
Kneeling with Christ :When Jesus Comes Every Knee will bow,
Because Christ will return as he came, Kneeling to Serve
And we will Kneel to be Beside him
The Promise of a New Kin-dom
A World Beyond Capitalism, Breaking Capitalism

Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting
Suggested Donation for entire Liturgy $75
(you can decide what is fair for portions)
Receipt Available upon request
Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”

Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword at gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
GoFundMe, if you wish to send a check please contact me for info

February 14th 
Ash Weds
Mark 9:30-37 Last, First, like a Child
Psalm 32:1-5

February 18th , Lent 1
Mark 10:17-31 Rich Man sell all
Psalm 19:7-10

March 3rd, Lent 3
Mark 12:1-12 [13-17] Wicked Tenants, Pay Caesar (Sacrifice)
Psalm 86:8-13

March 10th, Lent 4
Mark 12:28-44 Great Commandment, Poor Widow
Psalm 89:1-4

March 17th, Lent 5
Mark 13: 1-8, 24-37 End of age, Watch
Psalm 102:12-17

March 24th, Lent 6
Mark 11:1-11 Triumphal Entry
Mark 14:3-9 woman anoints Jesus
Psalm 118:25-29

Holy Week Book
Jesus, The Word by Mark Fracisco Bozzuti-Jones Image from here

Jesus, The Word book cover, rainbow Jesus with open hand by by Mark Fracisco Bozzuti-Jones

Also What is God Like
YouTube reading

What is God Like Book Black kid riding a Narwhale Across the Universe


by Rachel Held Evans

March 28 Maundy Thurs
Mark 14:22-42 Words of Institution, Peter’s Denial foretold, Gethsemane Prayer
Psalm 116:12-19

March 29th Good Fri
Mark 15:16-39 Mocking, Forsaken
Psalm 22:1-2, 14-21

March 31st Resurrection
Mark 16:1-8 Empty tomb, Fleeing
Psalm 118:21-27

Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting
Suggested Donation for entire Liturgy $75
(you can decide what is fair for portions)
Receipt Available upon request
Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”

Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword at gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
GoFundMe
if you wish to send a check please contact me for info

Narrative Lectionary, Year 2, Lent 1

Mark 10:17-31 Rich Man sell all
Psalm 19:7-10

Kneeling with Christ
The Promise of a New Kin-dom
Breaking [A World Beyond] Capitalism

Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting
Suggested Donation for entire Liturgy $75
(you can decide what is fair for portions)
Receipt Available upon request
Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”

 Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword@gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
GoFundMe


Lent 1: Serving God, Journey & Change

Breath Prayer Option
Breathe in: Jesus I will serve you
Breathe out: Jesus I will follow you

Call to Worship
Jesus we are following you into Lent
Your laws are perfect, so we follow you
Jesus we long to love and serve like you
Here we are, starting the journey into Lent, Journey with us God
Come let us journey with God
Come, let us make space for this holy time together.

Call to Confession
Jesus calls us to follow him, because we are heavy burdened, let us lay down what we are carrying to God, so we might find rest

Prayer of Confession: God we know that what you have to offer is more desirable than God and sweeter than honey, but we confess that we are not ready to give up all of our possessions and follow you. We confess that we find the idea of changing everything, difficult. We confess that we are uncertain, sometimes, what following you even means sometimes. Forgive us when we are afraid, teach us how to serve beside you in ways that are life giving and hopeful we pray. In the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News: Jesus promises that he is preparing a way full of grace and mercy for us, so we can be assured of the good news, In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, Amen.


Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go forth proclaiming the good news, that faith is not about who is first or who has the most. It is not even about being perfect. For it is God who will teach us to serve, and we will carry that throughout the world. Amen.

