Call to Worship Still Again, let us declare God’s steadfast Love, with songs, instruments and praise For God makes our hearts glad by your work, by the works of God’s very hand, we sing for joy! God’s works are great, and God’s thoughts are too deep to even know; destruction and nothingness have nothing to do with you God of the Covenant, we will rest with you Come, let us seek sanctuary and Sabbath with God Come, let us rest with Jesus
Prayer of Confession: (All) God we admit that we long for wholeness, and healing and peace and all of that, but confess that we feel like it is something that we need to achieve instead of seek. Help us to find Sabbath, to sit and be with the Lord of the Sabbath with Pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the good news, Jesus is walking with us, teaching us and healing us, thus we know the good news: (All) In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen
Offering/Dedication Prayer: God, may we use these and all our gifts for rest, healing and wholeness as we go into the world we pray. Amen.
Children’s Sermon: Remember that God rested on the 7th Day, so it is not surprising that Jesus wanted to honor resting/healing with the disciples even before he chose them/got to work with them
Breathe in: God I am overwhelmed Breathe out: God sit with me
God, I confess that I have been cursed with your Holy Spirit I have your empathy in spades
Her whispers echo in my ear I feel worry for the children for my trans* and nonbinary family for all those who are black and brown
whose birth, citizenship and being are being tossed about and trying to be erased like words on a page
Holy Spirit How is it that the same Spirit that comes and teaches us to witness also encourages, inspires and consoles?
God almighty I confess my breath catches when I feel our relationships with other nations disintegrating when I see signs of hate shrugged off or joked about
Pneuma– I confess, I need your help to breathe in to breathe out because I confess that sometimes remembering to breathe freely is an act of rebellion
Jesus Christ I remember all of your short actions that were so disruptive most of them were listening and calling people by their chosen name
Walk with me walk with us as we do the same help us to listen closely to one another and to call one another by name
God of empathy breath listening and Name
Be with us in this time of Trial I pray Amen
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
Without community there is no liberation-Audre Lorde
NL and RCL covers Elijah going to the Widow of Sidon during the drought. She says “I don’t know why YOUR God sent you here, I have but one meal left for my son and I and then we will die.” She talks about the pain, loneliness and shame of having nothing. Elijah then asks–“Do you have a cup of water?” and she agrees (I like to think begrudgingly as a tough woman) that she does.
Over this established Table Fellowship and Hospitality Elijah offers pastoral care to a widow. I like to think that as she opens her heart to him, she feels seen and heard, and she realizes that the table fellowship was a moment of openness that was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship. He then says that if they establish a community, that she, her son and he will not run out of the oil, meal/flour (and one would think Elijah would then help to gather the wood to cook them).
Mutual aid works because people who have little share what they have and form strong bonds of community. Community is formed here hospitality, pastoral care, table fellowship and mutual aid, among foreigners of different races, religions, genders, and socio-economic statuses. Community is not just about leadership, but about what the people do to help one another along the way, in the times of trouble when the leadership was terrible Elijah and the widow formed community. This is the work, the hope and the blessing that is before us. 1 Kings 17:8-16
People often romanticize “being in community” without realizing community is formed and sustained through reciprocity—fulfilling mutual obligations to one another—and that this is sometimes inconvenient and often taxing! But your can’t receive support without offering it! by Baena@Silkyyy with thanks to decolonizing.love on Facebook for the images
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta, “KatyandtheWord”
Throughout all the many beautiful metaphors for the church from bride to Phyllis Tickle’s rummage sale
I thinking of the church as a teenager
When I say the church, I mean of course the amorphous cloud of saints, where it is hard to say who is in or who is out, but somehow contains the multitude of faith trying, practicing and sometimes even succeeding to follow the ways of Jesus Christ.
Here is the Church, thinking it knows how to be mature, and all grown up. Thinking it knew what it meant to be together, thinking it understood everything–when
Boom, the place in society shifted, Or society itself shifted (probably both) who the church was, what the church wanted to be, even who the church was hanging out with proved to be….. not really false, just not as authentic as the church wanted it to be.
It seemed….to not fit anymore
I mean did we really think that cozying up to institutionalism? buildings and nationalism was a good idea? The answer is yes, yes of course, we thought fitting in was the answer. It was so nice to have everyone flocking to our doors, Sabbath off, and people listen.
It’s always nice to feel heard.
