katyandtheword

March 27th Jesus and Pilate: Hope of the Kin(g)dom

Jesus and Pilate

John 18:28-40

Psalm 145:10-13

Call to Worship:

God is faithful in all of their words, and gracious in all of their deeds

My mouth will speak the praise of God

Come let us praise the Trinity

Let all flesh bless God’s holy name forever and ever

Call to Confession: You send the Holy Spirit to encourage us and inspire us to be brave in our confession, so let us confess ourselves to you God.

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we too often confuse earthly power with heavenly power. We think power is about wealth and politics and stuff, when really you show again and again that it grace and love and mercy given in abundance. Continue to teach us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God loves us and forgives us, hear the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Jesus Christ you are the truth, and the life and the hope everlasting. Let us hold onto that as we go about the world we pray. Amen.

Children: Talk about “The Lord’s Prayer’ “Thy Kin(g)dom Come” and the King and Kingdom that Jesus and PIlate are talking about with Pilate, why is Pilate so Confused? What are we praying for when we are praying “Thy Kin(g)dom Come?”

Hymns: Lead On O King Eternal, Lord Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing, Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty, Live Into Hope, Glory Be to the Father, Our Father Lord of Heaven and Earth, And He Never Said a Mumblin’ Word

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

March 20th Peter’s Denial: Lament & Denial

Peter’s Denial: Lament & Denial

John 18:12-27

Psalm 17:1-7

Call to Worship

I call upon you

You will answer me, O God!

Wondrously show your steadfast love!

Come, let us seek refuge in our God.

Call to Confession: God we have things to confess like Peter, let us confess ourselves to God

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we have things we cannot face, we have phone calls we cannot make, emotions we cannot process, grief we cannot handle, even problematic behaviors we have not yet identified in ourselves or others. There are even habits we have tried to stop, but somehow haven’t been able to, and so denial lives on, and when someone asks us if something is true we hear our mouths so “no” even when our brains say “yes that is true.” Forgive us, and help us break these patterns and to learn how to forgive ourselves when this happens we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God’s mercies are new every morning, every single time we need them, they come, let us be comforted by the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God, give us the space to seek refuge in you as we go into the world we pray. Amen.

Children: Peter’s Denial: Discuss why Peter lied, what his feelings must have been, why we lie, how it’s human to lie, how Jesus not only foresaw Peter’s lie but understood what was going to happen.

Hymns: Great is Thy Faithfulness, Amazing Grace, Guide My Feet, Help Us Accept Each Other, Jesus Thy Boundless Love to Me, Love Divine All Love Excelling, Make Me Captive, Lord

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

March 13 Jesus Washes Feet: Hope of Serving

Jesus Washes Feet: Hope of Serving

John 13:1-17

Psalm 51:7-12

Call to Worship

God we gather to serve

For you first served us, the one who taught the first will be last

Jesus we long to be near you

Come let us worship the alpha and omega

Call to Confession: God calls all those who are in relationship with God to come into God’s presence for confession, come let us confess ourselves to God and each other

Prayer of Confession: God, I confess that I am like Peter crying out create in me a clean heart God, clean my feet and my hands and my whole body! Because some days I understand all too well all of my imperfections, and they seem to scream at me, from my body and my personality and my accomplishments. Remind me God, that you sent Jesus to show us how to love and serve one another, no more, no less, and that your grace is infinite. Remind us, we pray in your most Holy name. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God always restore us to the joy of salvation, hear the good news of the gospel: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God we come to you fully confessing ourselves and ready to be washed clean. Let us go forth rejoicing and ready to serve our God. Amen.

Children: Discuss Baptism and how Confession is a renewal of Baptism

Hymns: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Create in Me a Clean Heart, Jesu Jesu Fill Us with Your Love, I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me

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

March 6th Jesus Raises Lazarus. Jesus Wept, The Lament

March 6

Jesus Raises Lazarus, Jesus Wept: the Lament

John 11:1-44

Psalm 104:27-30

Call to Worship

Jesus we are wracked by tears

Sit with us in our weeping

Renew us, we pray

God, help us to gather in your name.

Call to Confession: God calls us to confession, so that we can claim our full selves with God, come let us confess ourselves to God.

