How Many Times Lord

CW: Violent images

When I say,
How many times Lord?

I am not talking about some
nebulous math problem
that I want solved

I am more pointing to the fact
that the human brain
is incapable
of processing more
than a certain amount

of sensory
input

And the battering
of an apartheid
is so True
that my brain
has trouble processing the

Fact of the Matter
I know it, I see it, I say it

But I know
I have not processed it
the images, numbers and facts

the screams, blood and children

lie strewn across my brain
And all I can think is
How many times Lord?

It is a variation
But not the same
prayer I pray
about Gun Violence

The angry tears that clench my jaw
and make me a bleeding heart
That believes this time we will all figure out
how souls will out weigh the capitalism of violence

A rainbow in the sky promises

How Many Times?
Nonbinary Kids
Trans Women on Sports Teams
Trans Men trying to Dance

To Kill a Mockingbird is Banned

A White Woman in a Kitchen calls a Human Being Illegal
And calls for everyone to be scared

How Many Times Lord?

The Math of Getting it,
Doesn’t seem to be getting through

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

Peace, on the Bread Lines

Feed my sheep
Jesus said

When the world was ending
when everything was changing

When the intrigue was thick
And you didn’t know who to trust

Again Jesus said, Feed my sheep

And although the end seemed near
And war seemed to be everywhere

And things were apocalyptic
A word that means opening, uncovering
Things that are opening up
As well as everything that is collapsing

Jesus leaned in close to his beloved ones
and remind them
In a quiet, whisper

That their focus should be
not on…all the other things

He just said,
when they thought he might say something else

He repeated for the third time
As though he really meant it
That this should be what we
all should be doing

—Feed My Sheep

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

Almost May…

It is so close to my graduation date
I have written so many prayers and poems
40 for my disseration
80+ pages
a number of updates
Attending countless beautiful classes
Met 34 heartfilled colleagues

and it is all possible because of the support of my readers
and I am so thankful

now I am abut $700 away from being fully funded
Every gift from $5, $10, $25 to $100 has helped me to get there

If you are able to give towards my graduation so I cross the finish line
I would be grateful
If you can’t give, please send your good wishes and support
I have hopes that I can publish and continue to write

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

Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Mailing Address to Send a Check or to request a Receipt

Thank you
Katy
“KatyandtheWord”

God see to Your humans

Get Behind me Satan…for the days when I can’t even..

I can’t even
When the death-dealers
call themselves
“pro-lifers”

I can’t even
When science
Bible verses
and news
is cherry picked

I can’t even
when cultural norms
are made into accusations
and real offenses
are buried

I can’t even
when children
LGBTQIA individuals
Let us be 100 percent clear
Who are
made in the image of God
can’t exist
as their authentic selves

I can’t even
when
food for kids
is voted down
and laws to protect
their work structures
are stripped away
but parents cry about
their parental rights

I can’t even
when religion
and politics
mix
into a noxious
perfume of power
intoxicating
all the wrong people

I can’t even
when wars rage on
healthcare
wages
and equity is neglected
for “Look a distraction” issues
And more is poured into the military

When people plug their ears
And refuse to hear
much less name
or work on
the real issues *


I
can
not
even

*I haven’t even had time to open the Pandora’s box of the environment, climate change and how we need to be working on alllll of that…

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

Support my writing as a working public theologian

  Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword at gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats
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Prayer for the Nonbinary

Here’s a prayer for the Nonbinary
those who are represented
in the Twilight
the Dawn
And all of the beautful shades of gray in the world
which can contain a rainbow of colors within it.

Here’s a prayer for the Nonbinary
Those who are both/and
The ones who feel at home in the Trans* community
and those who are created in the image of God
Male and Female

Here’s a prayer for the children
Who should be safe in their identity
Beloved in their
Zir
Xyr
Eir
Full selves
Able to Name and Claim Who they are

And yes
Use the bathroom
Without peering eyes
questions
or even a second of discomfort
Is that not what we want for all of our children?

Here is a prayer for the Nonbinary
the ones who understand the importance
of a well-placed pronoun
those who ones who live bravely in the thin places
the in-between
for we know that those places are blessed
and Holy

You are Holy

Here’s a prayer for the Nonbinary
For you are Beautifully and Fiercely made

Don’t let anyone tell you differently


For you are a Child of God
Who created you, loves you exactly as you are
and calls you by your chosen name
Amen.

