katyandtheword

Jonah and God’s Mercy

Jonah 1:1-7; 3:1-10 [4:1-11]
Luke 18:13 Opt Psalm 88:3-7, 13

10am Drive in Worship Nov 1st

Announcements

Call to Worship

Lord God, when I am in the Pit, You are there

I will come with the voice of Thanksgivingi

When I cry out to you, you hear.

In the morning, my prayer comes before your.

The steadfast love of the Lord never changes, God’s mercies never come to an end

Deliverance is the Lord’s, Let us praise God together!

Praise Ye the the Lord, The Almighty 482

Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation

All ye who hear, Now to his temple draw near.
Join me in great adoration

Praise ye the Lord, Who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,

Shelters thee under His wings, yeah so gently sustaineth!

Hast thou not seen How thy desires e’er have been

Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!

All that hath life and breath, come not with praises before Him!

Let the Amen, Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.

Jonah 1:1-3, 7, 17, 2:1, 10, 17, 4:6-8, 10-11

(1 Finger) Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’

(2 Fingers) But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish;

(3 Fingers) so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.

(4 Fingers) The sailors^* said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah

(5 FingersO But the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights

(6 Fingers) Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land.

(Pastor Katy) Jonah went to Ninevah, and all the people repented with fasting and rending of clothes, and God saw and changed God’s mind about punishing them, and Jonah was angry at God’s mercy and said let me die!

(7 Fingers) And the Lord said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’ ⁵Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there.

(8 Fingers) The Lord God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush.

(9 Fingers) But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. ⁸When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’

(10 Fingers) Then the Lord said, ‘You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. ¹¹And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?’

Children’s Sermon

Sermon “God Among the Sinners” Pastor Katy Stenta sermon video

Communion: Invitation

The Lord be with you

And also with you

Lift up your hearts

We lift our hearts to the Lord

Let us give thanks to the Lord

It is right to give our thanks and praise ..

Dear God, you are our creator. You keep track of us when we are hot or tired or complaining. You are among us, and give us the shade from the sun, and the whale in the floods. You come to us when we are sad and bitter, you cleanse us and give us rest. You welcome each of us into the communion of saints. Send your Holy Spirit here today, so that we may celebrate this meal with you, Jesus! Help us we pray…

(prayer continues…) as your son taught us to pray. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom and Power and the Glory Forever. Amen.

For All the Saints 526

For all the saints who from their labors rest,

Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,

Thy name, O Jesus,

be forever blest. Alleluia, Alleluia

Thou was their rock, their fortress and their might,

Thous, Lord their captain, in the well fought fight

Thou, in the darkness drear,

their one true light Alleluia, Alleluia

O blest communion, fellowship divine!

We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;

all are one in Thee,

for all are Thine, Alleluia, Alleluia

Post Election Prayer

God, you are mighty,

and I feel so small.

Paralyzed as the election approaches–a million years away, and yet it’s coming any minute.

How are we supposed to plan for post-election, for advent and for Christmas when we don’t know what is going to happen?

How are we supposed to plan?

Don’t you know God, writing our sermons and prayers would be easier if we knew what was going to happen.

I’m not a skip to the end personality; but right now I am.

Anxiety is in the air.

God! I feel so small. So here is small prayer.

To survive until the election, to do the things that need to get done, to feed the kids, take care of the church, to stay safe and connected.

Take this small prayer that is in the hearts of pastors everywhere who are preparing to preach in a divided country, where some congregations are divided, or some congregations completely disagree with their pastor.

Lord, take this small prayer, and grow it into the prayer it needs to be for post-election:

I pray. Amen.

Pandemic Prayers

About Me and My Writing

My Story & My Writing–Katy

Hello,

I am a pre-Harry Potter Fantasy loving person. I’ve been reading my whole life. I majored in English and History (the Japanese History professor told history like a story) and minored in Philosophy at Oberlin College. I wrote so many papers, that I ended up taking a couple of math classes just to break things up! At Oberlin I co-founded the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall, a sort of co-op for ideas, and with the advent of Harry Potter my sister was able to live at the Hall 10 years later. I also did my Senior thesis on the power of story in folklore, myths and fairytales.

