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 (Eastern) $40
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.
Call to Worship Come let us go to the mountain of the Lord That God may teach us God’s ways For out of Zion shall come instruction and light, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem Come, the Lord’s House will be established, and peoples will stream to it They shall beat their swords into poughshares, and know peace Come let us find peace, and learn war no more in the God’s place
Call to Confession: Come let us draw ourselves closer to God with our confession
Prayer of Confession: God, we long to be a part of your City on the Hill. We confess that this longing is so deep that sometimes we try to manufacture it here on earth. We also confess that we do not have the patience to plant and grow peace. We do not want to wait for people to stream to God, we do not want to see God’s city come. We do not have the patience for God to open our eyes. It all seems really hard. Encourage us, Enlighten us, Imbue us with peace we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God’s peace is from everlasting to everlasting. Know then the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go forward knowing that God is the City on the Hill, not us. God is helping us to plant the peace that is needed. Let us go forward ready to build the tools of peace. Amen
Hymns: I’ve Got Peace Like a River, Crown Him with Many Crowns, Jesus Priceless Treasure, Lord Make us Servants of Your Peace, O Day of Peace, Song of Hope, Near to the Heart of God, As Deer Long for The Streams, For the Fruit of All Creation, Let All Things Now Living, We Plow the Fields and Scatter
With Children: Talk about how peace is hard work, and how war is built on hate/fear, and what the tools of peace might be “Harold’s Fairy Tale”
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.
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.
If you need a doc version of these resources-please email and I will get it to you as much as I have completed* (I have medical leave so things may slow a bit)
Call to Worship (based on Micah 1) Lo, look, God promises, that God will come and tread upon the earth All this labor is not in vain, the Lord promises Peace, God promises, there shall be one peace Come let us be fed on the strength of the Lord
all to Confession: Who is ready to pour oneself out to one who is always merciful and listening, Come let us confess ourselves to God
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that sometimes we want change so badly that we promise ridiculous things. What can i give God? Do I need to sacrifice my firstborn? Do you need all of my riches, the work of my hands? What can I do to negate the sin and evil that I feel upon the earth? I confess God that it all feels to heavy for me. Yet you promise that small steps of mercy, loving acts of justice, humbly walking with God is enough. I confess that it is hard for me to hang onto that some days. Light the candle when my fire goes out, so the I might learn your mercy I pray. Amen.
Hear the good news, God’s mercies renew every morning, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go in the world remember that God has already lit the way for us—and the path is lit with mercy. Come let us walk the path together as we go. Amen.
Hymns: A Balm in Gilead, What Does the Lord Require, O For a Closer Walk With God, Heave Mercy Lord on Me Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us, O For a World
With Children: Talk about respecting innate Humanity not out of pity, but because we are all made in God’s image. “The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson
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.
A Prayer for the Weird Ones the ones who don’t fit the ones who take comfort in being scared
Here’s a prayer for those fascinated by magic the mystical the liminality, those marginal places in-between
Here’s a prayer for the lonely– those who identify with the goblins, the witches and trolls the ones who want to be able to go up to strangers and demand hospitality
This is a prayer for all those who can find beauty in what others find ugly the ones who are fascinated with the inner workings of bodies or diseases, or want to study psychology or fear, or loneliness, or liminality
Here’s a prayer for the kind of holiness that comes from being different The kind of prophecy that comes from telling the truth the kind of radicalness that comes from opening your doors to the mess on the street
What kind of holiday is All Hallow’s Eve? Where we say, life is messy and ugly and beautiful and short? Where we acknowledge all that is scary in the world, and fill it with the laughter and joy of children? Here’s a prayer to celebrating that kind of holiday
Here’s a prayer for the children–who always understand it first Who confront death with a sharp honesty that is refreshing, And help us to confront our fears with real questions, and the worrying answers of “I don’t know.”
Here’s a prayer for All Hallow’s Eve, where we celebrate the complexity of humans, humanity and human life.
Halloween Blessings to all who need it.
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
We have still have room in my first liturgy workshop if you want to join
This will be an instructional, small group (limit 10) and experiential 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
Led by Katy Stenta, Pastor, Writer and Educator
For more information to sign up, email Katyandtheword at gmail.com. Titled “Liturgy”
I plan to hold more in the future–but I am taking the rare opportunity as I come off leave to hold a Sunday Session
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.
God, Solomon thinks he is wise to trick a ruling out of two women
He thinks he is powerful– to Lord it over two women who have to sell their bodies For money
But all I can see Is red flags
All I can think is how I knew this story at five or six
I maybe knew what prostitution was, I definitely did not know what appropriation was and how it made fostering and adoption messy.. I had some idea of what feminism meant
but I did understand grief– and that it can get really complicated really fast
However, I knew then, and I know now that one woman went home empty-handed
Where was the chaplain that day God?
Where were the midwives? The healers? The other women? This so called wisdom falls hard on my ears today God.
I find it, as my kids say, sus. Is this about wisdom–or something else
Do the women need wisdom? Or does Solomon need compassion
Holy Comforter, I know why you put a story of prostitution in the Bible Its not so the King can teach the whores
God forbid
Jesus bless the sex workers Because we should treat them Like the human beings No matter what and not use any excuse to judge them
And God bless all those who mourn Help those whose arms feel empty Please, reach out to all those who are grieving in unhealthy and unhelpful ways. Walk with them.
Please, remind us that you are not Solomon, You will never slash our beloved things in half, or send us home empty-handed
You will instead, reunite us with our sisters and friends Restore us to our beloved And whisper in our ears that its ok to be sad
Walk with us in our unhappiness we pray.
Amen.
Feel Free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
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 Matt 26: 36-38 Gethsemane Jesus is grieved, asks Disciples to watch Hope
God, what does hope taste like? Does it taste like clear cool water after a faithful run God says, faith is a path. God light our path with Hope Help us tp the light the Hope candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 1 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Dec. 4 Esther Love Candle Esther 4:1-17 For Such a Time as This, Esther was Made Queen
Salt and Light
Too often we feel in our souls the meaning of for such a time as this! We need love candles, to light our way. God sends the Esthers, to love us in terrible times. God light our path with Love Help us to light the Love candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 2 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 3 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
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
Light of Nations, how we desire you We long for the taste of freedom God sends the Holy Spirit to free all prisoners God light the path to freedom with Joy Help us to light the Joy candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 3 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 2 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Dec 18th Peace Candle Jesus as Immanuel Matthew 1:18-25 fPsalm 23:14
Holy Spirit, we cannot even fully conceive your peace But how we need the fullness of God’s Shalom in our souls God be with us, our Emmanuel, tell us the story until it lives in us God light our path to Peace Help us to light the Peace candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 4 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Dec 24 Christ Candle Birth of Jesus Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Psalm 96 (10-13) God, you are coming to us in Christ We long to fill your presence here God what a miracle you become, a baby a human translation of God’s love Come let us welcome Christ Come let us find you in justice, mercy and light
Suggested Hymn It Came Upon A Midnight Clear or O Holy Night
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
If you enjoy my work please consider giving to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/554d36e3
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