Call to Worship God is calling do you hear? God is calling for forgiveness God is the great accountant Look, even now God’s grace is spilling upon us Come let us drink up God’s grace Come let us gather, by the grace of God
Call to Confession: Is it not beautiful to be able to bring your full self to God? Come let us confess ourselves to God?
Prayer of Confession: God I confess that I do not always understand this forgiveness thing, how do you do it? How am I supposed to do it? Can I forgive when I am still angry? Is there such a thing as forgive and forget? Is seventy-seven times per person, or a metaphor or what? Forgiveness seems to be a complicated thing, please cover me in grace, so I might better glean the beginnings of a forgiveness practice I pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the good news, you are forgiven, as soon as you confess, Jesus has made it so, and hopefully, we can learn how not to make the same mistakes again: thus we can proclaim the good news to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go into the world, forgiven and forgiving, ready to embody the grace that God has given us as the confessing Body of Christ. Amen.
Call to Worship God calls us, the deep from the deep God your magnificence is too great for us God you are changed from glory, into glory So you come to us, human, and walk with us Teach us again, today Come let us walk with God
Call to Confession: What is confession, but walking with God? Why don’t we let ourselves walk with God here.
Confession: God we confess that we are overwhelmed by being human. How is it then can we take in your glory of divinity? We feel like we should respond. We feel like we need to do things or say things. And yet, sometimes, stillness is grace. Sometimes we need to just sit with our own humanity. Sometimes its ok to just try to get to know ourselves better, and to remind ourselves that getting to know ourselves is to get to know you. Let us allow ourselves to do that we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Be still, and know God is with your, today, tomorrow, everyday, and feel the good news: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: May we walk into the world shaded by God, so that we might better be able to hear and understand the Good News God has for us today. Amen.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Call to Worship God we need your justice For such a time as this to light our way When salt and light is not enough, Jesus we need you Come, let us look for God God we are looking for your love Come, let us love God together
Call to Confession: God you call to your love in the good and the bad times. Come let ourselves to God
Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that it is hard to come to you in uncertain times. How can anything be worthy of love at such a time as this? Who can sort out there feelings in this mess? We want time, to clean up, to get things in order, to research, to know things. God, you remind us that you are the city on the hill, not us. You are the salt in our food, not us. Be our salt and light, and remind us that we are allowed to be a mess and still love we pray. Amen
Assurance of Pardon: Jesus comes in the midst of emergencies, full of grace, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven, right now. Amen.
Prayer of the Day, Dedication: God, remind us the Grace does not wait, because we need its immediacy. Let us go forth full of grace we pray. Let it spill from our hands, our mouths and feet as we go, so that we may become the very embodiment of your love. May this be our prayer as we go about the world. Amen.
Hymns: We Are One In the Spirit, Here I am Lord, O Come O Come Emmanuel, I Love the Lord Who Heard My Cry, I Wonder as I Wander, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
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.
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 (Eastern) $40
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.
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 41) Bless is the Lord, the God of Israel God is from everlasting to everlasting God we love to be in your presence Come let us worship God
Call to Confession: We come to God to confess those things that still hurt and need healing
Confession: God be gracious to me and heal me for I have sinned against you. I know you consider the poor and the sick and care for them. God, I know there is all kinds of healing in the world, and that you are a healing God. Help us to heal and to continue whatever healing you are doing in the world. We pray this in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God you are gracious and promise to raise us up and to heal all sins, so we know the good news In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God you empower us, like Naaman to pursue healing. We pray this in the name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hymns: There is a Balm in Gilead, I’ve Got Peace Like a River, O Christ the Healer, Lord I Want to Be a Christian, Today We All Are Called to Be Disciples, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Children: Talk about Baptism and how it cleans sin permanently with the help of confession—its kind of like a bath. Talk about Naaman and how he wants to be special but he just needs a bath. The Pigeon Needs a Bath by mo willems or Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
If you want a document version of this entire series for easy viewing and formatting just email me at Katyandtheword at gmail and title it Narrative Lectionary and I will be happy to send it to you.
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
Call to Confession: Come let us confess our Hope in God
Confession: God, we confess that sometimes it is hard to hope for rainbows. We do not believe that every storm will run out of rain, we have trouble remembering that you are not a violent God when people who call themselves Christians scream hate. Stop their hate, Protect us, and help us to see the rainbow we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Nothing Can Separate you from the Love of Christ: Not height nor depth nor floods nor hate. Know the truth and affirm it to one another: In Jesus Christ we are always beloved and always forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication: God, let us be proud of you as the rainbow God, and stand proud that before we knew, you knew the full meaning of the rainbow. Thank you. Amen.
Sept 18
Be assured you are all children of God
We are Stardust
You sparkle with the promise of God
We are Stardust
You are the promise of Abraham
We are Stardust, Praise be to God, the Creator of Stars!
Call to Confession: Come, let us confess and sparkle to God
Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that we sparkle and glitter, but sometimes it does not feel like we are wonderfully and fiercely made. Help us when we forget. Show us the stars. Remind us that we are beautiful and everything we do counts, just like every star in the sky counts. Amen
Assurance of Pardon: You loved us into being, just as when you created the magnificent heavens, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are always beloved and always forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication: God, remind us that like stars, our sparkles count. Help us to glitter we pray. Amen.
Call to Worship God you anoint the outside The outcast from their family: the queer, gay, nonbinary, lesbian, ace—you will go with them on their journey to find a home.
