Hope – Page 2 – katyandtheword

Church

God here’s a prayer for the church
The messy, institutional church
The one that is dying
The one that is full of too many rules and regulations
and buildings
and other things

Here’s a prayer for this greater church
That I grew up in
and love, and still think
can transform things

I have seen a million churches
God

And through these imperfect vessels
I have witnessed
tears
births

Children giggling in pews
and holy silences

“I don’t worry about the church”

I say God,
And you know,
that most days
I actually mean it

I can love this imperfect thing
even as it is changing to something new
Here’s a prayer for the church
that raised me
and is changing into something
unrecognizable

like a new dawn after a storm

like a movement

Here’s a prayer for church
a thing that happens
in parking lots
breakfasts
phone calls and hugs

May we not get caught up
in “saving it”

That was never our job anyway
And instead catch glimpses of it along the way
I pray

Amen.

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

Prayer for June

God who fills the world with good things

I am praying for rainbows of peace

As the school year draws to a close

And weary children struggle to make it

And Pride month starts with celebration, “rememories” (as my youngest calls them), and reminders that you are fiercely and beautifully made

I feel all if these emotions that smell like fresh cut lawns, sound like sudden hot thunderstorms, and nuzzle like my kitten at the end of a way over scheduled spring-to-summer season

God sometimes you know that pursing justice and sorting the laundry sometimes feel like that same thing

Mundane

Overwhelming

Vital

And yet

I think of how you continue to promise to fill the world with good things

Tuck a dandelion behind my ear as a symbol of hopeful weeds

And turn my worries into prayers once again

Feel free to use Share Adapt with credit to pastor Katy Stent “Katyandtheword”

Image from https://www.mainegardens.org/blog/for-the-love-of-dandelion/ Two dandelions growing, bright yellow with some blades of grass bright green against a cheerful dark background

Life Breath

Breathe in: God you are with Me
Breathe out: Be with me God

It is a serious thing
Oliver
Comma
Mary says
To be alive
On this fresh morning

Is a serious thing

Because we know the world
is still broken
But listen a bird is singing
the sun breaks through the cloud
And the children are asking
Impertinent
and true questions
that break through the mire

Startling a laugh
because evil is ridiculous
and life is breathlessnessly

wonderful

We are seriously alive
taking in the pneuma
That refills our souls

As I remind myself that
asking for help
is a hope-filled
Community affirming act

And that repair
Respair
Resurrection
is what I believe after all

Most days

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

sun rising over the mountains art by Shelby Thane “It is a serious thing just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world.” Mary Oliver

Jesus Christmas Eve

Christ won’t be in Church
This Christmas
He is too busy
To go to Washington

He never had $7 to spare
Anyway

You’ll catch him
Catching rainwater
For those trapped in Gaza

Healing the sick flocks to feed up Pakistan

He won’t be singing hymns

Except maybe in respite in Syria, Cambodia, Sudan;

Tucked into the corner of a charity school in the Philippines

Cradling people
Under his wings

He’ll be lying on the floor of echoing, ancient churches of Armenia—unconcerned by their unadorned emptiness

He is in the shadows of the room
Where one sits weeping, in grief

I know where Jesus will be
In
the food pantries
After
The
Holidays

Bare

You know…

Jesus never did
like crowds

anyway

Feel Free to Use/Share/Adapt with Credit to Katy Stenta Katyandtheword)

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Advent Prayer

Here’s a Prayer for Advent
For those are stuck in injustice for so long
they seek justice with every breath they breathe
and long for a new kind of liberation.

Here’s a prayer for those
stuck in the throes of grief
gnarled in the pain
and cannot feel those who are holding their hands in darkness.

Here is a prayer those
sick so prologuedly, they don’t remember
what health feels like, and subsist instead
on better days.

Here’s a prayer for the lonely
whose teeth ache when they see companionship
who lurk in the corners of libraries and shops
and love to converse with strangers and angels unawares.

Here’s a prayer for the victims
of violence and abuse
from microagressions to verbal, from physical to assassination
To all those who cannot be safe because where they are or who they are.

Here’s a prayer for those who just don’t know Lord
They are just so tired and confused, and stuck
They aren’t sure where to go next or what to do
But they are certain that they need to figure out the next step.

