Advent: a silly moment

Lord forgive me
For entering
Into the
Advent/Christmas Debate

((I admit it I talked about advent vs Christmas hymns))


I was tired
And forgot that such opinions
Stir up much debate & advice
When really
I was just sharing things
In my context.

But I said they were true—. because they are for me

However really I trust
That everyone
Is doing their best
for their own circumstances

And that we are all waiting—or not For Christmas, and that somehow

Christ will arrive exactly on time,

No matter what songs we sing or when we decorate the tree

Because that’s the Christmas miracle—and I’m so thankful for that

As I admittedly pray this Advent prayer.
(Sometimes even before Thanksgiving).

Amen

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

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14

John 14:27

Call to Worship

Our God is the God of Resurrection

God will never leave us

Our God is the God of peace

Come let us worship God!

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that sometimes your instructions confuse us. You tell us both to live our lives and to look towards heaven. You know we are only human, so it is difficult for us to do both at the same time. Forgive us when we get distracted or confuse. Remind us that practicing hope, and peace here on earth is worth it. And help us when we go astray, we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting, know the truth in your heart: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God it is a good thing you are the Prince of peace, and that you leave pieces of it for us to follow, because we definitely need help on that. Guide us to your peace today and everyday we pray. Amen.

Hymns: Take My Life, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less, O For a Closer Walk with God, Abide with Me, Lord Make Us Servants of Your Peace

Children: God promises peace. Ask the children to imagine what peace is like–help them to imagine peace as creativity not just silence or stillness. Discuss how we might practice peace now.

If you find these resources useful please consider contributing to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing!

More Narrative Lectionary Year 4

Nov 21st Isaiah: A Child is Born

Isaiah 9:1-7

John 8:12

Call to Worship

God says, those who have walked in darkness have seen a great light.

We rejoice before you!

God promises a child will come to us, his name shall be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace

Come, we will rejoice with the joy of the harvest!

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that sometimes we don’t feel like we have seen the great light. All too often we feel like we still stumbling in the dark. We long for the day we can proclaim wonderful counselor and peace, but right now, we are weary and bleary eyed. Open our eyes, help us to know what the next right step is, we pray. Help us to let the light in, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News: Jesus Christ already knows and forgives, so let us proclaim the truth that has already happened: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Prayer of Dedication/the Day: Holy Spirit, you remind us again that the fruit of our labors, the harvest, all comes from you. And though we do not have the eyes to always see what seeds are being planted, help us to have faith, to seek peace, and to trust that the work is just and good, and give us the strength we need to carry on today and everyday we pray. Amen.

Hymns: We Gather Together, Let All Things Now Living, For the Fruit of All Creation, Joyful Joyful we Adore Thee, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, We Plow the Fields and Scatter

Children: Humans are like plants but more complicated. Talk about what plants need to grow, then talk about what humans need to be healthy and grow. Talk about the importance of care and how Jesus promises to light the way and to take care of all of creation of the world, and wants us to be partners in caring–for plants and each other.

If you find these resources useful please consider contributing to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing!

More Narrative Lectionary Year 4

Justice Prayer

Jesus when you said

Justice would roll down

like water….

Did you mean

that it would

trickle first

down my face as a tear

of compassion?

Or will it truly unleash?

Like the dams of injustice

finally breaking through…

I want to know,

because I am thirsting for Jesus

Like a deer in the desert–

and when I look for justice,

I find rules or civility or equality

or some other thing,

that we humans think is justice,

but it isn’t really.

So here’s a prayer for justice,

the big kind, that washes away everything else.

So here’s a prayer for justice, the rip-roaring kind,

full of righteousness, and grace and hope.

Even if it has to start as a trickle,

Because, you and I know God,

I will take all the justice I can get.

So here’s a prayer for all the justice,

any of the justice we can find today, and everyday.

Please God,

Thank you.

Amen.

Feel free to use/adapt/share with permission of Pastor Katy Stenta

If you find my prayers useful please consider supporting my 2nd year pursuing my Doctorate of Ministry in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian at Pittsburgh Seminary.

Nov 14 Amos: Justice Rolls Down

Amos 1:1-2; 5:14-15, 21-24

John 7:37-38

Call to Worship (John 7:37-38)

Jesus says, let anyone who is thirsty come

Here we are, thirsting for the Lord

Scripture says, all who believes can drink

Come, out of our hearts, let the rivers of living water flow!

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we are thirsting for you, so thirsty that we are dry to the bone. We are uncertain that justice will flow. We do not know if there are even drips of justice in the world. We confess, that we don’t know if justice will flow like water–but we also confess that we long for that day. Help us to not give up our justice seeking we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus promises that Jesus will make all things right, so we can proclaim to one another the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God sometimes we feel like our offerings are not enough, we’d rather give you big festivals or more solemn worship services–but you ask us to simply seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your. Help us to do that today we pray. Amen.

