advent

Finding Christmas

Prophets Promised
Angels Appeared

Mary Upended
Joseph Recognized

Elizabeth Visited
Zechariah Hushed

Stars Illuminated
Magi Perceived

Herods Lied
Israel Trembled

Shepherds
Animals Snuggled

Jesus Appeared
God Incarnated

Christmas Accomplished

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

In addition to being read as a poem, this probably could be used as some kind of Pop Up Pageant with silly masks, puppets or the like. I would hand it out and then have the congregation read the verb when the character “appears”

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Advent Resources

Tender Christmas

God,
I’m praying
a tender prayer
for Christmas

For all those for whom
they have a tender and surrendered faith
because of all they have gone through.

Because you cannot surrender
until you’ve been through a battle
and so for all those who have felt like
Advent
Christmas
or just Living
has been a battle this year
I want to pray the prayer of thanksgiving

that you are still here
you are beloved
and God is with you–

And I hope you have found yourself in the Christmas story
whether it is in
Mary, not so meek,
Joseph conflicted but quietly obedient
Magi, shepherd, even if it is the donkey, the innkeeper or the star

I hope and pray that you find a corner to belong in
Because this is your story too

But if you do not, know, that’s ok
Maybe the space for you is in the silence
or the darkness of the night
or the wavering light of the candle

God I hope you know that
God is here
God is with you
God loves you
no matter what

And that is what makes Christmas
Especially when you feel tender
and like you have to give up
May God hold you in the Palm of God’s hand
Whenever and wherever that happens

Amen.

Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta and if you quote the tweet be sure to credit Traci Rhoades and Rev. Jes Last

Full Advent Resources

With thanks to Jes Last and Traci Rhoades for their inspirational conversation

Traci Rhoades: I met with a mentor of mine yesterday. He said my faith was in a better spot, more tender and surrendered than ever before. Ya'll, tender and surrendered are not easily gained. They come out of hard seasons if we let them.
Reverend Jes Kast: Oh I understand and resonate with this, tender and surrendered are not easily gained indeed purple heart.

Magnificat

The Rich are against my religion
God,

I am ready to magnify
Pregnant calling for the downfall of the mighty
and the poor being filled with good things

Raising up all those who have
Never
Ever, Been empowered before

I can picture Mary and Elizabeth
glowing and tired, demanding you step up and step in God

In a world, where the hospitals are full of sick children
again
I am more than ready to demand healing

God I am tired of this human nonsense:
where money is ready for war, but not for childcare, food or healing

I am am ready for magnficat
to Magnify
All the things you promise (instead of the humans)

I am hungry for the time when justice turns the world upside down
the moment when we can see the hope of all children
incarnate
in a baby

I am pregnant with it.

As my kiddos say
Lets Go, God

Let’s Magnificat,
We have been waiting for it
Forever

Amen.

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

Magnificat Artwork by Katy Stenta on Canvas feel free to use/share with credit

Advent is about waiting
Because we are waiting
For the poor to be filled with good things
For women to believed
For the prisoner to be set free
For healing

We don’t need practice in waiting
We know Christmas is a quiet participation in the miracle that is yet still unfolding

We want to participate in the waiting, and the greed smashing, equity making, creation beauty that is Christmas

So we are an advent people.
Proclaiming the Magnificat together with Mary:
Until the Alleluias of Christmas
Are born

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

Unfreezing Christmas Pageant No Rehearsal Version

Unfreezing Christmas Pageant

No Rehearsal Version

by Katy Stenta, feel free to Email me at Katyandtheword at gmail for a doc version

Feel free to Adapt (Really Adapt I know how these things are)/Use with credit to Katy Stenta

Full Extended Advent Resource

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donationshttps://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Characters: Mr Tumnus, Lucy, Narrator (Can be Played By Lucy), Mrs Beaver (Can be played by Mr Tumnus) Two Friends, Mary (non-speaking), Other Nativity Characters (Optional), All reading parts can be read from lecterns.