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that we are not a culture that grieves well. We would rather ignore our sadness, or feel angry. Sadness feel so lonely. We do not want to admit the loneliness of grief. Remind us that we are not alone in our lamenting, we pray. And sit with us, Jesus. We pray this in the name of the Christ who weeps. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Christ loves us, Christ sits with us, Christ redeems us, Sit in confidence of the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Holy Spirit, come and dwell with use, for we admit that sometimes we are overwhelmed with emotions, and at those times we do not know what to do, or we take on too much, or we are unable to move. Remind us to breathe, and that you know us and love us, and that its ok to feel whatever we are feeling. Breathe us through whatever we are feeling we pray. Amen.

With Children: “You are My I Love You” “Be is for Breathe,” Do a breath prayer as a an exercise for when you feel overwhelmed or scared or need a break.

Hymns: Breathe on me Breath of God, I love the Lord Who Heard My Cry, There is a Balm in Gilead, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, O Jesus I Have Promised, Precious Lord, Take My Hand

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

Lent: Narrative Lectionary, From Lament to Hope

If you like my work, please contribute to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary. I’m 75% the way there this year!

For Word Versions of resources please Email Katyandtheword at gmail.com

From Lament to Hope

Ash Weds: Full Service

March 2

The Good Shepherd: Ashes A Prayer

500,000 People: Ashes

John 10:1-18

Psalm 23

March 6

Jesus Raises Lazarus: Jesus Wept, Lament

March 13

March 20

Peter’s Denial: Lament and Denial

March 27

April 3

April 10

Palm/Passion
The Crucified Messiah: Sermon Ideas, Pile of Good Things

John 12:12-27

Psalm 24

April 14

Maundy Thursday

Jesus Last Words: An in Person, Virtual or Stations Worship Service

John 19:23-30

Psalm 26:3

Betrayed: A Prayer for the Brokenhearted

April 15

Good Friday Worship: Burying Jesus, An In Person or Virtual Worship Service Based on the texts

Good Friday: Good Friday Worship Juxtaposing Communion & Lord’s Prayer

Good Friday: John Tenebrae

Jesus the Passover Lamb

John 19:31-42

Psalm 31:9-18

April 17th

Resurrection: Hope Seeing Resurrected Jesus

April 24

Sermon Ideas:

If you like my work, please contribute to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary. I’m 75% the way there this year!

White Woman’s Prayer

God,

I have spent all week

telling people that as a White Woman,

my way is to please everyone

and play nice.

I have gone full on confessional,

that this is our way, and to further admit

that when people do not consider us nice

all too often

we cry white tears,

and call that other person mean.

Because heaven forbid my personal, or even structural

ableism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, or other prejudices are named.

So here I am, practicing saying them out loud, God.

All month, help me God.

Because I don’t need to be startled or ashamed of who I am,

And I think the ownership helps me,

(and maybe other white women too?)

In any case, you know the help I still need Lord.

Because when I do this hard work,

my other mistakes seem bigger,

and my soul wears out faster,

and my heart is a bit sadder,

but its a bit bigger too–and for that I give you thanks

Thank you Holy Spirit.

Amen.

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

Ducks: A Blessing, et al.

This blessing has been published by Enfleshed for the online addendum to Held a book of blessings. The Original link is here. Two of my other Pittsburgh Seminary D. Min. Creative Writing Classmates got picked up for the online addendum and two of my classmates–Molly Housh Gordon and Walter Canter– got in the Print edition which can be ordered for 2nd printing here.

Ducks: A Blessing
by Katy Stenta

God knows, I don’t know where my ducks are
so they aren’t in a row.

How do I prioritize?
Everything is important
Schedules are nebulous, houses are messy, kids need attention.

God, you know, the ducks are waiting
Sometimes they quack at me in the middle of the night.

Is this how the prophets felt?
Chasing down the Wild Goose of the Holy Spirit.

Did they know their ducks would never
ever be in a row?

And that the wild birds of
Friendship, inspiration, food, silliness, etc
Would be the wild blessings of the Holy Spirit  .