Here we are all awkward again, and the church its body is doing weird, unspeakable things that we do not understand
I say this as the parent of a teen who wanted a Halloween costume Sat before Halloween (which is on Thurs) then didn’t want to go trick-or-treating (as of Tues) Then Last Min Realized that meant the costume was useless Could I please help them assemble and dress in costume And drive them to the Halloween event That was going on at the high school RIGHT NOW on Weds (never mind that dinner was just being served) then they stayed for 15mins, and everyone saw them And there was nothing else to do So naturally They called me As I rolled in the driveway To be picked back up
The church is a little uncertain as to what is going to happen next And what to wear What to do When everything was so certain before We had five year plans and programs and even Building extensions And now everything just seems hard! What are our goals and purpose And how are we even going to do them If everything has to be different?
And our job is not to save the church Not to take over, but let its find its way To hold hand like my three teenagers and to say wow Its so hard, when Two things are so true
Two Things (Both things)
That the angst is real understandable and scary and change is really, really hard And no I’m not sure how everything is going to turn out in the end
that I trust that everything will turn out ok because–because I believe in you, and you have good roots.
There are good teachings models of behaviors out there
Because, mistakes and missteps are not all there is to life Because just because you try some fad on
Like thinking Praise music, Projectors, or just getting enough young families is going to save us
Or putting our buildings on the covers of the bulletins Or that only white men are the legitimate preachers (sometimes married sometimes single) Or that we need to keep the four hundred and ninety seven million buildings to keep being the body of Christ–I mean heaven knows how many sparkles and chokers I wore in the nineties, and I still love my big earrings–
I truly love how spiritual conversations weave their way more naturally, more (w)holistically* throughout life these days.
God knows just like any parent There are probably more awkward phases for us to go through
After all what’s a couple of thousand years or So In God’s Calendar Anyway? We are just starting to Grow up!
Teenagers know what’s real what’s authentic Into the latest fad because teenagers figuring out identity it is developmentally appropriate for teens to be hungry to express themselves, except when they are too depressed or angsty to do so.
The church is trying to find itself It feels like we are the outcast at the party– Christianity used to be cool, but it isn’t anymore
However, we, like most teenagers, haven’t figured it all out yet
I will confess, I feel much more at home in the marginal church than the up and coming popular one However, I can understand what it feels like to ache to be wanted to be at the center of things to want to sparkle for a moment
I have teens who all want that moment in their lives to know they are able to shine, but are struggling
The gift of church right now though The people who are here, Want to be here, because we love it
We Want to be here We have no hanger ons No fakers Very few power seekers (though a couple of bullies sneak in) There is not much money in the church** People who are at church Want to be here
We know that the Church sings to them in some weird way And we are angsty, because we want to express that with everyone else.
It’s hard to be a teenager Some of us haven’t been one for years And wouldn’t go back if you paid us However a lot of us are good at remembering How to hold one another’s hands And saying Things will be ok
We don’t know what we are growing up to be yet What will take shape Where it will go What it will even look like
It may not even be our job to make it happen (is that scary or comforting? Probably depends upon the day) But it will be brilliant We are quite sure God will walk us all the way there.
Resource List: (I feel like I should list nothing or everything here, so I just put 2 small resources to get started, maybe I’ll edit and add more)
*I love holistic with a w, it imbues it with a meaning of natural, whole and in my mind it carries with it an inclusive meaning. Permitting us to include all those things that we find helpful science, nature, spiritual, emotional meanings instead of trying to separate them out.
**Again there are exceptions, but as a whole the church has fallen so much in power that most churches are small and there are few opportunities for big money or power in church.
Feel free to share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
Zits Comic by Scott and Borgman: Jeremy: Mom do you have a phone book? Mom (getting it from the drawer): Sure right over here. Pierce: NO WAY!” Mom: Aren’t you going to take it? Jeremy: Naw. It was just a bet. Pierce: Now ask her if she still uses a landline Comic found at: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450219293983937704/
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.