I then went to seminary at Princeton Theological Seminary. I ended up Dual majoring in Divinity and Christian Formation. There I helped pick out the books for “Curriculum and Methods of Teaching, Teaching the Bible in the Church, Children’s Fantasy Literature, and Moral Formation.” There, I realized how formative writers like Tolkein and Lewis and especially Madeline L’engle were to my theology.

I went into ministry, fully loving how my the job changes every single day. However something that someone said towards the end of seminary, that has stuck with me like a blessing, is that a pastor is one of those professions where you are writer who is paid very regularly to write.

When I started ministry, I started doing some twitter support for the LGBTQIA (unofficially) as a pastoral form of support. Additionally as disasters struck, I found myself wanting to share some light or hope. I shared thoughts on “Look for the Helpers” from Mr. Rogers–I wasn’t the only one, but people found it helpful, and Calvin & Hobbes “people would act differently if they looked at the stars more.”

I also missed fantasy and squeezed in being a fellow at Brainery Writers Workshop: Science Fiction Fairy Tales: A Hypoxic Style Writing Workshop – with Dr. Jilly Dreadful featuring authors Daniel José Older, Ellen Datlow and Cathrynne M. Valente. Sadly most of my 1,000s of fantasy books remained in boxes in our small rental.

I also began to be frustrated with the Revised Common Lectionary, which is a wonderful 3 year cycle of working through the Bible. Christians started practicing lectionaries together in 1969. However it carries a lot of baggage–bigotry, racism and sexism, and I was tired of rewriting the resources.

I switched to Narrative Lectionary a couple of years in, and began to write my own prayers and doing my own research. I started canvassing people to help to develop Advent & Lectionary resources. Then my mom completed her Doctorate in Liturgy and resumed church ministry so we have been writing Narrative Lectionary Seeds of Prayer Resources together.

I also started writing resources and worship to be more inclusive as my middle child, Westley, was diagnosed with Autism, ADD, anxiety and diverticulitis, and is primarily nonverbal. I co-founded TrailPraisers Inclusive Worshiping which is currently on hiatus. I’m hoping to restart, but God knows if that will fit anymore. We will see where we land post-Pandemic.

When the Pandemic hit, I was full of feelings and prayers, and I found myself writing fairly prolifically prayers relating to the Pandemic. These resources got a lot of attention and began to be used widely. I began to discern a larger call to public theology in writing.

Currently my three children are 8, 10 and 12. I love writing and I love school. A doctorate in Ministry at Pittsburgh Theology came across my social media in Creative Writing. The logistics seemed–surprisingly possible. It is only two weeks in person, you are expected to be working in ministry at the same time, and my kids have just reached the point of being able to be left for longer. This was especially a concern for my child with autism, obviously.

The only question is financial. My family suffered greatly having just graduated when the first recession took place. We know a lot of people who went back to school when the affordability came into question. We are the last generation who unquestioningly took out whatever college loans we needed to, and had that come crashing down when 9/11 happened our second week of college (we were only dating long distance then). With a disabled child and living in a city in New York, costs are high, and important to meet.

So, I am trying to fundraise. Tuition is $8,000 a year. I will probably get some financial help from my church: that looks to be $2,000 right now. So I am fundraising $2,000 through my writing, and hopefully $2,000 some other way, so that it is a four way split. Half fundraised, 1/4 from the church and 1/4 from the family funds.

So I got to work compiling some more extensive advent resources (thanks to a 1,001 Worshipping Communities grant for a 24hr retreat at home I was able to take the time to do the bulk of the work)–and since I like to start advent early, they start Nov 22nd.

Typically my prayers and resources get hundreds of views a week. If everyone who regularly used my resources put forth $20, math says (yay math) I only need 100 people at that level to reach my first goal. Any help $5-$25 is greatly appreciated. As always all resources can be used and adapted with credit to Katy Stenta

https://gf.me/u/y83935

Donate to PayPal https://paypal.me/KatyStenta?locale.x=en_US Venmo www.venmo.com/Katy-Stenta or Google Pay to Katyandtheword at gmail

Thanks!

