Category: Uncategorized

How do we Pray for Peace? Prayer

God
We admit
Confess really

That we do not know how to pray for peace.
We want it to be a magic incantation.

One where we have picked the right side.
So peace happens

There you go God
the mystery of Shalom-Salaam is solved.

But Salaam-Shalom isn’t about sides,
You can’t take the word apart like that
You cannot take the world apart like that

These things are not meant to be broken

There are no sides to peace

Shalom-Salaam
the mystery of wholeness, health
hospitality, healing
peace

No wonder peace is
Created
Constructed
Made

It took a Carpenter-
Or at least someone who worked with their hands
to teach us that.

Blessed are the
Builders of Peace
For they Shall Be
Called.Invited.Named.
Children.Having the Nature of.Inheritors of
God
Allah
Yhwh

Salaam-Shalom (Have I said the spell enough yet, God??)

Our tongues ache
From the words of war
(revenge)

And we know
That we have
Taught it

My soul aches
to teach war
No more
no more
no more

Shalom-Salaam

Teach me
to sit with peace
To hammer
weapons into
Planting tools

Teach me
how find the broken pieces
to plant
And to mend
To nurture
And to tend

To sow
Until we find the wholeness
teach us the mystery of this binding

Salaam-Shalom,
Us
Because we Do Not Know How
And none of Us can do it alone
Salaam-Shalom us,
We Pray.

Amen.

Feel free to use/adapt/Share with Credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord.com”

Banksy Dove with a Bulletproof Vest https://www.thenationalnews.com/weekend/2022/08/05/banskys-west-bank-dove-and-the-palestinian-shopowner-who-met-the-elusive-artist/

Children

CW: Israel/Palestine

Child

How to define
Not an adult
magical being
inspirer of future
bringer of now
takes their sweet time
so meone who should still believe
one who fears scary things
leader to heaven
welcomer
noticer of small things
laughter that bears fairies
wishie-blower
always in a hurry
bearer of peace
own self
right to be

When I was in
Israel & Palestine

Both times
Children ran around me
Giggling, playing chase
speaking a language I didn’t know

I sighed

despite all the propaganda
water shortages
talk of building permits
and guns

I breathed in
and out
in hope

because
the
Children
were
and
are
children
everywhere

Do you see
the
children?

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

Recommendation Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying HumanRecommendation

I recommend that you pre-order this book Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human

Cole Arthur Riley has always been a big inspiration for my writing. This is a recommendation I am making on my own.

If you don’t know I have a wonderful Sermon Series based on This Here Flesh here

Her next work is coming in Jan 2024 and I cannot wait! I expect this to be another inspiration for my work. I am looking forward to it.

Wrestling

God, you know I have a brain
that just will not stop

It wrestles with what could have been
what should have been

What if I did this differently?
Was it me, Lord? What if it was all my fault?
What if I lost my chance?

But then God picks me up
places me on my feet
and blesses me,
me and my imperfect body

Maybe you didn’t know God
I’ve got racing thoughts
and a mind that wrestles
And by the way
my hip now hurts…too

What is that?
You are blessing me
Any
Any
Any
way

Not, anyway
Just a blessing
A blessing for
the one
the one who cannot stop wrestling

A blessing for the one who is all too aware
of their awkwardness
their imperfections
Their past

You are blessed
(and can bless others)
God whispers

and then sits, and watches the sunrise with me

So that I know that
even as my brain races
and still cannot comprehend

God sits with me
in my wrestling
So I no longer feel
Alone

Feel Free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “Katyandtheword.com”

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.


God of Laughter

You know all the kinds of laughs there are
the joyous bubble of a child
safe and warm

The nervous laughter
of denial

The sobbing laughter
of those overcome
by grief

The laughter of friend
a quiet comforting chuckle
that holds no judgement

God you know the awkward laughter
of a teenager,
uncertain

The laughter of those who laugh
when they are overwhelmed with emotions
including grief

You know the laughter
at one’s one mistakes
beautiful and generous

God you know the whys of laughter
the difference between Sarah’s laughter and Abraham’s

How beautiful, in a world
where women’s laughter is so often punished
and men’s is rewarded
somehow, it’s different

Sarah is the one
who believes, in her disbelief
who has good humor threading through
her journey, her marriage, her laughter–
And although Abraham is known for his faith
I like to believe that Sarah is known for her humor

Thank you God
for laughter
all of its meanings
and for the grace
of Sarah–
Amen.

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

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.

God of Laughter

You know all the kinds of laughs there are
the joyous bubble of a child
safe and warm

The nervous laughter
of denial

The sobbing laughter
of those overcome
by grief

The laughter of friend
a quiet comforting chuckle
that holds no judgement

God you know the awkward laughter
of a teenager,
uncertain

The laughter of those who laugh
when they are overwhelmed with emotions
including grief

You know the laughter
at one’s one mistakes
beautiful and generous

God you know the whys of laughter
the difference between Sarah’s laughter and Abraham’s

How beautiful, in a world
where women’s laughter is so often punished
and men’s is rewarded
somehow, it’s different

Sarah is the one
who believes, in her disbelief
who has good humor threading through
her journey, her marriage, her laughter–
And although Abraham is known for his faith
I like to believe that Sarah is known for her humor

Thank you God
for laughter
all of its meanings
and for the grace
of Sarah–
Amen.

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

Sept 17th Isaac Born to Sarah

Finding God…. of possibilities

Isaac Born to Sarah
Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7
Mark 10:27

Topical Prayer: God of Laughter

Call to Worship
God of Laughter, inspire us
Walk with us on our journey
God of hospitality, remind us that you are with us
Gather us close to you today God.

Call to Confession: Remember that God loves us exactly as we are, come let us confess ourselves to God

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we do not believe that with you all things are possible. Instead we remember all the things that stand in our way. We think of ourselves as impossible: too young, too old, too weird, too poor, too ungifted. We would laugh at the impossibility, but we are afraid to do even that. Forgive us, teach us that it is ok to feel helpless, it is ok to understand that things are impossible. Help us to find the good humor of Sarah, the hospitality of Abraham and the Graciousness of God we pray. (Silent Prayer) Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus loves us and walks with us, he forgive us always. Friends proclaim the good news to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication: God we are so thankful of how Sarah found your grace, with laughter. May we too be blessed with that grace as we walk into the world we pray. Amen.

Topical Prayer: God of Laughter

Notes: Finding God through laughter: Sarah laughs at God and as a woman (for whom no doubt it would be very dangerous to laugh at those in power/a man) finds not punishment but grace. How beautiful our God is one who can be laughed with/at.

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.