Lent 3 Topical Prayer

Topical Prayer: God sometimes we feel like the lost coin or the lost sheep or the lost son, wandering and lonely. We are on the journey, and then suddenly we get lost along the way. Other times we feel like the older brother doing all of the right things with little recognition and credit. However, you invite us to be the widow and the shepherd and the parent: ebullient with welcome! You celebrate with those who are celebrating, God for you are there for every step of the journey. Dancing in the streets and striving to include and find every single person who feels lost. You want us to be the living invitation of your love and belonging. Our job is not to judge—thank God—but instead to celebrate and welcome. Help us, grant us your Holy Spirit so we can  be your open door of welcome today and everyday we pray. Amen.

For the Complete List of Narrative Lectionary Lent Resources can be found here including a way to receive a doc copy

Lent 3 Prayers

The Possibility of Journeying Home

March 7

Lent 3

Lost Sheep, Coin, Son

Luke 15:1-32

Psalm 119:167-176

Call to Worship: 

God you call us home

And whenever one of us is missing, you search for us without ceasing

Lord, you are welcoming

When one us is discluded or left out, you immediately welcome us to the table.

Lord, you are the father, running to embrace us and welcome us home!

Come let us celebrate as the children of God today. 

Invitation: God is always inviting us to return home. Come let us bring our full selves home to God.

Prayer of Confession: God I confess that when I feel lost, it is hard to return to you. All my imperfections scream at me, telling me that I am not deserving of your love. And sometimes those fears are confirmed by my experience of human judgement or prejudices. Remind me that you are never prejudiced God, you welcome me home and renew me every single time I ask for forgiveness. Forgive me for all that I did that was wrong and all the things I have not done that I ought to have done. Forgive me for forgetting that nothing can separate me from your love, and help me to return to your loving embrace I pray. Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: Our God will always leave a light on for us, that light is Jesus Christ. Know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven

Prayer of the day/Dedication: Lord, every single time someone enters into your presence, you welcome them with a party. Help us to party people into your Kingdom we pray!

Communion Prayer: God, you never forget us or leave us behind. When we seemed lost and alone you sent your only son Jesus, love incarnate to find us, call us by name, love us and teach us. Send your Holy Spirit onto these elements, so that when we feel lost or alone, we might be nourished by Jesus Christ. We pray this in God’s most Holy Name. Amen. 

Hymns: Seek Ye First, Jesus Priceless Treasure, Lord I Want to Be a Christian, Love Divine All Love Excelling, O Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go, O Jesus I Have Promised

Taize: Ubi Caritas: where there is goodness and love there is God

For the Complete List of Narrative Lectionary Lent Resources can be found here including a way to receive a doc copy

Lent 1 Topical Prayer

Topical Prayer: Holy God, we confess that it is much easier to see your holiness in other places—beautiful countrysides, exciting trips to lands that we deem exotic, pristine and well kept buildings. It is harder to see God in the neighborhood. We know it’s flaws too well—we are too familiar with it. Who is my neighbor God? Anyone who is close enough to annoy us. Because if they are close enough to annoy us, then we are are close enough to love and help them. You are the God who is in the details, in the dusty and complicated relationships of those closest to us. In the vast outreaching arm for those far away that we feel compassion for. Truly, you are the God that creates neighbors, even between the competing religions the Samaritans and the Hebrew Jews, the Muslims and the Christians, the black churches and the white churches. Help us to be in true conversation and relationships with one another. Because that is the only way we are getting through this. Teach us to be neighbors we pray. Amen. 

For the Complete List of Narrative Lectionary Lent Resources can be found here including a way to receive a doc copy

Lent 1 Prayers

Journeying Past Our Neighbors 

February 21st

Lent 1

Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-42

Psalm 15

Call to Worship:

God you call us to love

We would like to abide in your tent God.

You call us to our neighbors and our neighborhood. Because you are present here, too. 

Let us praise the God who is in our neighborhood.

Invitation: Come let us confess our full selves to the Lord.

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that although we strive for love, we do not always achieve it. We catch ourselves gossiping or slandering others, we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are too worried about who is going to get in first, to help those who are last. Help us to be like the good Samaritan, to take the time and energy to help all those in need without prejudice or malice. Embolden us to do what is right, we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. 

Assurance of Pardon: God promises that we can dwell with God’s very self on the holy hill. Through grace, is space in God’s neighborhood. Those we can tell one another the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen. 

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord, help us to face and see our neighbors: black, brown, white, immigrant, disabled, our LGBTQIA neighbors. Let us embrace those who vote, pray or live differently. For each individual is fully human and beloved by God. Help us to love them we pray. amen. 

Communion Prayer; Lord come and bless this food of the people and this cup of the people that we might taste and see the kindom in our neighbor’s eyes and be nourished to start the work of the kindom in our own neighborhood—knowing that we are all seen and loved in the eyes of God let us start to celebrate it here, today, by taking communion together. 

