“He gets You” is really appropriative, because its more about “He gets me: white, straight, cis, conservative, men”
Whereas Jesus does not say “I get you” Jesus says, “Do you see me” And when people ask, “Where were you” He says “I am among the poor, the immigrant, the forgotten, the widowed, the queer, the homeless, the ones without identification, the imprisoned, the ones your eyes slide over because you have deemed them unimportant, the dispossessed, the naked, the hungry, the powerless, the ones you refuse to listen to…” (Matthew 25) Ministry isn’t even about power, its about something else altogether
You can’t brand Jesus for the masses Because that’s getting the whole message backwards
The Membership Questions: If I Wrote them Expanded: Do you reject Evil Of Guns Of White Supremacy Of the False Gospel of Hate Of the Nationalism Of trying to Control Your Child’s Life Do you reject the idolatry of Power, Greed, Imperialism, Capitalism and Control?
Do you surrender to the Loving and Searing Truth of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who opens your heart in such away that you continually examine your life and ask–am I living in a way that adhere’s to God’s Life Giving Standards?
Do I, to Love my Enemies, Are the Imprisoned? Give Food to those in Near, Somehow free myself To Not Judge those different than you and to Welcome those who are different in Gender, Race, Sexuality, Age and Ability to my House, Home, Table and Life?
Do I affirm the Apostles Creed, as far as I understand it, knowing that it is a lifelong mystery. Do I affirm what I know and commit to continual study of the Apostles Creed and God?
If you want a document version of this entire series for easy viewing and formatting just email me at Katyandtheword at gmail and title it Narrative Lectionary and I will be happy to send it to you.
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
Call to Worship
God you call to the outsider
You care for those who are imprisoned, different or are alone
You are with the marginal
God you are the God of the least of these
How mighty is our God, who cares for those we forget
Praise be to God, let us bless God
Call to Worship (Based on Psalm 146)
Praise the Lord, O my Soul
God made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, and keeps faith forevers
God executes justice for the oppressed, feeds the hungry, and sets the prisoner free. Thisis our God!
Come let us Praise the Lord!
Call to Confession: Come let us carry any piece of ourselves that is different or imprisoned to God.
Confession: Holy Spirit, I confess that I am not Joseph, but there are times in my life where I have felt like an outsider or trapped by my actions. There are times where I have felt different. God I confess it is easy to become embittered about those harsh times in life, or to hate as a result. I confess that it is easier to believe in a God of winners and powerful ones, than a God who wants to care for those who are vulnerable and powerless. Remind me that you came as a baby to show me that you are not interested in power, but love. Help me to understand a hope that is different and a freedom that is not political I pray. (Silent Confession). Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Jesus comes to free you from all sins, you have already confessed, so you can now rest, safe and secure in the good news, come let us whisper the truth to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God, help us to see and accept and free the Josephs of the world. Remind us that you are always working towards justice and good, and human machinations are nothing towards your mercy. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Hymns: Live Into Hope, We Meet You Christ, There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy, O God of Every Nation, If Thou but Trust in God to Guide Thee
Children: Talk about God being the God of the “Marginal.” Define that word to mean not in charge. Explain that this means that God is not interested in Christianity being in charge or in control, because God is most interested in caring for those left behind and forgotten. Brainstorm who those people might be. Book Suggestion: “Martin Luther King Jr: A Kid’s book about advancing Civil Rights with Nonviolence” by Mary Nhin “The Star Bellied Sneetches” by Dr Suess
If you want a document version of this entire series for easy viewing and formatting just email me at Katyandtheword at gmail and title it Narrative Lectionary and I will be happy to send it to you.
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
when David was king and pondered an enforced rest.
David, who had trauma in his family and then perpetuated trauma on his friend, and raped a woman.
David, who dealt with the physical pain of a sexually transmitted disease that roiled him for years.
God, how stretched was David, when he prayed for a rest that would not let him go.
When David harkened back to simpler times, and longed, not even to be a shepherd again, but to instead be the sheep.
David, reimagines rest as something to be protected, with a staff and a rod.
David sees true rest as being able to let go of his enemies, and eat and drink without having to worry about being attacked.
David, who was so privileged and powerful needed rest.
How much more do we need rest after the pandemic.
How much more do our Black and Brown siblings need the space to rest, and the time to reinvent what rest and rejuvenation looks like?
How much more do our queer siblings, need sabbath?
How much more do our beloved trans* individuals need sanctuary?
Hustling is not going to cut it anymore. You can’t out hustle a pandemic or trauma or racism or bigotry.
God, drive those who need to, down to the cool waters.
Chase them down with goodness and mercy.
And remind us, that Sabbath, like blessings, is not pie. There is enough to go around. We need to create space for rest with one another.
Help us to create a culture of Sabbath, I pray.
Amen.
Again I have to give theological credit to @TheNapMinistry and Nap Bishop Tricia Hersey for their continually revolutionary take on rest. https://linktr.ee/thenapministry
Please share/adapt/use with Theological Credit to “The Nap Ministry” writing credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
About love and tradition and cultural differences. I asked (rather timidly even) if race played a part to our reactions.
And soon I found myself hip deep in a quagmire of pain.
People were triggered. They felt they needed to defend their pain.
And it was hard God, and part of me wanted to take it all back. Because I don’t want to create heartache.
But then I remembered two weeks ago when someone asked me hard questions about love and inclusion and the brokenness of the system that I perpetuated.
And although that was embarrassing and hard. I lived through it.
And in reflecting this experience I remembered that part of why I asked the hard questions this week was because as of last week I was tired of us: me, the church, consumer culture, ignoring hard issues and perpetuating whatever was comfortable for us.
Did you ever notice Jesus really likes to answer a question with a harder question?
You deconstructed me Lord. And I confess I need you to bless this mess today, because I’m going to be in the deconstructed zone for a while.
Because once God starts to deconstruct you, it becomes easier for you to see other places where the threads of normal need to be pulled apart.
And you can choose to continue the work God started, but it’s up to you.
So I guess I’ve reached a new level of maturity, where I stay in the muck longer than is comfortable, and I feel the anguish of racism on top of the anguish of those in pain.
And as my heart aches, I am thankful for all the times I was able to say:
“I don’t know. “
And “I hear you.”
As I sat with the pain and let go of the reasons and the arguments.
Do you sometimes say I don’t know God?
I don’t know
But thank you for helping me to brave the muck; and help me to muddle through, or sit, or cry. Help me to do this hard questioning thing I pray.
Amen.
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
katyandtheword 