Hymn Suggestions: They will Know We are Christians By Our Love, I Wonder as I Wander

Taize Option: Veni Sancte Spiritus

Children’s Activity: Play Simon Says, Stoplight, Duck Duck Goose depending on Ages, talk about how these games who wins “it” the person in control, how you lose, and then play them backwards, where the loser WINS

Children’s Book:The Goblin and the Empty Chair https://www.amazon.com/Goblin-Empty-Chair-Mem-Fox/dp/1416985859 Talk about about how the disciples fought over where to sit as opposed to the empty chair where welcome was made for the Goblin

Entire Liturgy

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Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy $75
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Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”

 Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword@gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
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A circular wooden table with wooden chairs, above is the Holy Spirit dove with a circle of arrows pointing everywhere

Ash Weds, Giving your Heart to God, a very brief reflection, Narrative Lectionary

Image from here and here

Entire Liturgy

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Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy $75
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 Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword at gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
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Ash Weds/Maundy Thurs Prayer

(Invitation to write something you want to give to on a valentine/heart: a hope or a burden. This can be written in the order of worship, and dropped in at the end)

Let us gather together in the name of God,
Happy are those who confess themselves to God
When we keep silent, our bodies feel heavy, we can feel them growing
We grown all day long, everything feels heavy upon me, but the weight of it all can be taken by God
How beautiful is it, that God knows us and loves us? We are the children of God.
Come let us gather close to God.

Read:
Mark 9:30-37



How wonderful is it to know that there is no competition for Jesus. We will all be fed by him. Let us approach God with the wonder and questions of children.
Come let us celebrate the feast of our Lord Jesus and

(Celebrate communion together in your tradition)

As we have all been fed and brought to God with one another, now we can remember that we belong to God in life and in death. We can give our heart to God, and accept the truth, that we are ashes, and to ashes we shall return.

(Imposition of ashes, bringing of hearts valentines or end of service with the passing of the plates)

Postlude

Entire Liturgy

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Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy $75
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 Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword@gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
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Love in the Rubble

Jesus Christ,
I think it’s much easier to picture you
in a stable, cozy among the hay–
Then in the cave that they showed me
in Palestine, where all the animals are stabled.

I remember, when I toured Bethlehem
among the Christians
hearing talk of building permits
and dirt roads
the lack of permits
and that a lot of the fighting
was really about water access
“Is it like Syria?” I asked?

Aware, that
Syria was
is turning into a desert
before our eyes

“Exactly” they answered
Like a deer thirsts
for water
So our soul longs for God
“But I never hear that people are fighting
over water?” I wondered

Christmas Day
Eastern Orthodox
Christmas
we went to the tomb
of Jesus
Where seven (the holy number)
crowded in

Each with clear
ropes
labels
and signs claiming
this piece of the Savior
is mine.

“Merry Christmas!”
Our Eastern Orthodox Brethren Proclaimed
“Here touch the head of the tomb,
Normally, it is not allowed,
But today is a merry day”

I do not know, if I wanted
To feel so closely
the desperation
Of occupied
wartorn Gaza
must have
felt like
at your birth Jesus

But when I visited
Lo those 13 years ago

I remember–too
The hope of
Love among the
rubble.

Jesus in a Nativity scene among rocks and rubble in Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem this year

The joy of “Merry Christmas”
amongst many faith
The sharing of a meal
with Muslims, Christians, Jews and Druze

Love among the rubble
As real as a Savior
born in a cave–
as real as a glimpse of peace,
in war.
As real as hope,
in a capitalistic, political scape.
As real as joy,
in the midst of weariness.

As real as faith,
in the midst of doubt.

As real as Christmas,
in the midst of the Advent of Life.

That’s my God
the one who shows up in the rubble of life.
Amen, Alleluia, Amen.

Jesus in. Nativity scene among rocks and rubble in Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem this year. Photos originate from the Church here

Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Katy Stenta “Katyandtheword”

Advent Candles Narrative Lectionary Year 2

Promise of the Messiah
Hope
Jeremiah 33:[10-11], 14-18
Mark 8:27-29

Jesus there is hope in every promise of peace
Holy Spirit there is hope in every act of love
God there is hope in every shout of joy
Here, we light this candle, reaching for hope
We hear the promise, and reach for it, even when we cannot believe it
Plant the seeds of Jesse, to grow here today, we pray.

Taize Option (always fun to sing during the whole candle liturgy)

Hymn Options: O Come, O Come Emmanuel or Rewritten Version, Taize : Nada the turbo, Wait for the Lord

Isaiah of the Exile
Love
Isaiah 40:1-11
Mark 1:1-4

Jesus, you clear to way for love
Holy Spirit, you make the path, even when the way seems rocky
I lift mine eyes to the hills, from where my help comes, my help comes from the Lord my God, who loves me as God’s own Beloved.
We hear the promise, and reach for it, even when we cannot believe it.
Come, let us Prepare the way of the Lord
Come, let us light the path together, with love.