Hymns: Kum ba Yah, Jesu Jesu Fill Us with Your Love, Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door 

Taize: Let All who are Thirsty Come

Ash Wednesday Topical Prayer

Topical Prayer

Lord, you are the God of Ashes. So that when food tastes like dust upon the tongue, When we feel grubby and soiled, when we feel defeated—you’ve already been there. taking the long walk to death, walking grubby, dry-mouthed and alone. And you invite us, each and every year, to take the journey with you, so that neither of us are alone. You invite us to walk in our own stumbling way, with our own deaths. And you remind us—that we are but dust and to dust we will return. And it’s good to remember and process that fact. Because though we are dust, we are also the beloved siblings of Christ. And so, we will walk the path to Jerusalem together, because it is a journey worth taking. Be with us and we journey we pray, O God. Amen. 

For the Complete List of Narrative Lectionary Lent Resources can be found here including a way to receive a doc copy

Ash Wednesday Prayers

Journeying towards Death

February 17th

Ash Wednesday

Jesus Turns to Jerusalem

Luke 9:51-62

Psalm 5:7-8:

Call to Worship

Who can follow you to Jerusalem Jesus?

Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head

God, may we each find a sanctuary space today.

Let us begin the journey to Jerusalem with Jesus Christ today. 

The time for Lent and death stretches us before us.

Come let us walk with God today.

Invitation: God will give heed to our sighing, come let us bring our sighs to the Lord. 

Prayer of Confession: God our sighs are loud and our cries sound out. We feel trauma of these times. But we know, you long with us for our suffering to end. You do not delight in any wickedness. We confess that we do not know how to journey to Jerusalem with you. We are lost before the journey even begins. Help us to find the way we pray. Amen.  

Assurance of Pardon: God it is through the abundance of your steadfast love, I will enter your house. It is by the grace of God, that we can be assured of the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. 

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord, let us experience the ashes with all that they entail. Let the be the beginning of our relenting: of power, of materialism, of individual achievement over the good of the community. Let us relent to Lent we pray. Amen. 

Communion Prayer: Holy Spirit, come and inspire us for this journey. When it feels like forty days in the desert: fortify us with your bread and your cup. Imbue this meal with your Holy Spirit so we can be nourished for the journey. Remind us that when we celebrate Christ’s death, we are also celebrating his life and his resurrection. Give us what we need for this journey through Lent we pray. Amen. 

Hymns: In the Garden, Come Thou Fount of Ever Blessing, What Wondrous Love Is This, 

Taize: Jesus, Remember Me

For the Complete List of Narrative Lectionary Lent Resources can be found here including a way to receive a doc copy

Narrative Lectionary: Baptism of Jesus

Call to Worship (based on Psalm 51:15, 10)
O Lord, Open my lips
and my mouth will declare your praise
For you have not delight in sacrifice, it does not please you
Create in my a clean heart, O God, that I might worship you today and everyday.

Prayer of Confession: (unison): God, I confess my transgressions. Against you, you alone I have sinned. I confess that I have done what is evil in your sight. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. Blot out my transgressions according to your abundant mercy. Wash me, and cleanse me from my sin. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

Assurance of Pardon: God restores us, creating clean hearts and new spirits within us, and God’s salvation is restored to us through Jesus Christ. Friends hear the good news; In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

HEARING THE WORD
Children’s Time : Telling God’s Story
(All children are invited to the front)

Prayer for Illumination
1st Scripture Reading Psalm 51:6-17
2nd Scripture Reading Luke 3:1-22

“Pre-Disciples” Pastor Katy Stenta

Reflection Roger Held

Joys & Concerns & The Lord’s Prayer (p. 16 in the blue hymnal)

RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Offering
*Doxology (#592 in Blue Hymnal) Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise God all creatures here below. Praise God above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen.

SENDING THE WORD
Prayer of Dedication: God, remind us to share everything: food, blessings, baptisms. Send us forth into the world being the hands and feet of Christ. Help us to be your disciples we pray. Amen.

Hymn #443 “O Christ, the Great Foundation”


*Charge & Benediction

The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you. (Invitation to share Peace)

I am so angry

I am so angry, she said, and I admit I was surprised to hear the echo of her words in my heart God.

Of course, I know I’m angry God, we all are. Haven’t I been giving permission for people to scream psalms and then wrote out my own about the catastrophe that lead up to and was 2020? But I was still surprised…because I am SO angry, God.

I’m angry God, with little places to process it, and very small chances to even be grumpy (though I am, of course grumpier like most people).

I’m angry that people keep making poor decisions, I’m angry that I don’t know how long I have to stay in survival mode.

I’m angry that my child who has autism works so hard to remain masked when so many capable adults believe rumors and lies and continue to ignore the need to do what is needed to stay safe.