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

This prayer is in response to the tragic and hate perpetuated death of Nex Benedict in Oklahoma. Details which are graphic can be found here: https://www.them.us/story/nex-benedict-nonbinary-teen-oklahoma-died-attacked-at-school

As the parent of a similarly aged NonBinary Teen, this one really gets me

Addendum: It seems that Nex was not able to come out fully–as articulated in this article and he/they might have been trans https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/vigil-friends-remember-nex-benedict-fiery-kid-rcna140440



Ashes

Because
Dirt is beautiful
nurturing, rich, Smelling of life

Because God took dust
Formed humanity
and breathed, pneuma, life into it

Ashes

Because, God walks with us
from the mountaintops
to the sand on the beaches

God kneels with us in dirt, helping to ease the load
and when we look at our hands and feet, worried about how dirty we are
God sits with us in the grime

And then God kneels, and washes between our toes
counting the grains of sand, the remnants of our work and days
reminding us of the Abrahamic promise

Ashes, because we are mortal
And nothing is forever, and it is good to remember
Our time is limited

But enough

Created from dust–to dust we will return
Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust,
Amen

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

To Support me as a Working Public Theologian Donate via Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword at gmail, Cash App $bookkats 
GoFundMe to send me a check email KatyandthWord at gmail receipts available upon request

Transfiguration

Selah,
God
We confess
We confess that
we do not know what to say
or to do
in Light (get it)
of the Transfiguration
We would rather just sit
and bask in it
Or build a monument to it
Or somehow or another
Find a way to stay.

But then the cloud comes
And gifts us
with the relief
the contrast
the much needed
less mind shattering
shadows of shade
Because when God is too much
for us–God shades, Godself from us.
Selah.

And reminds us that
sometimes all we have to do
Is sit still
And be present
And listen

And we think
Maybe
Perhaps
We can go down the mountain after all
(Especially if we aren’t doing it alone)

So here we go God
Down the mountain
Changed
From human
to human
Shaded from God, by God
Still not knowing what Selah means
But feeling it in our very souls
as we inhale the Holy Spirit
and exhale the Holy Spirit
Selah!

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

Let’s Write Liturgy

February 20th, 1-3pm Zoom

$50 per participant

Do you want to learn how to write prayers and liturgy? Psalms and Calls to Worship? Confessions and Personal Prayers? This Zoom Workshop is designed for all levels and experiences for people to engage in prayer writing–using the scripture as your guide. This will be an instructional, small group (limit 10) and experiential workshop. 

Led by Katy Stenta, Pastor, Writer and Educator

For more information to sign up, email Katyandtheword at gmail.com. Titled “Liturgy”

Katy Stenta is a regular contributor to Sermonsuite, (formerly) RevGalBlogPals, and is published in Enfleshed, Presbyterian’s Today and Outlook. She received her undergraduate in English and History and Minor on Philosophy at Oberlin, her M. Div. and MA in Christian Formation at Princeton Theological Seminary. She is all but dissertation for her D. Min. in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She also writes personal prayers regularly at katyandtheword.com.

(Min. 3 People to run)

Email for registration form and payment options

Narrative Lectionary, Year 2, Easter Resurrection Sunday

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

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

Breath Prayer
Inhale: Resurrected Lord
Exhale: Resurrect us Lord

Inhale: Christ is Risen
Exhale: Christ is Risen Indeed

Call to Worship
God has already rolled the stone away
Come let us celebrate
Christ is risen
Christ is Risen indeed! Come let us praise the Resurrected Lord!

Call to Worship
This is the day that the Lord has made
The news feels overwhelming
Come let us worship and serve the Lord!
Come let us worship and serve the Lord!

Call to Confession: There is nothing too big for God, come let us confess ourselves to the Divine.

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that there is too much to take in. We confess that at times feel alarmed, and like we cannot find Jesus. Help us when we are overwhelmed with the news. Allow us time to take it in we pray. (Silent Prayer) Amen.

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that we are not alway able to hear the news of resurrection and be your people. Help us to make the changes we need to be an Easter people we pray (Silent Prayer) Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the news, the stone has already been rolled away, the resurrection has already occurred, so we know the Good News, In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Jesus Christ, we are your people, loved, forgiven, redeemed. May we remember and hold it in our hearts no matter where we go. May we be your Easter people we pray. Amen.

Hymn Suggestions: Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine, Live Into Hope.

Taize Option: Bless the Lord, Laudate Omens Gentes,

Children’s Activity: Play Hide and Seek Remind the Children they are always found by God (If the room is small play where’s Waldo with small Jesus figures)

Children’s Book: God is Like by Rachel Held Evans or Jesus the Word by Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones, A very Abridged Velveteen Rabbit is always a good option as well.

Entire Liturgy

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

Good Friday, Narrative Lectionary

March 29th

Supplies: Purple Cloth, Candles, Nail for each participant, Hammer, A cross you can Nail the Nails into, Old Palms

(Make certain each person has a nail upon entry–each interlude can have music between readings or be silent Suggested Music: Were You There When You Crucified My Lord or Jesus, Remember Me When you Come Into Your Kingdom )

16Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort.17And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. -Mark 15:16-19

Lay Purple Cloth on the Cross

 20After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.-Mark 15:20

Collect Nails from Everyone

21They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 22Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. Mark 15:21-24

Nail the Nails to a Cross

25It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left.29Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.-Mark 15:25-32

Place Dried Up Palms by the Cross

33When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” 36And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” Mark 15:33-39

Blow out all of the Candles

Optional: Read Psalm 22:1-2, 14-21 in the dark

eel 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