Category: prayer

God of Trans 🏳️‍⚧️ Kids

Because Trans Lives are Sacred

God of Trans 🏳️‍⚧️ Kids
Change every politicians mind
For I do not understand their hearts of stone

I still do not understand the state sanctioned and sponsored violence that takes children

From first Disabled kids, Then Native American families, then Black and Brown families,

And now Trans Kids from their families

But Jesus descendant of and Rahab,

Prophet chased out of Egypt like Moses, Child of the lineage of Jesse like Esther.

You know & You know, how important family is..Both blood family and found family.

Lord God you know that government cannot define your name or your family and when you are asked these things so often you reply:

What do you say?

Because you know the truth, and God knows the truth of your identity and no one can take that away from you.

But that doesn’t mean that the jeers and stones do not hurt

when they are thrown at you—”Let those without sin throw the first stone.”

Lord I’m a little bit lost at what to pray for right now (bc I’m so ANGRY) except to pray for my trans brothers & sisters and non-binary siblings

Because you God are trans! Making male and female, all of the varieties in between, each in your image. And proclaiming each and every individual GOOD! exactly as they are.

Protect those who are trans* and gender no conforming, help their families and defeat our enemies as only you can I pray. Amen.

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

White Woman’s Prayer

God,

I have spent all week

telling people that as a White Woman,

my way is to please everyone

and play nice.

I have gone full on confessional,

that this is our way, and to further admit

that when people do not consider us nice

all too often

we cry white tears,

and call that other person mean.

Because heaven forbid my personal, or even structural

ableism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, or other prejudices are named.

So here I am, practicing saying them out loud, God.

All month, help me God.

Because I don’t need to be startled or ashamed of who I am,

And I think the ownership helps me,

(and maybe other white women too?)

In any case, you know the help I still need Lord.

Because when I do this hard work,

my other mistakes seem bigger,

and my soul wears out faster,

and my heart is a bit sadder,

but its a bit bigger too–and for that I give you thanks

Thank you Holy Spirit.

Amen.

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

Ducks: A Blessing, et al.

This blessing has been published by Enfleshed for the online addendum to Held a book of blessings. The Original link is here. Two of my other Pittsburgh Seminary D. Min. Creative Writing Classmates got picked up for the online addendum and two of my classmates–Molly Housh Gordon and Walter Canter– got in the Print edition which can be ordered for 2nd printing here.

Ducks: A Blessing
by Katy Stenta

God knows, I don’t know where my ducks are
so they aren’t in a row.

How do I prioritize?
Everything is important
Schedules are nebulous, houses are messy, kids need attention.

God, you know, the ducks are waiting
Sometimes they quack at me in the middle of the night.

Is this how the prophets felt?
Chasing down the Wild Goose of the Holy Spirit.

Did they know their ducks would never
ever be in a row?

And that the wild birds of
Friendship, inspiration, food, silliness, etc
Would be the wild blessings of the Holy Spirit

.

Blessed are the ducks
Silly, quacking, never in a row
Blessed are the messy houses,
the children, the imperfections
the neverending tasks of relationships and adulting
the quacking in the middle of the night.

Blessed is the struggle
for it is real, and magnificent.

Katy Stenta is the mother of three, pastor, dreamer, fantasy/sci-fi romance reader and sunshine catcher, and wife of youth librarian Anthony. She enjoys writing blessings and prayers.

Who Am I by my classmate Joanne Spence

I am heavy
I am light

I am full
I am empty

I am shadow
I am bright

I am the me who sees and hears.

Oh, to the songbird
All the sights and sounds

Fluttering gently in my subconscious mind

I. Am. Here. Now.

God is closer than my breath.
That’s the me I see

Here. Now. Sensing Her presence

The Divine Feminine in me.

By Joanne Spence

Joanne Spence is the author of “Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Toolbox for Therapists.” She is a yoga teacher, social worker, and spiritual director. She likes to hike, bike, read, cook, dance, and travel, just not all at the same time

A blessing for wanting to belong by my classmate Jordan Miller-Stubbendick

Alone in the cafeteria, I grip my lunch tray,
slightly damp from its turn in the industrial dishwasher.
I seek a friendly face under the harsh fluorescent glare.

One Who Sees, you notice me standing there,
swirling with the fear that I am
not cool enough funny enough sparkly enough.

Friend Of My Heart, you are with me in that cafeteria
As I look around, taking shallow breaths.
Steady One, you catch my eye and smile, beckoning me over
There is a seat for me at your table—and for all of us
Who ever feel not cool enough funny enough sparkly enough.

Divine Embrace, you sweep all of me up
into your ever growing rainbow embrace
into your warm blanket of peace, of rest.

You say: Come. Sit with me.
Set down your fears and frantic striving.
I see you just as you are, and I love you always.
Yes, you are so much more than enough.
You belong, and there is a place for you here.

Jordan Miller-Stubbendick is a writer who lives in Buffalo, NY with her family.

BURNEDOUT a prayer

This is a prayer for the BURNEDOUT

Because Loving mothering God, you know that they were ON FIRE 🔥

They did the work, they gave their all, they plugged in, they connected, they loved their job, their work & all they served

Every single breath of it.

Until one day, their oxygen suddenly gave out!