Katy Stenta

God & Pivoting

Someone on social media today–I don’t remember who or where, said that she is super sick of the word pivot. That in the grand variety of our language, that we only use pivot.

I, too am sick of the word pivot and the pivoting itself.

God, let’s talk about how it is that you don’t need to Pivot! Because it’s amazing.

You exist in these sketchy, hard, uncertain thin places.

You already know who you are. And you remain you even as you exist in the mystery.

You don’t need to pivot, because you embody the liminal God. You exist in the in-betweens.

The gray areas are God.

The sun and the rain together (rainbows anyone?) are God.

You are in the the thin, thin air between the mountain and the sky. The squishy ground where the sand changes from shore to ocean, the moments of complete indecision–Lord, God, this is where you dwell.

So while summer is letting go into fall, while we hover over the places that are between rebuilding and destruction, while we wait between illness and health, and while we in the United States are in the already and not yet of election but not yet elected, God you are here.

You are in the grays.

Thank God you don’t need to pivot.

And if when we need to, help us.

And we don’t, when we need to spend time in the in-between, remind us that this is where you dwell, we pray.

Image: https://www.saqa.com/art/browse-collection/thin-places

Amen.

Pandemic Prayers, Narrative Lectionary Advent Resources, Mundane Prayer Resources

Please Share/Adapt with Credit to Katy Stenta and Please Support my writing! Contribute to my Doctorate of Ministry with a Donation I have PayPal https://paypal.me/KatyStenta?locale.x=en_US Venmo www.venmo.com/Katy-Stenta or Google Pay to Katyandtheword at gmail

Seeds of Prayer: Extended Advent Resources Directory

Advent Candles

Advent Hymns to Christmas Carol Tunes

Bulletin Prayers: Hymn & Children book suggestions

Topical Prayers + Videos

Kairos Calendar (for full calendar and activities email katyandtheword at gmail)

Additonal Resources: Advent 2 Bulletin by Rev. Dr. Barb Hedges-Goettl

Advent 4 Bulletin & Sermon by Rev Dr. Barb Hedges-Goettl

Christmas Eve Bulletin: Short, no singing, Candlelighting!

About Me: My Story & My Writing

Please Share/Adapt with Credit to Katy Stenta and Please contribute to my Doctorate of Ministry with a Donation I have PayPal https://paypal.me/KatyStenta?locale.x=en_US Venmo www.venmo.com/Katy-Stenta or Google Pay to Katyandtheword at gmail

I’m trying to get $2,000 by June.

Devotional Calendar

To get a google link and downloadable link to this calendar (Which includes the daily reading texts and details of each activity) to share the best way is to email me at katyandtheword at gmail. Just make sure the subject says Advent somewhere in it and I will send it to you.

Devotional Calendar, for a google calendar ics version email katyandtheword at gmail Subject: Devotional Calendar and a copy of the file will be sent to you including the details of each activity

About Me: My Story & My Writing

About Me: My Story & My Writing

I have a goal to raise $2,000 this year to offset Tuition–Thanks

This is not the character development I wanted.

Dear God,

How many people in the Bible said no to you? Jacob, the actual heel, Noah who didn’t want to get mocked, Moses who had a speech impediment

As I sit in the car as a part of my daily 3hr drop off and pick up run to avoid the bus and do what I can to limit exposure…emphasis on what I can….I am thinking that this is not the character development I wanted.

I did not, after an agonizingly and traumatically lonely Middle School experience and a long and tough climb into adulthood starting with 9/11 and then peaking with job hunting at the height of a recession, want to go in for more. I feel like I’ve done enough character development. Thanks for asking God.

I remember my Grandmother who helped every single person she met and also could not throw anything away if her life depended on it. I don’t think I realized those went together for her as a child of the depression, until now.

What am I learning right now God?!? And why oh why haven’t I learnt it already?

Probably the real question is what is it we have to learn and why haven’t we learned it yet?

God, I know we are living in the space of a grace note. I know you have already won and are going to win. And every second we have to learn is gravy

But gravy is messy! Grace is messy! And I really didn’t count on spending hours in the car and at home and on zoom relearning you’re grace.

Teach us what we need to learn about your grace, we pray.