Hymns: Be Thou My Vision, Crown Him with Many Crowns, We are One in the Spirit, Best Be the Tie that Binds, Come Live the Light, For Everyone Born, Live Into Hope

Children: Thirsty, discuss how we are often thirsty before we even know it and that we really need water to drink, that is how we need justice. Talk about how justice is not just equality or sameness, its the nutrients we need, and that every single body needs something different, and that Jesus knows that.

If you find these resources useful please consider contributing to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing!

Justice Rolls Down: A Prayer

More Narrative Lectionary Year 4

In Charge: a Prayer

Holy Spirit,

Let me tell you, it’s a good thing you are in charge,

because….

whew.

I do not want to be in charge of all of this.

The things that I am in charge of are–

to put it lightly

hard.

And in a time such as this

I never know

what to do next

or what will change

(Jesus take the wheel)

So anyway back to

You being in charge

and how very VERY good that is

Because you know how to get things done–

with the eagerest of resources,

and the clumsiest of servants.

So here I am, meager and clumsy.

Ready to serve,

let me know what to do next

I pray.

Amen.

Feel Free to share/adapt/use with Credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Pandemic Prayers & Resources

Mundane Prayers

If you find these resources useful please consider contributing to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing! 

Shots & Curses: Thank God for Vaccines!

God, This is a word of Prayer

Of Thanksgiving! For vaccines for all the elementary Schoolers

The 5-11 year olds who have had to wait, 20 long months

Without friends and with masks.

With parents who loved them, and many grownups who acted not in their best interest–

This is a prayer for the kids who had to stay cooped up

all alone, or play only with their siblings and parents until they drove their parents batty

who had to do school (or try to) at home.

This is a prayer for all those kiddos who finally get those shots

and a continued prayers for the preschoolers and babies who can’t get theirs yet.

You know God, that I don’t use curse words much.

At the tender age of 7 I saw My Left Foot

And when the Main Character cursed, frustrated by his disability–

(even though of course I had already heard those words on the bus,

as my mom’s friend pointed out when she was worried about showing me the movie)

I learned that those words should be used in very important situations.

This is why I think getting a COVID shot is the perfect time to say

Fuck.

whether it’s to withstand the pain–or to to curse out all the time this interminably long wait has been.

Fuck,

Fuck Yeah.

May be an image of 1 person and text that says 'T-Mobile 5:12 PM 34% Tweet Madiha Tariq @madihaforequity Useful parenting advice around COVID vaccines (borrowed from a friend) GruMPY D.L. The Harrowing of Hell Mayfield @d_l_mayfield my kids are scared of shots, like most kids are. but told them they could say the F word if they wanted to when getting the COVID vaccine, and now they are pretty pumped for it. Tweet your reply'

And thank God for the Vaccine!

Let’s Go Get our next round of Shots!

Fuck!

Thank you!

Amen!

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

Pandemic Prayers & Resources

If you find these resources useful please consider contributing to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing!

God Speaks to Elijah

1 Kings 19:1-18

John 12:27-28

Psalm 34:1-10

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 34)

I will bless the Lord at all times

Let the Praise of our God be continually in my mouth

My soul makes its boast in the Lord

Let the humble hear and be glad

O Come, magnify the Lord with me

Come let us exalt God’s name together

Prayer of Confession: God, I confess that sometimes I need to seek you. Sometimes my soul cries out for nourishment. The night falls and I am hungry, or lonely, or miserable. Help me when I need it, forgive me when I forget to ask, teach me what we need to learn I pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Taste and See that the Lord is Good, Let us tell one another the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: May we always glorify the Lord, especially when that means taking time to listen for that still small voice, help us to focus in on what it is you are calling us to do we pray. Amen.

Hymn: Precious Lord Take My Hand, Theres a Sweet Spirit in This Place, There’s a Balm in Gilead, For All the Sands, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Children: Read Be Still and Know that I am God and ask them to try to listen for God’s voice, take away a word each time “Be Still and Know that I am God””Be Still and Know that I am” “Be Still and Know that I” Be Still and Know that” Be Still and Know” Be Still and Know” Be Still and” Be Still” “Be”

More Year 4 Narrative Lectionary Resources

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Here’s a Prayer for the People

God, today I’m thinking about all the stuff,

the stuff that we worry about, the money and the possessions and the taxes, and the things.

And I can imagine Jesus, whispering in our ears

Reminding us, coaxing us, murmuring to us “don’t worry about the stuff,

I didn’t put you here to worry about the stuff….

I put you here to worry about the people….

Consider the lilies of the field,

the birds and the bees,

and the cute koala bears….”

I think about how generous you are God, how you don’t mind if we give money and laws to Caesar and the government, how utterly unbothered you are by the fact.

Because that’s not what you are worried about.

Instead, you are too busy learning the name of every single being in the universe. Instead you are too busy

healing up the wounds of the forgotten

telling those who live in-between that their lives are beautiful and radical and good

you are too busy doing the real work of the world.

So, though I need the stuff God, you know, to live.

I will try to make sure everyone has enough stuff,

and worry instead, about the people.

God please help us to love and worry and serve the people, and remind us–all of us,

that you created us, not to make stuff

but to love people.

In Christ’s name we pray.

Amen.

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