Needed: 1 Stuffed Lion, 1 Babydoll, 1 Manger (optional), Nativity Costumes (optional)

Congregation says Merry Christmas and Aslan Unfreeze Christmas: Can be pompted by one of the Lead Characters without a script

Narrator: Here Are the Instructions everyone, when the music stops, please Freeze, when the music starts, you can unfreeze!

(Music Starts)

Mrs. Beaver Here in Narnia we are having a hard time. It is always winter; Always winter and never Christmas.

Mr. Tumnus: I am excited though, because I have invited my new friend Lucy from the Land of Spare Oom over to Tea—and the Queen has Not found out about our friendship.

(Music Stops)

For some reason the Queen hates humans. Oh no look everyone is Frozen You are all frozen out there.

Lucy: Oh no look, what happened?

Mr. Tumnus: They must have been celebrating without the Queen’s permission and she turned them into stone.

Aslan (Someone holding a Stuffed Lion walks on stage): Roar

Mr Tumnus & Lucy: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas

(Everyone Unfreezes, Music Starts)

(Aslan exits)

Mr Tumnus: Oh my gifts and packages! That must have been Aslan! Unfreezing their hearts for Christmas!

Lucy: Merry Christmas

Congregation: Merry Christmas

Scene 2

(Music Stops)

(Two People frozen back to back)

Mr Tumnus: Oh dear I do not like the look of this, this does not look of this, we must be following the Queen’s winter.

Aslan—(can be a different person playing Aslan—roars and unfreezing them Music Starts)

Congregation: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas

1st Friend—I’ve been looking for you everywhere

2nd Friend-I’m so glad I’ve found you

(the two people hug)

Scene 3

(Music Stops)

Girl Holding a Babydoll by a manger Frozen

(Other people can be other characters in a manger scene as is appropriate/easy or not or can come on to sing)

Ms. Beaver: I remember this story

Mr. Tumnus: Yes the White Witch really is preventing Christmas now, by freezing this one.

Aslan (again can be the same person or someone different) roars to unfreeze the girl Music Starts)

Congregation: Aslan Unfreezes Christmas

Girl puts the babydoll into the manger

Congreation: Merry Christmas

Everyone comes onstage: to sing (with the congregation if you choose)

Reader to close: Aslan has truly unfrozen Christmas, Look! For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders—and he is named, wonderful counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace

Aslan: Roars One last Time

Silent Night or Away in the Manger or Your Favorite Christmas Hymn for Everyone to Sing

Let’s Write Liturgy

Do you want to learn how to write prayers and liturgy? Psalms and Calls to Worship? Confessions and Personal Prayers? This Zoom Workshop is designed for all levels and experiences for people to engage in prayer writing–using the scripture as your guide.

Sunday November 20th 4pm-6pm (Eastern) $40

Thursday Dec 1st 12pm-2pm

Led by Katy Stenta, Pastor, Writer and Educator

For more information to sign up, email Katyandtheword at gmail.com. Titled “Liturgy”

Katy Stenta is a regular contributor to Sermonsuite, RevGalBlogPals, and is published in Enfleshed, Presbyterian’s Today and Outlook. She received her undergraduate in English and History and Minor on Philosophy at Oberlin, her M. Div. and MA in Christian Formation at Princeton Theological Seminary. She is currently pursuing her D. Min. in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She also writes personal prayers regularly at katyandtheword.com.

Limited to 10 spots

Dec 18th Jesus as Emmanuel

Justice Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Jesus as Emmanuel
Matthew 1:18-25
Psalm 23:1-4 (or 23:4)
Psalm 42:1-2

Advent Candles Liturgy

Topical Prayer: Joseph

Call to Worship
God, we long for you to be with us
God be with us
God we can almost taste your presence
Come let us celebrate the Prince of Peace Coming

Call to Confession: God knows us and loves us. Come let us confess ourselves to God.