Amen

Pandemic Prayers, Narrative Lectionary Advent Resources, Mundane Prayer Resources

Seeds of Prayer: Extended Advent Resources for Narrative Lectionary: Prayers, Hymns, Children’s Books

About Me: My Story & My Writing

God Amongst Us

Nov 22 (Extended Advent Option 2)

God’s Promises a New Covenant

Jeremiah 36:1-8, 21-23, 27-28 then 31:31-34

Luke 22:19-20 Opt. Psalm 89:31-37

Call to Worship (Psalm 89:1-8)

Let the heavens praise your wonder, O Lord

Who among the skies can be compared to the Lord?

O God of hosts, who is as generous as you?

Your faithfulness surrounds you

Your love is like a feast

Come let us praise God, who drips in grace

(Psalm 89: 14-18) Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord God, happy are those who know you, let us walk with you and exult your name all day long. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Let us go into the world and use all of our gifts to extol your righteousness in the light of you countenance today, we pray. Amen.

(Joel 2:13) Call to Confession: Return to the Lord, your God, for God gracious and merciful—slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.

Prayer of Confession: Lord God, we confess that sometimes we cannot look at all of the disasters and needs of the world. We confess we long for comfort—and that sometimes we compare God to governments or the wealthy. Teach us to have the ears to hear what it is we need to do, and the eyes to see that you have gifted us with enough to do it. Help us to be thankful and share all we have. You are here, God, sharing your very self with us. Teach us, love us and forgive us we pray.

(Psalm 89: 20-22) Assurance of Pardon: Hear the good news: we belong to God, we have been baptized and anointed, God promises that God’s very hand hand shall always remain with us. Know the truth, that God is among us: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

(Luke 22:19-20) Communion Prayer: Lord God, you have poured out your very self to us. First when you made space in your womb to birth the world. Then when you poured Jesus out into the world. Jesus who took bread and broke it and said “this is my body that is given for you, do this in remembrance of me” and in the same way he took the cup and said “this cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” Then you poured your Holy Spirit onto the world, pour that Spirit on whatever elements we have here today, fill them with your love so that we might be nourished for the (Advent) journey we pray. Amen.

Hymn Options: God is My Rock, Just As I Am, God of Peace to the tune of Silent Night

Children: Stone Soup, The Goblin Chair (room for others)

Nov 29th

Daniel’s Hope in God

Daniel 6:6-27

Luke 23:1-5 Opt Psalm 91:1-6, 11-13

Call to Worship (Psalm 91: 1-13)

You who live in the shadow of the Bounteous God

We say to God “My refuge and my fortress”

The Holy Spirit will fly up, and wrap you in her pinions

Under her wings, we will find refuge

God will command her angels concerning you, to guard you

We are borne of God, and can depend that she is among us

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord who loves us and calls us each by name. We know that we are your beloved. If we listen we can almost hear the angels proceeding us shouting out to the universe “make way for the beloved of God.” But still we fumble: temptations and trials still exist, imposter syndrome lurks, and our imperfections sometimes shout at us louder than the angels. Open our ears to hear your voice, your voice that is here among us, that calls us by name, and remind us we are beloved children of God, we pray.

(Joel 2:13) Call to Confession: Return to the Lord, your God, for God gracious and merciful—slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.

(Psalm 91) Prayer Confession: Lord God we confess that we need protections. Lions and snakes are everywhere: bullying or sneaking power based upon their might or wealth. It is hard to stand up to the powerful. We also confess that we feel the terror, trust is hard to find, and pestilence lurks in diseases we cannot yet control. We confess that we feel afraid. Send your angels, spread your wings, protect us, deliver us, we pray. Help us to know how to withstand all the trials that come our way, we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear the good news, God says, Those who love me I will deliver; When they call to me I will answer, walking among them, and showing them my salvation. Know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Communion Prayer: Christ, how huge is your wingspan! You say the kingdom of heaven is like a tree where everyone can have enough to eat, and come home to roost. Your promise comes on the wings of the dove: first flying across the ocean as you created then earth, then your Holy Spirit flew showing dry land to Noah, then to baptize Jesus your son, and finally like a wild goose dispersed among the disciples. Here we can see your promise once again, as we practice communion together. Be present among us in this celebration we pray. Amen.

