katyandtheword

God of Trans 🏳️‍⚧️ Kids

Because Trans Lives are Sacred

God of Trans 🏳️‍⚧️ Kids
Change every politicians mind
For I do not understand their hearts of stone

I still do not understand the state sanctioned and sponsored violence that takes children

From first Disabled kids, Then Native American families, then Black and Brown families,

And now Trans Kids from their families

But Jesus descendant of and Rahab,

Prophet chased out of Egypt like Moses, Child of the lineage of Jesse like Esther.

You know & You know, how important family is..Both blood family and found family.

Lord God you know that government cannot define your name or your family and when you are asked these things so often you reply:

What do you say?

Because you know the truth, and God knows the truth of your identity and no one can take that away from you.

But that doesn’t mean that the jeers and stones do not hurt

when they are thrown at you—”Let those without sin throw the first stone.”

Lord I’m a little bit lost at what to pray for right now (bc I’m so ANGRY) except to pray for my trans brothers & sisters and non-binary siblings

Because you God are trans! Making male and female, all of the varieties in between, each in your image. And proclaiming each and every individual GOOD! exactly as they are.

Protect those who are trans* and gender no conforming, help their families and defeat our enemies as only you can I pray. Amen.

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

Feb 27 Man Born Blind

Psalm 27:1-4

John 9:1-41

Reflection by Rev. Dr. Barb Hedges-Goettl

Call to Worship

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life, whom shall I fear?

One thing I seek, to live in the house of the Lord forever.

Come, let us seek the Lord together.

Prayer of Confession: God I confess that I worry that my body is not perfect, or I am not perfect, because I have sinned. Too often I buy into the myth of health and wealth. I think that you reward those who do not sin with perfection. Yet you remind us, again, and again, that isn’t how grace works. You remind us that every single body works differently, and we are beloved, and forgiven no matter what. Glorify us exactly as we are we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Remind us that your forgiveness is unconditional, tell us the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication/Day: God, remind us that you bless our very mundane bodies with the very simple dirt and mud of the earth, knowing that our bodies are limited, we are also blessed. Bless us today we pray. Amen.

With Children: Talk about the Olympics and the reality about the amazingness and very real limits of our bodies and how each of our bodies are so very different and yet so very beautiful and how each and every one of us are somehow made in the image of God, including those of us with disabilities, discuss how Jesus had holes in his arms and ankles after the crucifixion. Discourage ableism. Glorify all bodies.

Hymns: Here I am Lord, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, Amazing Grace,

Boiling Over

God,

I see the schools

that are closing up

due to violence

and protests

and the likes–

and I’m reminded

All Behavior is Communication

All of it–You knew God, when

Helen Keller was throwing a tantrum

when Elijah was crying out

when Moses said

don’t call me

when the disciples

woke Jesus in the midst of the storm

terrified…

All behavior is communication.

So, God I’m wondering

as we start to boil over,

what are we trying

to communicate?

As we are forced

to work

and school

and carry on

in the middle of a storm

as though everything is normal

and haven’t even paused to grieve.

Help us–not to behave,

God no.

But to communicate,

because clearly we are crying out,

and boiling over.

Help us, we pray.

Amen.

Please feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Betrayal, a prayer for the brokenhearted

Cw: Abuse, victimization, implied sexualization

God,

One of my kids former teachers

betrayed the school,

(himself, his family, his students, and most of all his fellow teachers)

and got arrested today–

and my eldest,

with tears streaming down his face

said he couldn’t believe it.

And I had to say, I wouldn’t lie to you about this

and sometimes people make bad choices

and sometimes those people are especially nice to hide their faultiness.

And I thought about, how, almost every place I lived,

there was an adult lurking, who wasn’t safe.

Was this how it felt Jesus?

When Judas betrayed you?

Even though you knew it was coming,

surely at some point he was a true disciple,

Surely you really wanted him to be your real friend Jesus.

And so I wrapped my child in my arms, and I told him:

The bad doesn’t take away the bad one does, but the bad doesn’t take away the good either.

