Tag: About me

Gratitude

As my Graduation approaches on May 31st 2024, I wanted to thank you again for your support. Your generosity has not only allowed me to study, explore my theology and write my thesis “Let’s Yell at God” but also to write a number of Sermon Series, contextual Psalms and Prayers and Liturgies for people to reflect on, pray and share. It is my hope someday to publish if the way be clear (a phrase that means if the right pieces somehow come together and God helps along the way). However, I am aware that this was truly a community effort. The donations to my work have numbered over 300. The views of my work has been 100 a day and 30,000 a year. This is not the degree of just one person—but truly the work of Public Theology, as it will say in May. 

I often think about how this theology is one in the legacy of Mr. Rogers, who’s alma mater I am attending. This is supposed to be about putting theology in the public sphere in new ways. Sometimes prayer writing seems ordinary and pedestrian, and others, it feels like the tool that needs to to spark what needs to happen, the way to give permission for people to wrestle with those things in their lives that just seem to be impossible. 

As someone who is always talking—it’s just that sometimes that dialogue happens to be out loud, prayer has been a lovely outlet for me to continue process what it means to be 

This thing we call

Human

Thank you for being part of the journey 

And helping me to fund a degree that would not have happened without the community.

Katy

www.KatyandtheWord.com

https://substack.com/profile/105115900-katyandtheword?utm_source=profile-page

Almost May…

It is so close to my graduation date
I have written so many prayers and poems
40 for my disseration
80+ pages
a number of updates
Attending countless beautiful classes
Met 34 heartfilled colleagues

and it is all possible because of the support of my readers
and I am so thankful

now I am abut $700 away from being fully funded
Every gift from $5, $10, $25 to $100 has helped me to get there

If you are able to give towards my graduation so I cross the finish line
I would be grateful
If you can’t give, please send your good wishes and support
I have hopes that I can publish and continue to write

Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword at gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats 
GoFundMe

Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Mailing Address to Send a Check or to request a Receipt

Thank you
Katy
“KatyandtheWord”

Books, Books, Poetry, Books

Here it is, the Booklist (Remember this is TWO classes worth) One is Poetry and the other is Experimental Poetry

……so it can be seen as either intimidating or fun
Please peruse and find what you can at your local library! I’m told with ZONG its best to read it before Splay Anthem and to start with the end, which explains a lot of it!
Maggie Nelson, Bluets 
Sam Stephenson, Gene Smith’s Sink 
Aisha Sabatini Sloan, Borealis 
Nicole Rudick, What Is Now Known Was Only Once Imagined 
Terrance Hayes, To Float in the Space Between 
Aracelis Girmay, The Black Maria 
John Edgar Wideman, Writing to Save a Life 
Chris Kraus, After Kathy Acker 
Heather Christle, The Crying Book 
Muriel Rukeyser, The Book of the Dead 
Eileen Myles, Afterglow
M. NourbeSe Philip, Zong! (Wesleyan Poetry Series) by 
Nathaniel Mackey, Splay Anthem 

About 1/3rd I could acquire from the library (not bad) only one was an expensive new release and it was half off (whew originally $60). I, of course, bought a bunch used. So the total was $113.80. I admit I was like wow that’s a lot; ok not really for two classes of books. So if I could grab another $120 of fundraising that would be amazing.

https://gofund.me/47b40357

Writing, Creative Writing D. Min

Hello Folks,

Do you know that an average over 200 people use my resources a day?

That means that everyone gave me $10 my Doctorate in Creative Ministry would be funded.

The next step is a double week intensive in January!

I have successfully funded 2 years in Creative Writing and shared resources thanks to all of the donations I have received thus far.

This means that every single contribution counts! It has been so meaningful to me to have your support along the way. I would not be writing without you. I have received contributions from $10-$500, and each of them have been so amazing.

https://gofund.me/554d36e3

If you have found my work useful, and are able to please give a donation. And if you need a receipt–drop me an email Katyandtheword at gmail and I’m happy to send your church a receipt for Katyandtheword resources

The official Go fund me is Here: https://gofund.me/554d36e3

You can also give these ways:Venmo @Katy-Stenta (last four 7841), Paypal @KatyStenta, Google Pay Katyandtheword@gmail.com, Cash App $bookkats

Thanks for your support.

And thanks for praying with me!

Birthday Announcements

I’m 39

My birthday was yesterday officially.

It was a big workday as I run a farmer’s market at my church, and we have a zoom prayer group every Tuesday, plus my boys and some friends decided to sell water. It was a nice day full of people. A good contrast to the past couple years of isolation, outside and relatively safe.

I made my fundraising goal for year 2 of Creative Writing Doctorate in Public Facing Writing! Thank you everyone who shared, prayed and donated! All the info is here, and last year some people made bonus donations, so I guess I’ll try not to be shy about putting that opportunity out there: https://gofund.me/70a114f9

I start my Publishing Lab class in August and my final paper for the Power of Storytelling is due at the End of this week (it’s a manifesto, I’m manifesting it as best I can)

I am starting a Patron Program Here for as little as $3/month

https://ko-fi.com/katyandtheword/?hidefeed=true&widget=true&embed=true&preview=true

I still have 2 sermon Series available One based on Priya Parker’s The Art of Gathering/Unbinding the Gospel and One based on Cole Arthur Riley’s This Here Flesh

I also have a Psalm 23 4 Week Series

I continue to write Narrative Lectionary Liturgy Resources.

I also saw that one of the major conduits for my prayers and friend groups revgalblogpals is shutting down which means I need to think hard about what I am doing to disseminate my prayers. Do I need a separate Facebook Page or is WordPress, Twitter and my personal Facebook enough?

Anyway that’s a life update on my writing. If you want to join my mailing list or follow me feel free 🙂

Thanks for Praying with me

Katy “KatyandtheWord”

Doctorate in Creative Writing in Public Theology Update

Hello Folks,

I am about halfway through my Doctorate in Creative Writing Doctorate in Ministry in Public Theology. The degree is through Pittsburgh Seminary, and my colleagues have been truly amazing!

The whole deal is I take a lot of classes in a plethora of writing and storytelling things, I learn how to publish, I pick a final project and I publish the project.

I just finished being in Pittsburgh for my 2/4 in person classes and signed up for my publication lab class. I have turned in 3/4 papers for that class which was “Storytelling in a time such as this.” (The last paper is a manifesto on why I write, which may even be fun, I’m hoping to get the bulk of it done next week when 2/3 kiddos are in sleep away “not scary” Bible Camp)

I am still writing prayers and liturgies and contemplating making a subscription model thing for the fall?!? Where some prayers are free, but more content is available to those who subscribe, but we shall see. (I really don’t know if its worth it, etc.)

I am also very, very close to my goal for this year’s tuition. I don’t know if you recall but I’m trying not to take on debt for this 3 and 1/2 year program which means I’m using my continuing ed funds, self funding and fundraising and cutting costs as much as possible to make it happen.

At this point I have $2, 265 of my $2,500 goal, which is really close and great! I’m hoping to close this out so I can stop worrying about this year and move on to next year.

If you are interested in helping me to cross the finish line I appreciate any and all help. Data shows that I get 100ish views a day (which is amazing) so even if you can contribute $5, $10 or $20 I bet we can knock out that just under $300 in no time: More of the details of my journey are also available on my go fund me page as well. https://gofund.me/70a114f9

I appreciate all the support, shares and all those of you who pray with me!

Katy “KatyandtheWord” https://gofund.me/70a114f9