Hymn Options: Here I am Lord, A Mighty Fortress is My God, Eagles Wings, My Hope is Built on Nothing Less, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Children: Daniel and the Lion’s Den story, Where the Wild Things Are, The Gruffalo

Dec 6 (Regular Advent)

Joel: God’s Promised Spirit

Joel 2: 12-13, 28-29

Luke 11:13 Opt Psalm 139:1-12

Call to Worship:

Lord, how vast are your thoughts, O God!

I try to count them—they are more than the grains of sand.

Lord, the journey is long.

But I know when I come to the end, I am still with you.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord, help us to dedicate ourselves to you in such a way that our eyes are opened to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Help us to be Christ to one another, to be the arms and legs of Jesus. Gift us with the prophecies, the dreams and the visions we need to have the energy to go forward into the world we pray. Amen.

(Joel 2:13) Call to Confession: Return to the Lord, your God, for God gracious and merciful—slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.

(Psalm 139: 1-7) Prayer of Confession: Lord God, I confess that you know me completely. You know when I sit down and when I stand up. You have searched out my path, and are acquainted with all of my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, God, you know it completely. This is why we come to confess to you. For you know the truth, and there is nowhere to flee from your Holy Spirit. When I hide from you God, I confess that I am really hiding from myself. Forgive me Lord, and remind me that nothing I can say or do can separate me from your love I pray.

(Luke 11:13) Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News, God is merciful and just, always ready to give grace, how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask! We have said the word, so it is: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Communion Prayer: Lord God, you have poured out your spirit on all flesh. You have come among us then commandments, then judges, then prophets, and then Jesus: all to tell of your justice and mercy. Then you only son Jesus Christ took bread, and gave thanks and blessed it and broke it, and he did the same with the cup. A reminder that we can always come home to you for supper. A reminder that whenever we want Jesus to be particularly present, we can always invite ourselves to God’s feast. Spill your spirit once again onto these elements once again we pray, so we might taste and see your love and grace together. We pray this in your son’s most Holy Name. Amen.

Hymns: Spirit, Open My Eyes That I May See, This Little Light of Mine, O Come, O Come Emmanual, https://katyandtheword.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/advent-hymn-to-the-tune-of-awayinamanger-based-on-nl/?customize_changeset_uuid=015d328a-26f2-4f92-bba6-4d54f2507b72&customize_autosaved=on God the Weaver to the Tune of Away in a Manger

Children: Runaway Bunny By Margaret Wise Brown or Guess How Much I Love You

Dec 13

Spirit of the Lord Upon Me

Luke 4:16-21 Opt Psalm 143: 4-10 or Psalm 139: 13-18 (this works next week too)

Call to Worship (Psalm 143: 4-10)

Lord God, I think of all of your deeds

I meditate on the works of your hands

I stretch out my hands to you

My soul thirsts for you like parched land

Come to the Lord Our God

God is our hope and refuge

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord when I think about all you have done, when I contemplate who you are, then I long for you. I know whenever I spend time with you, my soul is lifted. I long for your teachings, I hunger for your Holy Spirit. Please come and be among us God, for it is your righteousness that brings me out of trouble. Be with us today, we pray. Amen.

(Joel 2:13) Call to Confession: Return to the Lord, your God, for God gracious and merciful—slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.

(Psalm 143:1-9) Prayer of Confession: Hear my prayer, O Lord; give ear to my pleas in your faithfulness. I confess that I am flawed, and that I am not perfect. Lord, I feel stuck in the darkness. Please answer me quickly, for my spirit fails. Teach me the way that I should go, I pray, for you lift up my soul. Save me, O Lord, I have fled to you for refuge.

Assurance of Pardon: God’s love is steadfast, God’s mercy is new every morning. Thus take heart: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven.

(Isaiah 61:1-2, 10) Communion Prayer: Lord God, you have come to earth to bind up the broken hearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives. For this reason you come in a feast: you continue to party people into your kingdom. You will clothe us aright, in the garments of salvation. And here we get to have a foretaste of the feast. You have us practice communion with one another, and with you, so that the seeds of righteousness and praise will spring up before all of the nations. Teach us to celebrate communion, through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, here and now we pray. Amen.