And that we hoped he would get the help he needed, to truly and actually change.

And I imagine that you do the same.

Wrapping us in your arms,

coaxing us towards love, and grace, and forgiveness.

Because, sometimes we feel that brokenness all too sharply.

Please be with us when we betray or are betrayed we pray.

Because Christians and leaders and mentors are not perfect,

and it’s so important to have people we can trust in our lives.

When we are brokenhearted wrap us in your arms,

and remind us of that we are loved and worthy of love, we pray.

Amen.

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

Burying Jesus, Good Friday Worship: Virtual or in Person

Supplies: Communion, Nail nailed to wood or a cross, Cross and black cloth, Aloe Hand Sanitizer, Dirt, a lit candle

If doing the worship at virtually, Send home 1 nail, 1 packet of aloe sanitizer, and 1 candle to light. Ask the congregant to be ready to bury the nail at the end of worship. Ask them to light their candle at the beginning of worship. Do the removal of nails and the covering of the cross with a black cross from your main location onscreen.

We will be symbolically burying Jesus by burying nails,

Read John 19:30-33: Remove the nails and pass one out (have each congregant pick one up from by their seat depending upon your Covid Proticols) to each congregant (symbolically you can just remove 6 nails while the nails are being passed out)

Were You There When They Crucified the Lord (v 1)

Read John 19:38: Remove the Cross, Cover it in Black cloth

Read John 19:39-40: Have each congregant use the aloe Sanitizer for their hands and their nail

Were You There When the Nailed Him to the Tree (v. 2)

Celebrate Communion (optional)

Read John 19:40-42: Have each congregant come up and drop the nails in the dirt and then bury them, or have them symbolically do it at home.

Were You There When they Laid Him in a Tomb? (v. 3)

Blow out the Candle

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources

Jesus Last Words: A Worship Service for in Person/At Home

Worship Suggesting (at home or in person, or as stations)

Supplies bracelet sized band of light cloth, OR piece of paper tape/stapler

permanent market,

pad and paper,

bowel of water and soap to wash hands/sink

Optional (depending on your virtual/in person options) Communion

Lit Candle

Read John 19:23-30

Tying Up Loose Ends: Take a band and confess something you want not torn from you and attach the band to your wrist.

Read John 19:25-27

Found Families: Write down those who you consider as close as family, meditate on the experiences that drew you close together.

Read 19:29

Communion or Wash your hands and think about how Jesus served communion and washed his disciples feet all at the same night then was given wine at the end.

Read 19:30

Blow Out Candle, Invite everyone to sit in the dark for a moment

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources

April 17th Resurrection: Hope Seeing Resurrected Jesus

John 20:1-18

Psalm 118:21-29

Call to Worship

Christ is Risen

He is Risen indeed

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone

Look the Lord’s doing wondrous things before our eyes

This is the day that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Call to Confession: God sees us exactly as we are and loves us, so come let us confess ourselves to God.

Confession: Jesus, we confess that sometimes we are blinded by tears or turned away, and it is hard to recognize you. We confess that all too often we do not practice or believe in the power of resurrection, so it sneaks by us. Forgive us, teach us to see the seeds you are planting, for you are, after all, the original gardener, and help us to co-create and tend the seeds of resurrection so that they grow, we pray in the name of the resurrection Jesus. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Christ is risen, so you are forgiven. Know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are Forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: We are an Easter people, a Resurrection People, let us name it and claim it we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources

April 24th Thomas: Disability Glorified

Sermon Ideas:

Topical Prayer: Disability Glorified

Call to Worship

God we are ready to see you

So we think

God we want to see you

Be present with us here today

Call to Confession: God we are so glad Jesus is ready to hear our full selves. Come let us sit with Jesus and confess.