Taize Option (always fun to sing during the whole candle liturgy)

Hymns: Magnify the Lord (to the Tune of O Come All Ye Faithful), It Came Upon the Midnight Clear (an Advent Song In My Opinion), Taize Option: Bless the Lord or Magnificat

Rebuilding the Temple
Joy
Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4, 10:13
Luke 2:25-32

Jesus, you will rebuild the world into your kindom
Holy Spirit, the waiting is hard
God cradle us in your arms, for we feel like we are not yet ready for the joy of Christmas.
We hear the promise, and reach for it, even when we cannot believe it.
God we long for your child of promise
We light the way, awaiting your joy to the world.

Taize Option (always fun to sing during the whole candle liturgy)

Hymn Options : God the Weaver (to the Tune of Away in the the Manger), Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence

Zechariah’s Song
Peace
Luke 1:5-13 [14-25], 57-80
Psalm 113

Jesus there is the peace of quiet, and then there is the peace of dreams fulfilled
Holy Spirit, fill our souls with peace
God we long for the song Zechariah to make our hearts ready for Jesus
We hear the promise, and reach for it, even when we cannot believe it.
Fill us with what we need, so that we can be a people of peace
Let us light the candle, and prepare for the Prince of Peace

Taize Option (always fun to sing during the whole candle liturgy)

Hymn Options: God of Peace (to the Tune of Silent Night), Still Still Still, Taize Option: Laudate Dominum, Wait for the Lord

September 24th Jacob Wrestles God

Finding God: Blessings and Belonging
Jacob Wrestles God
Genesis 32:[9-13], 22-30
Mark 14:32-36

Wrestling God: Topical Prayer/Poem

If you appreciate my work please consider giving to my FINAL year of Doctoral Work in Ministry in Creative Writing. I am writing a book of Poem Prayers and Essays to be Published for my dissertation.

Call to Worship
God you are with us
You give us the space to wrestle
God you find us when we are worried and alone
Bless us God today

Call to Worship
God of blessings
Bless us
Wrestling, Hoping, Lonesome or Hurting, You bless us
Let us walk away blessed today

Call to Confession: Whatever we are wrestling with, God can handle, Let us trust that God can wrestle with it too today.

Prayer of Confession: God, we feel like Jacob, needing to wrestle some more. The struggle, as they say, is real. We are weighed down with our past mistakes. We feel the pain of loneliness. We feel unworthy of the blessings you have awaiting us, and we have to wrestle first. Forgive us, teach us that we are beloved, and that you are ready to call us, by our chosen names, and bless us. In Jesus’s name we pray. (Silent Confession) Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News, Blessings are not Pie, they flow from the cup overflowing grace of Jesus Christ, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, Amen.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God we know that the struggle is real. We are thankful that Jesus sees and understands when we limp along. Bolster us as we walk into the world today we pray. Amen.

If you appreciate my work please consider giving to my FINAL year of Doctoral Work in Ministry in Creative Writing. I am writing a book of Poem Prayers and Essays to be Published for my dissertation.

Finding God: Garden of Eden

Sept 10th NL201
Garden of Eden
Genesis 2:4b-25
Mark 1:16-20
Mark 10:6-8

Call to Worship:
God created us in companionship
God created us to be good
Come let us worship God the Creator
Come let us be in communion with God

Call to worship
We are God-breathed beings
It is good to dwell with God
We are called to be with God
Come let us spend some time with God together

Call to Confession: God calls us all to unburden everything to God, come let us give ourselves to the Divine.

Prayer of Confession: God, we come to you imperfect, but still your creation. When we feel alone or incomplete, walk with us we pray. Remind us that you still are there, calling our name, creating connections and companionship for us–walking with us wherever we go. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News, Jesus calls us to him again and again, therefore we know the truth. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God, you created us, you breathed life into us, you have walked with us. Continue to remind us of your love, continue to remind us how you call us by name, each and every day as we walk into the world we pray. Amen.

Hymns: In the Garden, God Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens, God Created Heaven and Earth, I Sing the Mighty Power of God