God, you promise to be with them, no matter what
God be with us
Imprisoned, Abused, Lied about, False witness, You promise, You will still be our God
God be with us
There are no empty footsteps in the Sand for Joseph, You will still be in our dreams, you promise
God, be with us today.
Call to Confession: God, let us confess and be our full selves with ourselves today.
Confession: God, we confess that it is hard to be our full selves. We are ignored, mocked, sold into slavery, imprisoned and abused. We confess that even though you know what we go through, we feel ashamed, less, alone. Help us when we are broken. Remind us that we do not need to be forgiven for who we are—that Joseph wore women’s clothes and ran away from sex with a woman way before Jesus was even born, and was beloved, by his father, his brother, the King and you. May safe spaces be formed for all people we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Jesus longs for this to be a safe space of forgiveness for all, though we may not have achieved that yet, know that one thing is always true: In Jesus Christ we are always beloved and always forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication: Let us go into the world our full selves, proud, loud and beloved children of God. Amen.
Call to Confession: Come let us rest with God today
Prayer of Confession: God, we confess that it is hard to believe that you would part the ocean for me. Don’t I complain too much? Is it not too much work? Are you sure that I am worth it? Yet I look at the complaints of the Hebrews, and am reassured that you want not only to rescue me, but to listen to my worries and complaints. Help me when I am troubled an in trouble I pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God longs whisper the good news to you, so let us whisper it to one another and be reassured of its truth: In Jesus Christ we are always beloved and always forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication: God extend your protection into the world with us as we go we pray. Amen.
God let us hear your commands as promises of hope, not hammers or laws
Come, let us feel God’s grace
Call to Confession: Let us confess ourselves to the Graciousness of God
Prayer of Confession: God, you know I don’t like rules—they are weapons of hurt instead of tools of justice. We humans cannot be trusted with them. Grace is but a trickle in my life, and I am still looking for that cup overflowing you promised. I confess, the moment you lift me up on Eagle’s Wings will not be too soon. Please help us to lift each other up, and to treat each other with the grace we long for. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God is full of grace, your forgiveness has already been made complete as soon as you confessed yourself. Now we get the opportunity to practice that grace together and say: In Jesus Christ we are always beloved and always forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication: God, give us grace as we go. Send it on the wings of your Holy Spirit, touch it to our brows we pray. Amen.
God, you are fully God, today, tomorrow and everyday
Come, let us renew our relationship with God.
Call to Confession: It is good to be with God, come let us be present with God today
Confession: God, we confess that sometimes its a lot to be our full selves. It takes time and work to integrate who we are, with the mystery of who you are. Does anyone ever have a full handle on that? Please help us to do this as a community, so that we might have a fuller and richer perspective of your Godhood we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God is our God, no matter what, so we know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are always beloved and always forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of Dedication: God please help us to renew our relationship with you and with ourselves as often as we need to so that we might fully know who we are and who you are as we go about the world. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ who was somehow fully God and fully human. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God longs to wrap you under her wing and assure you that you are safe and forgiven, so know the good news: In Jesus Christ we are always beloved and always forgiven. Amen.
If you want a document version of this entire series for easy viewing and formatting just email me at Katyandtheword at gmail and title it Narrative Lectionary and I will be happy to send it to you.
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
If you want a document version of this entire series for easy viewing and formatting just email me at Katyandtheword at gmail and title it Narrative Lectionary and I will be happy to send it to you.
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
Call to Worship
Come let us serve God
We want to serve the one who created us, blessed us and freed us.
Come let us worship the God of Potent Promises
Come let us Praise God’s Holy name
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 27)
The Lord is my Salvation, whom shall I fear
When evildoers assail me, they shall stumble and fall.
One day I ask, to live in the house of the Lord for all the days of my life
I long to behold the beauty of the Lord, and inquire in God’s temple.
Come let us seek the Lord,
Come let us worship the God of our Salvation!
Call to Confession: Let us give ourselves to God’s promise that God will listen to anything we have to confess
Confession: God I confess that I do not always believe the promises that are uncovered in rainbows and stars and the grains of sands. Sometimes, I do not feel blessed to be a blessing, and I try to measure things, instead of telling the stories of your promises. Forgive me. Help me to remember that your promises unfold across generations and in unexpected ways. Help me to see your potent promises I pray. (Silent Confession) Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News, Jesus promises forgiveness, every time we confess our sins. Let us proclaim the good news to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen.
Prayer of the Day: God help us to find your promises in all the unexpected places, give us the eyes to see and the ears to hear them we pray. Amen.
Hymns: Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, Great God We Sing That Mighty Hand, When in Our Music God is Glorified, God Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens (remembering Abrahamic Covenant), Many and Great O God Are Thy Things, O God the Creator, Great is Thy Faithfulness
Children: Talk about Renewal or Drafts and that we have to work on our promises to God and do them many, many times and keep working on ourselves before we get it right. This is why Joshua Renews the Covenant with God—and Jesus does it again. Book Suggestion: “The Book of Mistakes” Corinna Lukyen or “Harold and the Purple Crayon”
If you want a document version of this entire series for easy viewing and formatting just email me at Katyandtheword at gmail and title it Narrative Lectionary and I will be happy to send it to you.
If you would like to support my work, please give to my gofundme for my D. Min in Creative Writing or in an exciting new prospect become a Patron for only $3 a month!
katyandtheword 