Blessed are the ducks
Silly, quacking, never in a row
Blessed are the messy houses,
the children, the imperfections
the neverending tasks of relationships and adulting
the quacking in the middle of the night.

Blessed is the struggle
for it is real, and magnificent.

Katy Stenta is the mother of three, pastor, dreamer, fantasy/sci-fi romance reader and sunshine catcher, and wife of youth librarian Anthony. She enjoys writing blessings and prayers.

Who Am I by my classmate Joanne Spence

I am heavy
I am light

I am full
I am empty

I am shadow
I am bright

I am the me who sees and hears.

Oh, to the songbird
All the sights and sounds

Fluttering gently in my subconscious mind

I. Am. Here. Now.

God is closer than my breath.
That’s the me I see

Here. Now. Sensing Her presence

The Divine Feminine in me.

By Joanne Spence

Joanne Spence is the author of “Trauma-Informed Yoga: A Toolbox for Therapists.” She is a yoga teacher, social worker, and spiritual director. She likes to hike, bike, read, cook, dance, and travel, just not all at the same time

A blessing for wanting to belong by my classmate Jordan Miller-Stubbendick

Alone in the cafeteria, I grip my lunch tray,
slightly damp from its turn in the industrial dishwasher.
I seek a friendly face under the harsh fluorescent glare.

One Who Sees, you notice me standing there,
swirling with the fear that I am
not cool enough funny enough sparkly enough.

Friend Of My Heart, you are with me in that cafeteria
As I look around, taking shallow breaths.
Steady One, you catch my eye and smile, beckoning me over
There is a seat for me at your table—and for all of us
Who ever feel not cool enough funny enough sparkly enough.

Divine Embrace, you sweep all of me up
into your ever growing rainbow embrace
into your warm blanket of peace, of rest.

You say: Come. Sit with me.
Set down your fears and frantic striving.
I see you just as you are, and I love you always.
Yes, you are so much more than enough.
You belong, and there is a place for you here.

Jordan Miller-Stubbendick is a writer who lives in Buffalo, NY with her family.

D. Min Creative Writing Update

I’m so excited, I’ve gotten my new class assigned and it’s my first choice Writing [for] Children. It will be taught by Melissa A. Butler who is a project leader of Educators Neighborhood for the Fred Rogers Center. I still love to read children’s literature, though I know its actually a super hard field to break into when it comes to writing. I’m also laughing because one of the assignments will be to talk to a children’s librarian–which my husband is one, and of course I know them all so that will be super fun 🙂 Can’t wait for the next part of this adventure.

Support my writing and see more about my journey here: https://gofund.me/70a114f9

Selah! Praying for Babies & Vaccines

Praying

for all the babies

to be vaccinated

ASAP,

and praying

for all the parents

(and grandparents and beloveds)

of those babies

who have been waiting

half past forever

to exhale

they know

what Selah means

Selah God

Selah!*

Amen.

*Selah is some kind of exclamatory sigh thing in the Bible that we don’t really know how to translate

Feel free to use/share/adapt/sigh/scream abundantly with some kind of credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Prayer for the 14 year olds

This a prayer for the 14 year olds

The innocent, knowledgable,

cusp of adulthood, ready to take on the world

pandemic generation 14 year olds–

of whom my child is one of them

with hormones, and a burning need to change the world

learn everything, help everyone,

and a growing awareness,

God you know

of just how complicated this being human thing actually is.

And when the diagnosis is–

as they say in Big Hero 6,

Puberty, there is a whole world out there for us

to learn from them.

This is a prayer as they hear people fight about the future,

and those frustrations,

which let’s be honest, they were always

always aware of,

suddenly become into focus

because that is a part of growing into yourself.

This a prayer for them, that you will walk with them God,

as they wrestle with it all,

because God, I know I’m not handling everything ok,

so I don’t know how they are doing it.

Be with them,

Help them wrestle

and change the world,

to be what it should be!

Because God, they know when it isn’t!

So please God,

help the 14 year olds–and all the ages in-between.

I pray.

Amen.

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

Ducks: A Blessingby Katy Stenta

A blessing for wanting to belong by my classmate Jordan Miller-Stubbendick

Ducks: A Blessing
by Katy Stenta