Confession: God, sometimes it is hard to believe that you are with us. We confess that we are often more like Joseph than Mary. Ready to set things aside quietly, ready to avoid scandal, ready to believe to take the easiest path. Maybe Joseph was too ready to think that he was alone in the world. God remind us we are not alone, especially when we feel that way we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God is for us. No matter what. No heights nor depths nor angels nor demons can get between us or God, so we know and proclaim the truth: In Jesus Christ we are Forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Love is love. God is with us not matter what. May we carry that in our pocket wherever we go we pray. Amen.

Hymns: Love that Wilt Not Let Me Go, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, God of Peace: To Silent Night,

With Children: Beauty and The Beast (probably any but check what happens to the sisters), Talk about how God transformed God’s very Self into a human being to be God with us, to turn us into even better versions of human–like Beauty loves the Beast

Image

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologianthrough donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Full Extended Advent Resource

Dec 11th Justice & Joy, Magnificat Realized

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

Dec 11 Joy Candle
Light of Nations
Isaiah 42:1-9 Through Spirit bring Release to Prisoners
Matthew 12:15-21 Spirit of justice, fulfilling the prophecy
Psalm 146:1-10 Joy & Justice for All in Need
Luke 1:46-55 Magnificat

Advent Candles Liturgy

Joy and Justice, A Topical Prayer

Call to Worship
God, what Joy is it when there is justice
God, your mercy is from everlasting to everlasting
Come let us worship Jesus, healer of nations
Come, let us worship our God

Call to Confession: How wonderful is it that we can bring everything to God? Come let us stand in the shadow of God’s care

Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that we do not understand your justice. It is foreign to us, completely different from human structures of justice and accounting. We confess that your mercy and healing and accounting makes no sense to us, and we spend far too much time trying to figure it out. When we could, instead, spend time sitting with Jesus. Why do we do that God? We confess we do not know. Teach us to spend time with you. Teach us to look for Jesus in unexpected places we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus forgives us, anytime, anywhere, always. Hear, feel, breathe the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Hymns: Live Into Hope, Lord I Wanna Be a Christian, I’ve Got Peace Like River, Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine, Away in the Manger, O Little Town of Bethlehem, Magnify the Lord, To O Come All Ye Faithful

With Children: Aint’ Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around by Kirkwood, Kathlyn J. Or Justice Is by Preet Bhara Talk about Justice and What that really means.

Image Found Here

Image

Full Extended Advent Resource

Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donationshttps://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.

Let’s Write Liturgy Workshop

Sunday November 20th 4pm-6pm (Eastern) $40
Thursday Dec 1st 12pm-2pm (Eastern) $40

Led by Katy Stenta, Pastor, Writer and Educator

For more information to sign up, email Katyandtheword at gmail.com. Titled “Liturgy”

Limited to 10 spots

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent

If you need a doc version of these resources-please email and I will get it to you as much as I have completed* (I have medical leave so things may slow a bit)

Advent Readings Calendar: If you have Canva

Advent Readings Calendar: Pdf Link

Expanded Advent Daily Suggested Reading Calendar by Rev. Dr. Barb Hedges-Goettl (expanded for full story) with Hymn Suggestions Goettl https://bjhlog.wordpress.com/2022/11/27/daily-readings-for-advent-and-songs-through-january-7/?fbclid=IwAR2xFTVltIRayRlsOSy1QI0Z7E6QG5j9ZzH3r1oA4e8hiwuslBZJUGIlWJY

Unfreezing Christmas: A Narnia Christmas Pageant (Easy)

Unfreezing Christmas: No Rehearsal/Pickup Version Narnia

Advent Candles Liturgy

God of Peace: To Silent Night

God the Weaver to Away in the Manger

Magnify the Lord, To O Come All Ye Faithful

Blue Christmas Worship Including Suggested Comfort Candle (also see: Advent Prayer)

Christmas Ingredients Poem

Justice, Mercy & Light Extended Advent