Hymns: My Shepherd will Supply My Need, Blessed Assurance, O Come All Ye Faithful

Children: Harold and the Purple Crayon, The Color Kittens

Dec 20

Jesus’s Birth Announce

Luke 1:26-45 [46-56]

Psalm 113 Opt Psalm 139: 13-18

(Psalm 113) Call to Worship:

Praise the Lord, O servants of the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord

Blessed be the name of the Lord, from this time on and forevermore

From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!!

Who is like our God? Who raises the poor from the dust and the needy from the ashes?

God raises the forgotten, they will sit with rulers of nations.

God does not forget the barren or orphaned, God will make a home and a family for them!

Let us praise the Lord!

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God you are the God of the poor and the forgotten. You stayed with Abraham and Sarah as they lived as immigrants in the desert. You did not forget the Hebrews when they were enslaved in Egypt. You made a family out of Ruth and Naomi, and made them the grandmother’s of Jesus himself. You have remembered you covenant with Abraham, let us rejoice as his descendants, we pray.

(Joel 2:13) Call to Confession: Return to the Lord, your God, for God gracious and merciful—slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.

(Luke 1:52-54) Prayer of Confession: Lord, we confess that we do not always magnify you. We forget to fill the hungry with good things. We give trust too much the human power structures and get lost in the glow of the rich and powerful. Remind us to serve you and only you. Empower us to speak for the forgotten, like Mary, and help us to rejoice in your power only, we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: God even now stoops down on bended knee to hear us speak, and then hug us like the loving Parent God is. This God with us, forgives us: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!

Communion Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have promised to fill the hungry with good things. We are hungering for you today. We are awaiting Jesus to be among us. Send your Holy Spirit so that we can taste your covenant. Remind us that you have blessed us to be a blessing. Jesus is here, and Jesus is coming. We celebrate both of these truths with communion. Help us to share this communion in a spirit of welcome and hope we pray. Amen

Hymns:Magnify the Lord (the Tune of O Come All Ye Faithful), It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

Children’s Story: The Velveteen Rabbit, God Gave us Christmas, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas

Dec 24

Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:1-14 [15-20]

Psalm 96

Call to Worship

O Sing to the Lord a new Song

Come we are awaiting the Lord!

Declare God’s glory among the nations!

God’s marvelous works are among all people

Come Christ we are waiting

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord God, we are awaiting for your presence among us. How wonderful is it that we have a God who stoops, taking a bended knee to be a human. Humble in birth, you showed us how to serve God. You came to be with us, and to remind us we are not alone Let us feel your presence we pray, in your most Holy Name. Amen.

(Joel 2:13) Call to Confession: Return to the Lord, your God, for God gracious and merciful—slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.

Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we need to practice. Every year we need to practice you being among us, otherwise we forget or are distracted. Otherwise we lose sight of the truth: That you are a God with us, for us and among us. Help us to ascribe to you all the glory, we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God so loved the world he gave his only son, as a wee baby so we might all be saved and forgiven. Know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Communion Prayer: God, as we honor the arrival of your son, Jesus Christ, let us remember that Jesus came down to the world not to condemn it but to save it. Let us remember that God sent his only son, to love and teach us, to eat with us and heal us, to walk with us and to guide us. And as we practice communion, let us remember that Jesus washed his disciples feet, feasted with them, and then served them the bread and cup, saying take and eat every time you do this, you celebrate me until my return. Holy Spirit, help us to celebrate and remember Christ today we pray. Amen.

Hymns: O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, Aways in a Manger, Angels We Have Heard on High, Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Children Stories: Christmas in a Barn, Room for a Little One, The Story of Christmas, Christmas in the Manger (The Friendly Beasts Song)

Dec 25

Shepherds’ Visit

Luke 2:8-20

Psalm 123:1-2

Call to Worship

Glory to God in the highest

And on Earth Peace Among all those whom God favors

For unto us a son is given!

