Feel free to use/share/adapt with Credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
MicroViolence
It’s never just
Books
Bathrooms
Pronouns
It’s not just
Marriage
Jobs
Names
It’s not just
Dancing
Sports
Scouts
“Belief”
or “policy”
It is
Mental health
Personhood
Belovedness
Anti-Violence
It is
Breathing
Existing
Always
Every Word
For or Against
Counts
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Rainbow Tears
God is crying
Rainbow Tears
God who hung
Their Rainbow
Weapon
In the Sky
Before Jesus
Tread the Earth
God who Dances
With Abandon
God
who Protects
Joseph Lady’s/Rainbow Cloak
Ruth’s Found Family
Jesus of Two Dads
Baptizing the Egyptian Eunuch
God’s weeping
rainbow tears
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Dancing
Erasure
Erasure
You can’t erase Queer
It doesn’t matter
How hard You try
With bullying
Hate
Guns
Bonfires
And bookbans
Shaming cultures
And evil gods
Can’t make People “Don’t say gay”
Evidence of “Roommates”
Hermaphrodites
Two Spirits (don’t appropriate)
Third genders
And Trans*
People
Go back
to the beginning
Of time
And Don’t
Get me started
On the Bible
With the Poly Trinity
David & Jonathan
Joseph’s Rainbow/Lady’s Coat
God’s pronouns
Revealed in flames
Ruth and Naomi
Song of Songs
The Eunuch
The Bible is Queer
You can’t erase
LGBTQIA
It Only
Gets clarified
As time Goes on
So YES
You have
To learn
New terms
#NotSorry
Yes we will
Have
No we will
Not shut up
Personhood
Is on the line
You can’t erase
People
It hasn’t worked
Yet
And it never
Will
I promise you
I will keep
Remembering
And Naming
And Believing
And Listening
And History shows me
I am not alone
QUEER are Beautifully
And Fiercely made
In the image
Of God
No one will
Ever erase
That
Feel free to share/adapt/use with credit to 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
Unfreezing Christmas Pageant No Rehearsal Version
Unfreezing Christmas Pageant
No Rehearsal Version
by Katy Stenta, feel free to Email me at Katyandtheword at gmail for a doc version
Feel free to Adapt (Really Adapt I know how these things are)/Use with credit to Katy Stenta
Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donationshttps://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.
Characters: Mr Tumnus, Lucy, Narrator (Can be Played By Lucy), Mrs Beaver (Can be played by Mr Tumnus) Two Friends, Mary (non-speaking), Other Nativity Characters (Optional), All reading parts can be read from lecterns.
Needed: 1 Stuffed Lion, 1 Babydoll, 1 Manger (optional), Nativity Costumes (optional)
Congregation says Merry Christmas and Aslan Unfreeze Christmas: Can be pompted by one of the Lead Characters without a script
Narrator: Here Are the Instructions everyone, when the music stops, please Freeze, when the music starts, you can unfreeze!
(Music Starts)
Mrs. Beaver Here in Narnia we are having a hard time. It is always winter; Always winter and never Christmas.
Mr. Tumnus: I am excited though, because I have invited my new friend Lucy from the Land of Spare Oom over to Tea—and the Queen has Not found out about our friendship.
(Music Stops)
For some reason the Queen hates humans. Oh no look everyone is Frozen You are all frozen out there.
Lucy: Oh no look, what happened?
Mr. Tumnus: They must have been celebrating without the Queen’s permission and she turned them into stone.
Aslan (Someone holding a Stuffed Lion walks on stage): Roar
Mr Tumnus & Lucy: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas
(Everyone Unfreezes, Music Starts)
(Aslan exits)
Mr Tumnus: Oh my gifts and packages! That must have been Aslan! Unfreezing their hearts for Christmas!
Lucy: Merry Christmas
Congregation: Merry Christmas
Scene 2
(Music Stops)
(Two People frozen back to back)
Mr Tumnus: Oh dear I do not like the look of this, this does not look of this, we must be following the Queen’s winter.
Aslan—(can be a different person playing Aslan—roars and unfreezing them Music Starts)
Congregation: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas
1st Friend—I’ve been looking for you everywhere
2nd Friend-I’m so glad I’ve found you
(the two people hug)
Scene 3
(Music Stops)
Girl Holding a Babydoll by a manger Frozen
(Other people can be other characters in a manger scene as is appropriate/easy or not or can come on to sing)
Ms. Beaver: I remember this story
Mr. Tumnus: Yes the White Witch really is preventing Christmas now, by freezing this one.
Aslan (again can be the same person or someone different) roars to unfreeze the girl Music Starts)
Congregation: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas
Girl puts the babydoll into the manger
Congreation: Merry Christmas
Everyone comes onstage: to sing (with the congregation if you choose)
Reader to close: Aslan has truly unfrozen Christmas, Look! For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders—and he is named, wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
Aslan: Roars One last Time
Silent Night or Away in the Manger or Your Favorite Christmas Hymn for Everyone to Sing
Unfreezing Xmas
by Katy Stenta, feel free to Email me at Katyandtheword at gmail for a doc version
Feel free to Adapt (Really Adapt I know how these things are)/Use with credit to Katy Stenta
Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.