I am angry that we are so, so lonely, while others go out and party.

I’m angry that my family’s mental health is precarious at best, and I’m angry that the priorities of the government and individuals seem to be power and money over safety, and self-righteousness over loving our neighbor.

And I’m angry that my family cannot perfectly keep others safe because there are too many factors and not enough cooperation for us to be able to tell when and how all of this will end.

I am angry that more and more people are getting sick or dying, and all the socioeconomic things–Too many to name even….

I want to be angry God, because it’s a true reaction to what is going on.

Is this how Jesus felt when Samaria refused to welcome him when he finally decided to journey to Jerusalem? Did he have to get over it to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan?

Or did you tell the story to yourself Jesus? Did you tell it to remind yourself not to always be angry?

God, there is nowhere to put this anger. If I put it on mine enemies, and wish them harm or illness, I–in truth–only hurt myself.

And there’s no real way to process it, yet.

Except sometimes I watch a show or I read a book and I cry.

God help us, help me, with this trauma. This mix of delayed mourning, longstanding loneliness and more anger than I realized.

Help us say the prayers, scream the screams, write the psalms and to create the rituals we need in this time of trauma. Help us to create small oases of sanctuaries to process. the hardship we are going through.

I’m tired of being angry God. Please help me in whatever way you can.

Send your Holy Spirit to comfort and renew me, I pray.

Amen.

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

For more Pandemic Prayers here

Irresolute: A Prayer for the New Year

God, I’m praying here because I sense this is not the year for resolutions.

Self-improvement does not feel adequate for all that is going on…and it certainly isn’t appropriate when survival has been the first and primary goal.

God, I am trying to practice being thankful for my body. Because thought the ups and the downs my body has gotten me through the year. And am working to process and absorb the trauma that has hammered down. I’m trying to practice gentleness, with the flesh that envelopes me. Did Christ look at his body and struggle with gentleness and thanksgiving?

God, you know I have other things to absorb too. The lessons of economies and ongoing structures of neglect and violence. The rawness of the human condition has been made plain, which is why an individual resolution won’t do this year.

A prayer is more fitting God, because resolutions are about certainty, and prayer is about all the places I’m floundering and trying to figure out.

After all God, it’s been the year of flexibility and pivotry and other bendy things.

So here I am God, praying for the New Year, for the new things. On the things that are unresolved, the things we are working on, the things that are not just about me and now but are more communal and complex in nature.

So, God, help me as I’m irresolute this year. Help me to be okay with it. Or, maybe not. Not everything is ok.

So here’s to an irresolute year–of community and mutual aid and epiphanies and a way to be present.

Let me be as present as I safely can. And let it not be not a resolution or a goal, but rather a way to strive for I pray.

Amen.

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

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Christmas Blessing

With Credit to @blackgirlinmain Shay Stewart Bouley on Twitter who congulated those cooking their first Christmas dinner–with full empathy for how nerve wracking it is– her tweet inspired this.

A blessings on all those who had to cook, who aren’t usually responsible for Christmas dinner–blessings for those who did tacos or takeout or didn’t cook at all and just rustled up whatever was around.

A blessing for whom the Christmas rituals were too short this year, missing people and missing traditions, and a blessings for whom they were too long because the holiday is such a struggle.

A blessing for those for whom Christmas is the end of a very long and very tiring season and they are awaiting a little bit of a break or a restart, and a blessing for this for whom Christmas means no break at all, and often means double work and double stress and little grace or gratitude from those around you.

A blessing on those who have experienced a loss, for whom Christmas hits hard and lonely, a blessing for those who are dealing with infertility when everyone is screaming about babies being born.

A blessing for the families who don’t have the money to do Christmas, for the families that are too busy worrying about a roof over their head or food to eat to feel blessed in any way.

A blessing for the sick and those caring for them. In this time of trial, may there be compassion and moments, however brief, of respite.

A blessing for those who aren’t sure if they want to celebrate Christmas, for whom it’s complicated or carries too much baggage or carries too many to do lists or litmus tests of faith.

A blessing for those for whom this is their “first” Christmas of any kind, good or bad, because transition is tough and we need these blessings.

A blessing on those who are tired, alone, trapped, in danger. A blessing for victims of abuse, victims of state brutality, those who are imprisoned and those who are stuck in violent or unsafe situations, a blessing for those in the midst of war in what should be a season to pursue peace.

A blessing for those who are searching for hope: through family or friends or social media, a blessing because the search can be long and hard and you can get lost upon the way and talk to the wrong people as the magi can tell you.

A blessing for those whom I’ve forgotten, those who are at the corners of my mind, but somehow skipped over. I lift you up to God, because God knows your heart. God knows the blessings you need, so I pray that God gives you the blessings you need.

Christmas Blessings be with you all.
Amen.