Tag: Christmas prayers of the People

Let’s Write Liturgy

Now Offered at Two Times, in the Eastern Time Zone
please email with your preferred date

Cost is $50

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.

Led by Katy Stenta, Pastor, Writer and Educator

Who is ready for the next Liturgy Workshop?

Join me for a peaceful, hands on writing experience

For more information to sign up, email Katyandtheword at gmail.com. Titled “Liturgy” indicate which date you want

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 all but dissertation for her Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She also writes personal prayers regularly at katyandtheword.com.

Christmas Prayers of the People

Dear God, we admit that it is a wonder that babies can be born right now. As we look at the little eyes and noses, we think how can this happen right now?

Joy flashes, followed immediately by prayers for all those who have been working in the midst of a dumpster fire.

The doctors, nurses, administrators, chaplains and custodians.’

As we sit here, on this lone noel, we miss those family and friends we cannot see,

and grieve all the lives lost to a pandemic. We cry and mourn with all of those missing parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, friends, for whatever reason. We also lift up those communities that have been especially hard hit.

Communities of color, communities in poverty, communities that work as essential works. Be with them this Christmas.

We grieve that we are in a universe that values money and jobs over people, and we grieve too all the jobs and homes and work that has been lost, because they affect people.

We grieve for all of those who are struggling: the homeless, the hungry, the almost homeless, the ones drowning in medical debt, those who are living off credit card for lack of a community structure that helps.

Please help us to do a better job of caring for one another as a community.

Lord, we feel like we are caught in the fire and in the world. Help us as we muddle through.

Remind us that Jesus too came into a dumpster fire of the world. He was born and cried, and suffered huger and marginalization and loneliness. Jesus knew the world was on fire,

And Jesus came anyway.

As Mary, who knew all the pieces of what was to happen, pondered at the wonder of a baby being born in the middle of this.

Give us permission to ponder and wonder as to how this happens. And lift our prayers to Jesus, helps us to feel and experience Christ’s love somehow in the midst of all of this.

Jesus we need you so much.

Please come anyway, we pray.

Amen.

Feel free to use with credit Pastor Katy Stenta