Supplies: Purple Cloth, Candles, Nail for each participant, Hammer, A cross you can Nail the Nails into, Old Palms
(Make certain each person has a nail upon entry–each interlude can have music between readings or be silent Suggested Music: Were You There When You Crucified My Lord or Jesus, Remember Me When you Come Into Your Kingdom )
16Then the soldiers led him into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort.17And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. 18And they began saluting him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. -Mark 15:16-19
Lay Purple Cloth on the Cross
20After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.-Mark 15:20
Collect Nails from Everyone
21They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. 22Then they brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull). 23And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. 24And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take. Mark 15:21-24
Nail the Nails to a Cross
25It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 26The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” 27And with him they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left.29Those who passed by derided him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30save yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. 32Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also taunted him.-Mark 15:25-32
Place Dried Up Palms by the Cross
33When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “Listen, he is calling for Elijah.” 36And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” 37Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. 38And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!” Mark 15:33-39
eel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting Suggested Donation forEntire Liturgy $75 (you can decide what is fair for portions) Receipt Available upon request Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
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Themes: Disciples want to get close to Jesus, Jesus continually points the disciples to look outward Kneeling with Christ :When Jesus Comes Every Knee will bow, Because Christ will return as he came, Kneeling to Serve And we will Kneel to be Beside him The Promise of a New Kin-dom A World Beyond Capitalism, Breaking Capitalism
March 28 Maundy Thurs: A brief Service of Companionship Mark 14:22-42 Words of Institution, Peter’s Denial foretold, Gethsemane Prayer Psalm 116:12-19
(Option to Ritually Wash Hands/Feet) Eat a Meal Together
Celebrate Communion Use the Words “Take; this is my body.” “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Sing a Hymn Together: Suggestions Version of “The Lord’s Prayer” Here O Lord We See You, Come Let us Eat, In the Singing
32They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 34And he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” 35And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36He said, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” Mark 14:26, 32-26
Music Interlude
37He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour?38Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Mark 14:27-39
Music Interlude
And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words.” Mark 14:40
God bless us as we go, turn our singing into prayer Transform our walking into prayer Make it so that even the breath we breathe is a prayer with the Holy Spirit So that even as we sleep tonight We may feel the rhythms of prayer As we enter into this time of contemplation may we companion one another in prayer Amen.
Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy $75 (you can decide what is fair for portions) Receipt Available upon request Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
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Easter Sunday: Prayer of the Resurrection: Good News and prayer have in common that there is still a mystery to them. Humans cannot fully grasp the whys and hows of God. We sometimes feel so overwhelmed that we would rather not even try. However, Jesus is both grace-filled and full of resurrection, giving us the opportunity to still be fully human, and still inviting us to spend time with God.
Breath Prayer: Inhale: Christ is Risen Exhale: Christ is Risen Indeed
Inhale: God is resurrected Exhale: We are a resurrection
Inhale: The tomb is empty Exhale: God can work with emptiness
Inhale: God is here Exhale: God teach me to pray
Call to Worship: Come let us go and see Jesus Christ Who has rolled the stone away The Good News Is here, Christ is Risen What if we need to pray on it awhile? Do not fear, the Good News will still be there waiting Come, let us pray on the Good News today, Christ is Risen!
Call to Confession: God is ready, even we are not, come let us confess ourselves to God.
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that sometimes we cannot take the news—be it good or bad. We confess that sometimes, some things, we need to pray on or about. Help us when we struggle. Give us what we need to process and share about those things we are uncertain about or cannot grasp we pray. (Silent Confession) Amen.
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that sometimes, even after all the instruction, encouragement and support, we do not know how to pray. We confess that this praying thing seems like a task or a to do list. We confess that we are uncertain should how often should we do it? Is it for holy days only? Who exactly are we praying to anyway? We confess feel like Mary and we want to run away. Remind us that that the Holy Spirit prays for us, when the only prayer we have is the air we breath. Help us to worry less about what we are praying about, and to instead try to sit and take in the Good News you have for us today. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God sees us and forgives us, let us proclaim the Easter Good News to one another today. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God let us go into the world assured of your resurrection and that we are your resurrection people, even on the days that we want to run away, or feel unable to talk to you. Let us remember that we have permission to walk, color, sing or breathe the Good News in whatever way we can that is affirming and life-giving, and teach us to share your Love in grace filled ways we pray. Amen.
Taize: All will be Well, In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful
Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy$75 (you decide what is fair for portions) Receipt Available upon request Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
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Lent 6 Prayers of the People & Lament, Hosanna, Save me, Giving space for real sadness and deep lament for the pain that comes with living is a gift that God gives us so that we do not have to suffer lonely or unheard. When the children say “Hosanna” Save us, it is because our suffering deserves to be named. Imprecation prayer is a type of prayer that exists to name all of the injustices of the world and to call God forth to fix them.
