Category: Uncategorized

Top Ten of 2022

Top Ten Prayers of the Year

1. https://katyandtheword.com/…/31/god-of-pronouns-a-prayer/ A Prayer to Our God who IS the God of Pronouns (This was the clear winner this year)

2. https://katyandtheword.com/…/god-bless-the-church-a…/ Blessing all the KINDS of Churching we are and do. (This was a VERY strong second)

3. https://katyandtheword.com/2022/01/11/toddling-a-prayer/ A prayer about being tired of the Pivot!

4. https://katyandtheword.com/2022/02/25/empty-handed-prayer/ A Prayer for “Thoughts & Prayers”

5. https://katyandtheword.com/…/mothers-day-confession…/ Just a confession for mothers day, there’s not a lot of those written

6. https://katyandtheword.com/…/the-lord-is-our-shepherd…/ fun Psalm 23 Prayer, which Sheep are you?

7. https://katyandtheword.com/…/prayer-for-canceling…/ Prayers for all those who have to cancel in 2023 in blizzards, cold and sickness

8. https://katyandtheword.com/2021/12/31/betty-whites-timing/ Prayer Remembering and Honoring Betty White

9. Mara: A Bitter Prayer (about Gun Violence) https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/25/mara-a-bitter-prayer/

9. https://katyandtheword.com/2022/04/09/palm-sunday-a-prayer/ Jesus’s very human moment to do Palm Sunday

10. https://katyandtheword.com/…/11/coming-out-day-a-prayer/ A Prayer for God Coming Out as Queer

10. https://katyandtheword.com/…/disability-glorified-a…/ Jesus and Disability, starting with “doubting” (I call him brave) Thomas

Top 10 Resources I’ve Written, from 2022

1. “This Here Flesh” Sermon Series https://katyandtheword.com/…/this-here-flesh-sermon…/ (again a clear winner this year)

2. Narrative Lectionary Advent Candles Liturgy https://katyandtheword.com/…/narrative-lectionary…/

3. Narrative Lectionary Fall 2022 https://katyandtheword.com/…/narrative-lectionary-fall…/

4. Christ the Lord is Risen Today Alternative Lyricshttps://katyandtheword.com/2022/04/14/christ-the-lord-is-risen-today-alt-lyrics/

5. Advent Extended Liturgy: Justice, Mercy & Light https://katyandtheword.com/…/justice-mercy-light…/

6. Gathering and Gospelling, Worship Series based on The Art of Gathering and Unbinding the Gospel: https://katyandtheword.com/…/gathering-gospelling-the…/

7. Blue Christmas, a Comfort Candle, Take home Liturgy https://katyandtheword.com/…/blue-christmas-comfort…/

8. Lent Narrative Lectionary: From Lament to Hope https://katyandtheword.com/…/lent-narrative-lectionary…/

9. Narrative Lectionary Fall 2022 Rainbow God/Queer Edition https://katyandtheword.com/…/narrative-lectionary-fall…/

10. Gun Violence Prevention Prayers https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/26/gun-violence-prayers/

It’s nice to see everything in review–Happy 2023, may it be full of Blessings

Longest Night Christmas Prayer

Nativity, 2022 (Ukraine) by Irenaeus Yurchuk.

Jesus,
Sweet Baby Jesus
Born in the midst of a collapsing empire
Hidden in plain sight from everything and everyone official


When different factions of the religion
were all claiming to be the “truer” one
Each saying if you don’t worship our way
You don’t belong to God.

You were born when a Messiah
Seemed to be around every corner
Lamps were left on at night and demagogues and dynamic cult leaders
Were followed at whim, because people needed hope

And the gulf between who was poor and who was rich
The distinction between who was citizen and who was not
The taste in one’s mouth when people called one another
Foreigner, Outsider, or Different was sour and full of hate

Violence was everywhere
Children, the Poor, The Elderly, The Lonely, the Sex Worker
were Ignored or Forgotten
Laws were passed against anyone deemed Unclean in any way (oh my Queer siblings!)

Jesus Christ, you were born in a time
When no one was receiving proper healthcare
So people banged down your door
for a bit of healing

And my heart aches
With the familiarity, you could be born today
Is this why you have to be born into today’s world?
Have we forgotten why we need you?

Sometimes I wonder if you haven’t returned
Because we haven’t learned enough?
Heretic thought I know
But I sit in the hate and terror and worry Jesus

Jesus Christ, we need you. A baby
A sneak king full of healing and mischevious teachings of Grace
Jesus we need someone who will sit in the dirt with the marginal
and embody the Peace so much that we will sit in the dirt with you.

Sweet baby Jesus, though I know we picture angels, shepherds, & magi
I think that a baby born in the war-torn dark
might be the truth
Help us to sit with that, in the shortest day and longest night I pray.

Amen.