And his name is wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Glory to God, in the highest.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Lord, let us dedicate ourselves, once again to you. Help us to adopt one another as siblings of Christ, knowing that Jesus came to extol God’s love to us. Let us celebrate the beauty and miracle of Christmas. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

(Joel 2:13) Call to Confession: Return to the Lord, your God, for God gracious and merciful—slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.

Confession: Lord we confess that sometimes the celebration becomes rote. Sometimes we forget to stop and ponder. Sometimes Christmas seems like a huge to do list, instead of a time to spend with you. And here you are, here among us, let take that time to wonder at this truth we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God so loved the world, he translated himself into human form to love us and forgive us. Here the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Communion Prayer: Jesus, you are here. In the manger and the elements, and the Holy Spirit. We confess we do not know how to fully imbibe your presence. So we pray that we can practice taking you in as we experience communion: we pray that it binds us together, that the taste on our tongue tastes like grace, and we pray that you send your Holy Spirit to bless us as we do. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Hymns: O Little Town of Bethlehem, Silent Night, Aways in a Manger, Angels We Have Heard on High, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, What Child is This

Children Stories: Christmas in a Barn, Room for a Little One, The Story of Christmas, Christmas in the Manger (The Friendly Beasts Song)

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Seeds of Prayer: Extended Advent Resource Topical Prayers + Video Links for each week

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Nov. 22 God Amongst Us

Promises, promises

God you are the God of all promises,

I know you are there when promises are made and promises are broken.

Sometimes we humans have to break promises to be safe, and sometimes the only safe thing for us to do is to keep our promises.

But I also know, God that your promises are different—they are impermeable, your promises don’t change depending on the circumstances, because you know what you have signed up for.

You are the eternal parent, the constant companion, the devoted friend. You do not check out when things are hard, nor do you ever give up on me…even when I give up on me.

Lord, you know that’s what I need a God who won’t give up on me. That’s why you are this way. You are exactly the God we humans need.

Thank you for never giving up. And for accepting me the moments I give up.

Thank you for renewing your promises to us: in every rainbow, in every star, in every grain of sand, in every baptism and in every communion.

Remind me that there are so many ways to access your promises.

And help me to think not of all my broken promises, but instead to rely upon your kept promises and covenants, I pray.

Amen.

Nov 29th Daniel’s Hope in God

Lions, and Tigers and Bears

Lord, sometimes we are like Dorothy in the woods. Repeating to ourselves all the dangers that are along the way.

Lions, and Tigers and Bears, Oh my.

When we repeat the things that endanger us: illnesses, natural disasters and loneliness.

Whatever they may be, please turn them into a prayer for help.

Send your angels to comfort and defend.

Help us to bravely face the dangers that are in front of us, like Daniel.

Shut the jaws of any and all who threaten us: dear God, we pray, because evil likes to slither like a snake and tell lies, and they roar their powerful roars to threaten us.

Remind us that your angels are mighty balls of fire, with a zillion eyes and a million wings, and that they are so scary that even the bravest are told to “fear not” when we see them.

Send your angels upon us we pray in your most Holy Name. Amen.

Dec 6th

Joel: God’s Promised Spirit

Poured Out

Lord God, you know that sometimes I feel completely poured out.

I have given all I can, and I am “all out of nice.”

I have trouble motivating myself to do more, and I feel empty, or lonely, or done.

Is this what happens when you pour yours spirit onto the world?

When the Holy Spirit comes and sparks visions and dreams, do you feel an emptiness?

It is a wonder how you continually make room for us! Guiding us carefully but never taking over us!

You are not a clockmaker or video game God who simply sets everything up and leaves the room or grabs the controller turning us into God zombies.

Instead your lead and you coax. You love and are patient. And when we have trouble hearing, seeing or feeling you—you empty yourself out to us.

You embody our communion, so that we might taste and see you.

You splash into baptism, sealing your love for us in every droplet of water.

Thank you for pouring yourself out for us. Glory be to your Name. Amen.

Dec 13

Paging the Holy Spirit

Spirit of the Living God,

Kneel, fly, Stoop, Nosedive, or even Fall on me.

I know this is not a new prayer. But I need your Holy Spirit to come.

I’m hungering for your Spirit,

Bind the Broken hearted

Proclaim Liberty

Comfort Those who Mourn

Plant Oaks

Raise up the Devastated

Repair the Ruins.