Inhale: There is too much injustice Exhale: I will not stand for it
Inhale: God hear my anger Exhale: God let me be ok with being angry
Call to Worship: Let us come to God who comforts us God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega God is present, even when we feel abandoned Sometimes, we feel alone in the pit, God God be with us even when we yell at the empty air Come, let us lament together today.
Call to Confession: God hears us, God can take our anger. Let us confess our laments today.
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that anger and lament do not fit well into polite society. Too often they are used by bullies and power brokers, instead of expressions of true injustice and pain. We confess that Christianity does not leave much room for lament at church, we like to shuffle it off to certain times and places. Even though we have a Jesus who called out hypocrites, squelched storms and condemned fig trees—not to mention our favorite flipping tables story. Help us to find healthy ways to express and support lament we pray—in the name of our fully human and sometimes grumpy Jesus. (Silent Prayer) Amen.
Prayer of Confession: God, I confess that some days I am so full of emotion, I do not know how to express it. I feel like I am shouting into the void, trying to fix all the things that are wrong with my community, the universe and me. And then I confess, I feel ashamed, because I think that all of this: my feelings, the lack of perfection, the feeling of aloneness are thing to feel guilty over. Remind me that we are supposed to be building a community where these things can be safely expressed and held, and help us to find support on these days we pray. (Silent Confession) Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Jesus cries when we are crying, and walks with us in our anger and hurt. Jesus loves us in all of our emotions, thus we know the comforting Good News In Jesus Christ we are Forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God, sendyour Holy Spirit to tend to us, so that when we feel overwhelmed by emotions, we might remember that you are here to walk with us, to cry with us, to lament with us, and sometimes just to sit with us. Help us when we feel like we are in the pit of the despair, to find the connection and community we need, each and every time. Amen.
Taize: My Soul finds Rest in God Alone
Prayer Activity: Option 1: Cry with those who cry, take a rock and meditate over those prayers you are lamenting, drop the rock into a bowl of water
*For information on imprecation see This Here Flesh by Cole Arther Riley’s chapter on Anger
Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy$75 (you decide what is fair for portions) Receipt Available upon request Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
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God plants and tends joy as a space of sanctuary in our lives—it is not a feeling of happiness, but rather a place of safety and Sabbath to visit when you are happy or sad. It is the space that allow us to celebrate with others, even when we are in a different place in our own lives.
Inhale: God loves the world Exhale: We are God’s beloved
Inhale: Justice is God’s joy Exhale: Justice is Love Out Loud
Call to Worship: God is our righteous rule, let the earth rejoice Clouds and thick darkness surround the Divine, Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of God’s throne God’s lightenings light up the world, the earth sees and trembles The mountains melt like wax before God, et all who hear rejoice Light is sown for those who love justice, Joy lives in those who have equity in their heart Come let us give thanks in the name of our God!
Call to Confession: God plants the seeds of joy in us, let us confess where we feel we fall short, so that we rest in God.
Prayer of Confession: God, I confess that I often confuse joy with being happy. I confess that I want everything to be easy and that the formula to be “Smile Jesus loves you.” I do not want joy to be a seed that is planted and grown for the birds to nest in. I do not want to be glad to come to church, because it is the place of sanctuary where I can safely be unhappy. I confess, that sometimes I miss the point of tending and growing joy. Teach me how to tend to the needs of joy and the gardens of your kingdom work I pray. (Silent Confession) Amen.
Prayer of Confession: Jesus Christ, I confess that sometimes we as a culture are too obsessed with happiness. We feel like we need something to be happy—money, the perfect profession, a partner. Teach us that we do not have to be happy or joyful all of the time, that lightening moments of joy followed by moments of Sabbath, rest and simple companionship are enough. Teach us to be the birds that nest home in your mustard seed Kingdom we pray. (Silent Confession). Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Jesus Christ promises us peach and love within the Kingdom, and so we know that our confession is seen, heard and accepted. Let us proclaim the Good News, In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God help us to appreciate and celebrate the joy as we see it in our lives. May we tend it, and let it grow. Help us to laugh with those who are laughing, even as we might weep with those who are weeping—providing sanctuary for all those in need we pray. Amen.
Taize: Laudate Omnes Gentes
Feel free to Email KatyandtheWord at Gmail for Text version for easy Copy/Paste Formatting Suggested Donation for Entire Liturgy$75 (you decide what is fair for portions) Receipt Available upon request Please give credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
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