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

Books, Books, Poetry, Books

Here it is, the Booklist (Remember this is TWO classes worth) One is Poetry and the other is Experimental Poetry

……so it can be seen as either intimidating or fun
Please peruse and find what you can at your local library! I’m told with ZONG its best to read it before Splay Anthem and to start with the end, which explains a lot of it!
Maggie Nelson, Bluets 
Sam Stephenson, Gene Smith’s Sink 
Aisha Sabatini Sloan, Borealis 
Nicole Rudick, What Is Now Known Was Only Once Imagined 
Terrance Hayes, To Float in the Space Between 
Aracelis Girmay, The Black Maria 
John Edgar Wideman, Writing to Save a Life 
Chris Kraus, After Kathy Acker 
Heather Christle, The Crying Book 
Muriel Rukeyser, The Book of the Dead 
Eileen Myles, Afterglow
M. NourbeSe Philip, Zong! (Wesleyan Poetry Series) by 
Nathaniel Mackey, Splay Anthem 

About 1/3rd I could acquire from the library (not bad) only one was an expensive new release and it was half off (whew originally $60). I, of course, bought a bunch used. So the total was $113.80. I admit I was like wow that’s a lot; ok not really for two classes of books. So if I could grab another $120 of fundraising that would be amazing.

https://gofund.me/47b40357

Writing, Creative Writing D. Min

Hello Folks,

Do you know that an average over 200 people use my resources a day?

That means that everyone gave me $10 my Doctorate in Creative Ministry would be funded.

The next step is a double week intensive in January!

I have successfully funded 2 years in Creative Writing and shared resources thanks to all of the donations I have received thus far.

This means that every single contribution counts! It has been so meaningful to me to have your support along the way. I would not be writing without you. I have received contributions from $10-$500, and each of them have been so amazing.

https://gofund.me/554d36e3

If you have found my work useful, and are able to please give a donation. And if you need a receipt–drop me an email Katyandtheword at gmail and I’m happy to send your church a receipt for Katyandtheword resources

The official Go fund me is Here: https://gofund.me/554d36e3

You can also give these ways:Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword@gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats

Thanks for your support.

And thanks for praying with me!

#Advent 2 RCL

Isaiah 11 Advent 2 assumes we are broken and withered,

No one is healthy and whole

We are the remnant in need

and need care, the shoot comes from the stump

And glorious rest is promised at the end

That is The Emmanuel

Advent promises

Give everyone sick leave

medical care

housing

And mental health care

Art by Katy Stenta on Canva, feel free to use

Advent Prayer

Here’s a Prayer for Advent
For those are stuck in injustice for so long
they seek justice with every breath they breathe
and long for a new kind of liberation.

Here’s a prayer for those
stuck in the throes of grief
gnarled in the pain
and cannot feel those who are holding their hands in darkness.

Here is a prayer those
sick so prologuedly, they don’t remember
what health feels like, and subsist instead
on better days.

Here’s a prayer for the lonely
whose teeth ache when they see companionship
who lurk in the corners of libraries and shops
and love to converse with strangers and angels unawares.

Here’s a prayer for the victims
of violence and abuse
from microagressions to verbal, from physical to assassination
To all those who cannot be safe because where they are or who they are.

Here’s a prayer for those who just don’t know Lord
They are just so tired and confused, and stuck
They aren’t sure where to go next or what to do
But they are certain that they need to figure out the next step.

Here’s a prayer for those on the edge of death,
you know the ones God, waiting for that next family gathering
or that last visit, or the strength to let go–
Or even Christmas to pass, in order to join the rest of the Saints.

This is a prayer for all those waiting,
Maybe what we have is not yet hope, perhaps it is hoping for hope
But that is enough to light the candle together
That is enough to wait for God together, for the miracle whispers to us.

It whispers of the one who is to come:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Purveyor of Peace
And Government will rest upon their shoulders–
God, we are holding our breath, and light the candle hoping for hope.

We are praying with the world today, O Come, O Come Emmanuel we Pray. Amen.

Feel Free to Use/Share/Adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Full Advent Resources

Katyandtheword

It’s small business Saturday etc etc

If you enjoy my writing and wish to support my work feel free to donate to my writing.

I run this website pay for its fees, administrate all the things, provide doc copies to anyone who asks, write all the liturgy, etc and do everything based on donations.

I know that there are big and small churches and all kinds of people in the world all are in need of timely resources.

I started to publish after I reworked other resources one too many times to be relevant and not bogged down with sexism or bigotry (it’s an ongoing and imperfect task but I’m striving to be ever more inclusive in all that I do, you never stop learning)—and after wishing there was timely prayers for current events, so that is a bulk of what I do here.

The most common way to donate is to my gofundme for my Doctorate in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/ac35f3b5

I also have Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword@gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats (this is what comes of having three younger siblings of assorted generational ages)

Thanks for reading, your support and

Most of all

Thanks for praying with me!

LGBTQIA, After Colorado Springs

Sacred Space

Rainbow Tears

MicroViolence

Erasure

Dancing

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

Sacred Spaces

A Sacred Space
Does not mean pews or Prayer

It means safety
for one to be their full self

A Sanctuary, does not mean a Pastor
or a Sign that says “Everyone’s Welcome”

It is a place where the food is abundant
and the boundaries keep people safe

Church is not a building
Its the Community that its neighbors

God is not an authority or a shamemaster
They are a home to safely come to, at the end of the long journey

Safety is not straight heteronormativity ableism in middleclass suburbs
Its the freedom for everyone to dance in their club

in their beautiful and fierce incarnation
without being shot, or being hassled on the way home, or the cops being called

Sacred Spaces
Means a Space for everyone to be Sacred, no more, no less.

If there is one things all humans need–
its real and salient sacred spaces

Selah
Don’t break humans

Selah,
Don’t break the Sacred Spaces