Come as a dove, a duck or an angry goose.

Do what you do Holy Spirit! And help me to do it too!

Spirit of the Lord, Come upon me! I pray.

Dec 20th

Justice Promised

God of Eternity:

Whispering the promise of Justice to Mary

Telling the truth about just how unimportant powers and principalities are

Promising Mary, that justice will not be delayed

Filling the hungry with Good Things

Only you God, promise to fill the hungry with Good things

This is your promise to a mother who will have to somehow feed her baby

This is your promise to Cousin Elizabeth, who will be bearing Jesus’ forerunner,

and perhaps best friend cousin, John the Baptist.

You bring your promises to life in Jesus Christ,

help us to magnify them, I pray.

Amen.

Dec. 24th

Christmas is Coming

Somehow God in the midst of the to do lists, the worries and the imperfections.

Christmas is going to come.

The baby that has been promised,

will like a miracle, appear.

A miracle born of long journeys, hard conversations and heart wrenching changes

in both Mary and Joseph’s lives.

Gabriel was just the beginning,

of tumult, and angels, and ministry.

But it was also the beginning of

Glory to God in the highest. It was also the beginning of

peace on earth and goodwill to all humankind.

Are we ready for the Good news?

Help us to be ready for the Good News of Christmas,

this is our prayer.

Amen.

Dec 25th

Christmas Prayer

Wonderful, awe-inspiring, scary but hopeful counselor of Truth

Mighty, powerful abundant and fully Fleshed God

Everlasting, Eternal and Faithful Parent,

You are the forebearer, heir and conveyor of Peace.

Whisper in our hearts.

Gift us with contemplation

Encourage us to embrace the mystery

Allow us to admit we do not understand.

And teach us the true meaning of Christmas.

Lord hear our prayer.

Amen.

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Existential Crises

Holy Spirit, we need to talk about this whole humanity thing.

Because I am plumb worn out from having existential crises about the human race!

Between pandemics, systematic oppression, the continual pursuit of power and principalities that screw the costs, and the whole the earth itself seems to be crying out from abuse thing, my head is spinning.

This is not to mention poverty, homelessness, neglect of those who are addicted, and the deaths of black and brown children, and I am reminded once again of the orphans which (again) have been created and abused by my very own government, oh and there’s a war in Armenia where my Aunt is located– I find I am bone weary.

Can these bones walk?

Holy Spirit, do you sometimes give humanity the side eye when you appear in bird form?

Because I trust in you. I trust God, and I love Jesus. This is not about that.

But I am dried out, cracked at the core when I think of humanity as whole.

I have found amazing human beings on earth. In the Singular I know individuals: gracious and forgiving ones, selfless and devoted ones, tireless and hard working ones. I love many-a-person…

But when it comes to humanity…

Well let’s just say I understand that whole flood thing better now.

Sometimes I wish I could do a reboot too, but we both know that doesn’t fix the inherent issues with being human

And so, here I am, stuck in an existential crises.

Why do we exist?

And, maybe the real existential question is this: if I know we can do better, how are we not doing better? Why?

Ok, but we have to try.

We have to show that those who are poor, or homeless are beloved.

We have to constantly interrupt racism and oppression, and plots to kill people or the neglect that lets people die. We have to stand up to power.

God, I remember a story in the Bible when someone asked Jesus a very political question about marriage, he basically said “that’s a human thing, God doesn’t care about such things”

Immediately this was followed up with a question about what does God care about, and Jesus responds with a simple “Love God, and Love each other” summary of, well, basically everything!

As always, when I have trouble loving other humans, I reground myself in loving you God.

Because I don’t know how to love humanity, and I don’t know why we are here.

So I guess I’m going to have to love you, and trust that you are continually helping us to course correct so that all things work together for good.

But right now, I’m going to snuggle under the covers, and tell myself that its ok that I don’t know how to process humanity’s existential crisis right now, because that’s not my job.

Help me to do my job–

that whole loving thing, I pray

Amen.

https://www.agnusday.org/comics/456/matthew24-36-44

More Mundane Prayers Here, Here is the Link for Pandemic Prayers and Resources