Confession: Jesus we confess that it is sometimes hard to believe that you will glorify all things. Sometimes the questions Thomas has about the holes in Jesus’s body, the questions about disabilities or differences or even the vast varieties that we see around us are just too much for our human brains to process. We confess that we are a lot like Thomas–we are often just not brave enough to voice our doubts and misgivings out loud. Forgive us, and remind us that you glorify all things, and somehow do not take away one iota of who we truly are. Remind us with the Holy Spirit we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: If Christ is for us, who can be against us? Know and feel and taste the truth on your tongue: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Walk with us Christ, remind us when we falter or feel alone that you are with us we pray. Amen.

Children: Talk about what you think Thomas’s reaction was when he saw Jesus, it is not actually described. Did they hug? Did he actually put his hand through the holes? Did they cry?

Hymns: We Walk By Faith and Not By Sight, Invisible Immortal God Only Wise, Lift High the Cross, Christ is Made the Sure Foundation, God of Grace and God of Glory, Lord Whose Love through Humble Service

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources

April 10th Palm/Passion Sunday: Lament & Hope

The Crucified Messiah: Lament & Hope

Sermon Ideas, Pile of Good Things

Psalm 24

John 12:12-27

Call to Worship

The earth is God’s, and all that is in it; the world and all those who live in it!

God has founded it on the seas and established the world on the rivers.

Let us lift our heads, and seek God, to the gates, so that the King of glory may come in!

Come, we know who the King of Glory is! Let us worship Jesus!

Call to Confession: God, we all have things to confess, Hosanna, save us as we confess together.

Confession: God, we confess that we are always crying Hosanna, Save us! Help us! We confess that our best selves are our Palm Sunday selves knowing we need help and willing to do the work. Our worse selves are our Passion Sunday mob selves angry that things are not fixed and lashing out from our own internal pain. Forgive us, remind us that we no longer have to choose to be a Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday People—you have transformed us into a resurrection people. Help us to hang onto that we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Christ has already saved us, so we can proclaim the good news again and again: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God bless us as we go, remembering that you love us, every single day. On our best days, on our worst days, and every day in between. Help us to hold fast to that love we pray. Amen.

Children: God does not keep score. Talk about forgiveness and how God does not judge like humans or keep grudges like humans. God’s grace washes it all away. Discuss how this is a really hard concept for humans, because we are really good at judging and holding grudges, but Jesus promises that is not how it works for God.

Hymns: Great is Thy Faithfulness, Be Thou My Vision, All Glory Laud and Honor, Hosanna Loud Hosanna, O Love How Deep How Broad How High

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources

April 3rd Jesus Condemned: Lament for sin

Jesus Condemned: Lament for sin

John 19:1-16a

Psalm 146

Call to Worship

Our hope is the Lord our God

God made heaven and the earth, the sea and all that is in them

God keeps faith forever

Come let us praise the Lord!

Call to Confession: Come all you who are heavy burdened, and Jesus will give you rest. Come let us confess ourselves.

Confession: God we confess that we are frightened by the angry mobs of people, by death cults, by those who threaten violence when they lose their privilege. We confess it is frightening because we are afraid that we will will be caught up either in the mob, or be caught up and trampled by it. Avoiding it did not stop the violence, as your disciples can testify. Forgive us, God, for we do not know what we are doing, still. Teach us stop the crime of “crucify” and transform them into the grace and freedom that Pilate tries to enact. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God loves us, today, tomorrow and forever, nothing can separate us from that love. Thus we can tell one another the truth in that love: In Jesus Christ we are Forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God teach us true freedom, not that of mobs, but the freedom that grace provides. Let us walk away in grace we pray. Amen.

Children: Talk about 2nd Thoughts, why Pilate was having them, why it’s hard to have 2nd thoughts in a crowd/group/mob. Talk about why parents always say “if everyone jumped off a cliff would you” (I would say this very much as an inside joke that the kids all know). Talk about bravery, and the power of grace, and how true freedom means being able to have a difference of opinion and how Jesus wants us to be able to be free to love and protect one another first and foremost.

Hymns: Were You There, He Never Said a Mumblin’ Word, When I survey the Wondrous Cross, Amazing Grace, Jesu Lover of My Soul

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources