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

Full Extended Advent Resource

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

Dec 18th Jesus as Emmanuel

Justice Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Jesus as Emmanuel 
Matthew 1:18-25
Psalm 23:1-4 (or 23:4)
Psalm 42:1-2

Advent Candles Liturgy

Topical Prayer: Joseph

Call to Worship
God, we long for you to be with us
God be with us
God we can almost taste your presence
Come let us celebrate the Prince of Peace Coming 

Call to Confession: God knows us and loves us. Come let us confess ourselves to God. 

Confession: God, sometimes it is hard to believe that you are with us. We confess that we are often more like Joseph than Mary. Ready to set things aside quietly, ready to avoid scandal, ready to believe to take the easiest path. Maybe Joseph was too ready to think that he was alone in the world. God remind us we are not alone, especially when we feel that way we pray. Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: God is for us. No matter what. No heights nor depths nor angels nor demons can get between us or God, so we know and proclaim the truth: In Jesus Christ we are Forgiven. 

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Love is love. God is with us not matter what. May we carry that in our pocket wherever we go we pray. Amen. 

Hymns: Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, God of Peace: To Silent Night, 

With Children: Beauty and The Beast (probably any but check what happens to the sisters), Talk about how God transformed God’s very Self into a human being to be God with us, to turn us into even better versions of human–like Beauty loves the Beast

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Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologianthrough donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Extended Advent Resource

Dec 11th Justice & Joy, Magnificat Realized

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Dec 11 Joy Candle
Light of Nations
Isaiah 42:1-9 Through Spirit bring Release to Prisoners
Matthew 12:15-21 Spirit of justice, fulfilling the prophecy
Psalm 146:1-10 Joy & Justice for All in Need
Luke 1:46-55 Magnificat 

Advent Candles Liturgy

Joy and Justice, A Topical Prayer

Call to Worship
God, what Joy is it when there is justice
God, your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting
Come let us worship Jesus, healer of nations
Come, let us worship our God

Call to Confession: How wonderful is it that we can bring everything to God? Come let us stand in the shadow of God’s care

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that we do not understand your justice. It is foreign to us, completely different from human structures of justice and accounting. We confess that your mercy and healing and accounting makes no sense to us, and we spend far too much time trying to figure it out. When we could, instead, spend time sitting with Jesus. Why do we do that God? We confess we do not know. Teach us to spend time with you. Teach us to look for Jesus in unexpected places we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus forgives us, anytime, anywhere, always. Hear, feel, breathe the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. 

Hymns: Live Into Hope, Lord I Wanna Be a Christian, I’ve Got Peace Like River, Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine, Away in the Manger, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Magnify the Lord, To O Come All Ye Faithful

With Children: Aint’ Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around by Kirkwood, Kathlyn J. Or Justice Is by Preet Bhara Talk about Justice and What that really means. 

Image Found Here

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Full Extended Advent Resource

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.

Dec 4th Love and Justice

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Dec. 4
Esther Love Candle
Esther 4:1-17
For Such a Time as This, Esther was Made Queen
Matthew 5:13-16 Salt and Light 
Psalm 89:1-13

Advent Candles Liturgy

Topical Prayer: Love, A Prayer for Such a Time as This

Call to Worship
God we need your justice
For such a time as this to light our way
When salt and light is not enough, Jesus we need you
Come, let us look for God
God we are looking for your love
Come, let us love God together

Call to Confession: God you call to your love in the good and the bad times. Come let ourselves to God

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that it is hard to come to you in uncertain times. How can anything be worthy of love at such a time as this? Who can sort out there feelings in this mess? We want time, to clean up, to get things in order, to research, to know things. God, you remind us that you are the city on the hill, not us. You are the salt in our food, not us. Be our salt and light, and remind us that we are allowed to be a mess and still love we pray. Amen

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus comes in the midst of emergencies, full of grace, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, right now. Amen. 

Prayer of the Day, Dedication: God, remind us the Grace does not wait, because we need its immediacy. Let us go forth full of grace we pray. Let it spill from our hands, our mouths and feet as we go, so that we may become the very embodiment of your love. May this be our prayer as we go about the world. Amen.

Hymns: We Are One In the Spirit, Here I am Lord, O Come O Come Emmanuel, I Love the Lord Who Heard My Cry, I Wonder as I Wander, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

With Children: Warm Fuzzies https://reenchantements.files.wordpress.com/2018/08/warm-fuzzy-tale.pdf Sharing Love vs. Hate in times of Trial
I feel its very important to note that we call Dandelion fuzz: Wishies in my family and also link “warm fuzzies” to dandelion seeds

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Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologianthrough donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Extended Advent Resource

Nov 27th Hope: Faith as a Way

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent
Nov 27 Hope Candle
Faith as a Way of Life
Habakkuk 1:1-7; 2:1-4 3: [3B-6], 17-19 
Prophet grieved by injustice: Faith as a way, not an answer
Matthew 26: 36-38 Gethsemane Jesus is grieved, asks Disciples to watch
Psalm 73:21-26

Advent Candles Liturgy

Hope

Call to Worship
God, we gather in faith
Looking for your ways
God we gather looking for you
Stay with us, as we gather in your name God

Call to Confession: Come all you who are heavy burdened, let us lay them at God’s feet

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that we want faith to be an easy answer to all of our questions, not a path to follow. I confess that like the disciples, sometimes keeping watch does not feel like enough. Sometimes faith does not feel like something to keep for others, or likes something that others can keep for me when I have a long lonely night of despair. I confess that sometimes the emptiness feels too overwhelming for me to trust the community to keep faith for me. Forgive us when we make one person keep faith alone. Help us to be a community of faith we pray. 

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus is with us, we are never alone. So know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us God forth reminded that there is an entire choir of Saints, holding the notes of faith, singing for us when we falter. Help us to rest  in the chorus we pray. Amen. 

Hymns: God the Weaver to Away in the Manger, Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, For All the Saints, We Walk By Faith and Not By Sight, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Which I feel like is an Advent Prophetic Song)

With Children: The Invisible String, by Patrice Karst What ties us altogether even when we cannot see one another 

Cover of The Invisible String: A mom and one kid whispering to another, the title, and a heart on a string, author: Patrice Karst, Illustrated by Geoff Stevenson

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Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologianthrough donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Extended Advent Resource

Twitter

A Prayer for Twitter

Quick Taking
Justice Making
Boundary-Breaking
Twitter

A Prayer for the Communities
Built across the Alphabet
Semi-Anonymous Honesty

A Prayer for the Screw Around
And Finding Out
The Trying to be Cultural relevant
And yet still Yourself

Here’s a Prayer for Doom Scrolling
Joy Seeking
& Screaming into the Void
That is Twitter

Here’s a Prayer for all Trolls on
Twitter, Because I’m supposed to Prayer for my enemies
May your teeth ache, and May those who hate humanity
and those who harm children never sleep through the night

Here’s a Prayer for Twitter
Pure Humanity: Bringing the Best and Worst of Humanity
Rambling Dictator, Hating Nazi
Compassionate Crowdfunding, Diverse Perspectives, Unknown Depths of Learning

Here’s a Prayer for Twitter
Here’s a Prayer for Humans
May we take the good and leave the bad


And may capitalism and millionaires
Princes and powers and principalities perish
and love and compassion and food and medicine and housing
and creativity and arts endure forever

Amen.

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



Election Day Prayer

Do not put your trust in Princes
God says
-Vote

Care for the widows and the Least of these-
Lord Hear our Prayer
as I walk towards the booth, wary of those who are in line with me

Care for the Stranger and Immigrant, for you may care for Angels Unawares
echoes in my brain, as I trace the bubbles with smudgy pen

Woman, I hear you, I picture Jesus saying
as I see the name of the candidates who disregard
the healthcare of pregnant people and victims of abuse

Put not your trust in any human power–but my hope is in the Lord
who gives justice to those that suffer wrong
and bread to all those who hungers

God keeps promises better than any human
or politician.

This is why good administration is ministry
This is why voting and crying is ministry
This is why we do our best to care.

This is what I carry to the ballot box
That God will open the eyes that need to be opened
and lift up those who are bowed down
and free those who are bound–

Turn the wicked UpsideDown God.
I’ll help where I can.
And watch you work miracles.
Amen.

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

Surgery, A Prayer

God,
is there any prayer like going into surgery?
Closing your eyes to the world–
Holding your beloveds close to you.

Somehow you try to remind yourself to breathe

Is that how it felt Christ,
when you healed?

Did you hold their beloveds close to them?
And remind them to breathe?

Bless those undergoing surgery
their beloved
the doctors, nurses, and all the technicians, custodians, secretaries and support staff who we work too hard along the way

May we all be granted
Belovedness
and Breath.

Amen.

Operation Game with a lot of blue gloved hands around it

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

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