Sure they had been gasping for breath, and running on low fuel

But everything and everyone around them seemed to say just go farther and do more

And everything will be alright.

And so God this is a prayer for the BURNEDOUT

that every single one of them can claim their Sabbath

And rest, as God given, needful and right; without guilt or recrimination.

God grant them, and us Sanctuary and rest we pray.

Amen.

Toddling, a Prayer

God,

You know,

that we cannot pivot anymore

because we are too dizzy.

In fact,

we are so dizzy that walking has become problematic

So we make our way like toddlers

knowing our best right now

looks nothing like two year ago

Please hold my hand God

as I toddle along,

steady my step

and murmur comforting words

into my ear, as I toddle along,

Please,

I pray.

Amen.

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

Pandemic Prayers & Resources

mage: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRgjeVrd7voU52vZ7TS56dYtaRNx5oe4XVucA&usqp=CAU

With Thanks for the inspiration from @lmcheifetz who pointed out we can’t pivot anymore.

If you find my work useful, please consider giving to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/70a114f9. It is a “working theologian’s” doctorate where I preach, write and share my work with the world all at the same time. If your church uses my work extensively and could use a receipt email me at katyandtheword at gmail and let me know!

Be With Us

God of those who still have to go to work

Be with us

God of all of those who can’t work

Be with us God of those with preexisting conditions

Be with us

God of those who can’t be vaxed/boosted yet

Be with us

God of those who are hanging on by a thread

Be with us, All we pray

Amen

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

Living Water

Signs of God: Baptism/Holy Spirit

Psalm 147:1-11

John 7:37-52

Call to Worship

Praise to Our God, it is Good to praise our God who Gracious

God heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds

God determines the number of the stars, and gives them their names, our God is abundant in power, and has an understanding beyond measure.

Come let us praise our glorious God!

Call to Confession: God we confess that we are tired and in need of the nourishment you promise. Please give us that nourishment today. Let that living water flow from our hearts as promised we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear and Know God is here with us, sustaining us. Know the good news In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedicaiton: Jesus you promise that the living water, the Holy Spirt, will come from your followers hearts, help that to happen today and everyday we pray. Amen.

Children: Holy Spirit talk about all the meanings of the Holy Spirit: Wind, Water, Fire, Inspiration, Breath. Talk about which image might be their favorite and why. Discuss how Jesus talks about how their is a piece of the Holy Spirit in every single human being to help comfort, sustain and inspire us, and that’s what today’s story is about!

Hymn: I’ve Got Peace Like a River, Breathe On Me Breath of God, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Out of Deep Unordered Water, Stand Up and Bless the Lord

If you find my work useful, please consider giving to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/70a114f9. It is a “working theologian’s” doctorate where I preach, write and share my work with the world all at the same time. If your church uses my work extensively and could use a receipt email me at katyandtheword at gmail and let me know!

Bread of Life

Food for the Hungry

Psalm 34:1-19

John 6:35-59

Call to Worship

I will bless the Lord at all times

Come bless the Lord with me

Jesus says, I am the everlasting bread of life

Come, let us praise God who gives us life

Prayer of Confession: God, I confess that I hunger to be nourished. There are times I truly need to taste and see that the Lord is good, because I am stumbling and falling, because the world is full of so many not good things. Save us, please we pray. Show us the good.

Assurance of Pardon Hear the good news, God is good all the time, an so we know the Gospel truth In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God let us go into the world knowing you want every single person to be fed. Let us all work to make that happen today and everyday we pray. Amen.

Hymns: Here I Am Lord, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, O Jesus I Have Promised, O Jesus I Have Promised,

Children: https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_reinhart_the_art_and_craft_of_bread?language=en

Writing https://gofund.me/70a114f9. It is a “working theologian’s” doctorate where I preach, write and share my work with the world all at the same time. If your church uses my work extensively and could use a receipt email me at katyandtheword at gmail and let me know!

Healing Stories

Psalm 40:1-5

John 4:46-54 [5:1-18]

Call to Worship

God we long to be Healed

We sorrow in the sickness in the world

God we gather together to pray

Come let us pray for one another to God

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we would prefer instant solutions to our problems. We would like for everyone to be instantly healed of their illnesses. Remind us to take responsibility, to do the work, and to hold fast to praying for one another and to not lose hope. Help us when we lose hope or are tired. Encourage us and surround us with support when we are worn out we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News: Jesus loves us and supports us, loving us into wholeness every time: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God please heal us in the ways that we need to be healed, that are perhaps beyond our human understanding, and bind us together so that we can continue to love and support one another in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hymns: I love the Lord Who Heard My Cry, There is a Balm in Gilead, Lord I Want to Be a Christian In My Heart, Lift High the Cross, Love Divine All Love Excelling

With Children: Talk about ALL the ways of healing: physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, intellectual, relational, natural (earth), individual, communal. Discuss how the healing Jesus has promised is way more than just one kind of healing and how fixated humans are upon primarily physical and then secondarily mental healing and how we might work towards other kinds of healing.

If you find my work useful, please consider giving to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/70a114f9. It is a “working theologian’s” doctorate where I preach, write and share my work with the world all at the same time. If your church uses my work extensively and could use a receipt email me at katyandtheword at gmail and let me know!