An Easy Narnia Based Pageant
Unfreezing Christmas Pageant
Costume Suggestions: Ears & Hat for Mr. Tumnus, Red & Green for everyone else, Need: a table/picnic setup for scene 1, a Stuffed Lion for “Aslan” to Carry, need a manger and Babydoll for the end
Characters: Mr Tumnus, Lucy, End Narrators, Party Attendees, Two Friends, Mary (non-speaking)
Mr Tumnus: Here in Narnia we are having a hard time. It is always winter; Always winter and never Christmas. I am excited though, because I have invited my new friend Lucy from the Land of Spare Oom over to Tea—and the Queen has Not found out about our friendship. For some reason the Queen hates humans. Oh look here she comes now! (Can be read from a lectern)
(Lucy enters from the back and Mr Tumnus runs to escort her)
Scene 1
Mr. Tumnus and Lucy walk to the front: A bunch of people come and sit frozen)
Lucy: Oh no look, what happened?
Mr. Tumnus: They must have been celebrating without the Queen’s permission and she turned them into stone.
Aslan (Someone holding a Stuffed Lion walks on stage): Roar
Mr Tumnus & Lucy: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas
(Aslan exits)
Lead Partygoer: Aslan Unfroze us! It must be Christmas!
(The Party Starts with pantomimed eating and celebration, Christmas Music Starts) (I’d have the littles lay down til they hear the roar)
Partygoer 1: I love the food
Partygoer 2: I can’t believe its Christmas
Partygoer 3: I can see presents even
Partygoer 4: I saw a lion!
Partygoer 5: No I saw a Lion!
Mr Tumnus: Oh my gifts and packages! That must have been Aslan! Unfreezing their hearts for Christmas!
Lucy: Merry Christmas
PartyGoers: Merry Christmas
Mr. Tumnus: Let’s Go!
Scene 2
(Two People frozen back to back)
Mr Tumnus: Oh dear I do not like the look of this, this does not look of this, we must be following the Queen’s winter.
(Lucy sits next to the two)
Aslan—can be a different person playing Aslan—roars and unfreezing them
Mr Tumnus & Lucy: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas
1st Friend—I’ve been looking for you everywhere
2nd Friend-I’m so glad I’ve found you
(the two people hug)
Scene 3
Girl Holding a Babydoll by a manger Frozen
(Other people can be other characters in a manger scene as is appropriate/easy or not or can come on to sing)
Lucy: I remember this story
Mr. Tumnus: Yes the White Witch really is preventing Christmas now, by freezing this one.
Aslan (again can be the same person or someone different) roars to unfreeze the girl)
Mr Tumnus & Lucy: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas
Girl puts the babydoll into the manger
Everyone comes onstage: to sing (with the congregation if you choose)
Reader to close: Aslan has truly unfrozen Christmas, Look! For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders—and he is named, wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
Aslan: Roars One last Time
Silent Night or Away in the Manger
Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.
Charlottesville, A Prayer
Here’s a prayer for Charlottesville
Where the gunshots echo across
a million schools in the United States
A Prayer for Charlottesville
For the Black People
who tiptoe lightly across the land
While White Boys bluster loudly
with their guns and tiki torches, because they know who has rights
and who doesn’t, as they high five the police along the way
Here’s a prayer for Charlottesville
Where Heather Heyer was brutally run over
with a car filled with malice and fossil fuel
And now
Where football players, mere children, Black, Young and Gift
Have their lives too lost
Because America cannot
will not
in its obsession with power, colonialism and capitalism
is sinfully unable disarm itself
We are a death cult
Here’s a prayer for our children
brutalized by “Shooter drills”
I remember when I had thought that Columbine was a
historical rarity–Back in the day when I was in high school
I turn forty this year
I remember 9/11 when we cried no more
And gave blood and ate together
And then prayed to God and immediately brutalized
our black and brown neighbors
And bought bombs and guns
Here’s a prayer for America
obsessed with “Safety”
instead of loving our neighbors
Is love safe?
Here’s a prayer for love
Beautiful and fierce
May it renew us in ways we do not expect
Away from cars
and guns
and violence
May we let people rage
and cry
and lament
as needed
And then may we turn our words
Into actions
And to do what needs to get done
We Pray
Amen.
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Let’s Write Liturgy
Register for a Writing Workshop
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.
Sunday November 20th 4pm-6pm (Eastern) $40
Thursday Dec 1st 12pm-2pm
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, 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 currently pursuing her D. Min. in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She also writes personal prayers regularly at katyandtheword.com.
Limited to 10 spots
katyandtheword 