Here’s a prayer for those on the edge of death,
you know the ones God, waiting for that next family gathering
or that last visit, or the strength to let go–
Or even Christmas to pass, in order to join the rest of the Saints.

This is a prayer for all those waiting,
Maybe what we have is not yet hope, perhaps it is hoping for hope
But that is enough to light the candle together
That is enough to wait for God together, for the miracle whispers to us.

It whispers of the one who is to come:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Purveyor of Peace
And Government will rest upon their shoulders–
God, we are holding our breath, and light the candle hoping for hope.

We are praying with the world today, O Come, O Come Emmanuel we Pray. Amen.

Feel Free to Use/Share/Adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

Full Advent Resources

Messy Hope, a Prayer

God

I wonder if everything

In heaven will be well loved

Like a comfortable sweater

And a couch that hugs your butt just the wife way.

Holy Spirit you know how I am longing for comfort.

For the things of childhood that were so soothing:

Playing in the grass, coloring so hard you could smell the crayons, saying hi ready to make friends with the world.

Sometimes when people long for the good old days. I think they are wishing for their inner child

—even if they don’t remember who that was.

Ans yet Jesus, you know

And say that a child shall lead us.

God you know that nothing is gently used in my house—my kids are busting with energy and ready to fully embrace everything life has to offer.

Couches are to jump on.

Juice boxes spilling out with sweet goodness.

Mud and dirt brimming with life.

God, in this time of turmoil, help me to taste heaven.

Because surely this chaos is what Pentecost was like!

Come Holy Spirit! Fill us with some messy hope today we pray.

Amen.

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

Truth: A Prayer

Guns don’t spell peace

Just like White Supremacy can’t define Jesus

And Transphobia doesn’t protect families–but breaks them

And making abortion illegal, never, ever prevents abortions

God,

How can we humans be so confused

as to take the truth and completely

misconstrue it

so that somehow we make Christianity about power

and Church about politics?

Sometimes I think about this and I think,

only us humans are silly enough to mess up

messages as simple and easy as:

Love and serve one another

or the last shall be first.

Yet here we are God,

Tangling Truths around our Tongues,

Tricking ourselves, with comforting lies.

Ignoring the whisper of the Holy Spirit that says:

Fear Not.

Nothing can separate you from the Love of God

You can never be replaced.*

I hope you have some truth for us today, God.

Some clear, cool and collected truth,

gathered into the waters of baptism–

spilling into our hearts and souls.

Because we need your truth.

Help us to tell ourselves the truth

I pray.

We pray.

Amen. Feel Free to share/adapt/use with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta

*replacement theory is a dangerous white supremacist theory that white Americans are being replaced usually by Jewish and Black People and it promotes violence and terrorism against said “replacement” races and religions. It is dehumanizing, bigoted, wrong and as stated a terrorist training ground. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/15/us/replacement-theory-shooting-tucker-carlson.html

Bullshit, A Prayer

Jesus,

Your coming back was such good news,

that the disciples called it bullshit–

we translate it nicer in church;

can you imagine that?

……

Jesus did you think that our job

maybe

perhaps

as Christians was to do

such extraordinarily good things

that when we did them

people would say

Bullshit! No one would ever do that!

……

And not so like, anyone would become Christian

or perfect

(because lets face it Jesus,

people are onto you when you are trying to steal their souls)

But just like, treat humans with respect.

……

Sometimes I imagine that churches paid every single person a living wage

or rallying for the forgiveness of debts (Reminder: Jubilee is a Biblical concept)

and working hard for universal healthcare for our congregants (the stories I could tell)

or even just make it so every sanctuary was a sanctuary for immigrants

……and

LGBTQIA folks

and those who are mentally Ill

and Those with addictions

and people with disabilities

and those who were houseless

……

If all those could feel welcome, accepted, heard and be essential to the leadership!

A place for teens to hang out without anyone worried about lawsuits.

And we got past tokenizing everyone who is different than us (hello white church).

I bet if we worked on a couple of these things, the church would become more Christ-like–what do you think Jesus?

……

Sometimes I dream that churches were changing the world–

and then I wake up, amazed that no one has cried out

Bullshit!

……

God I’m praying for that kind of church,

until then, I hope I hang our more with

Mary, Mary and Martha,

and keep saying things that make people say

……

Universal Basic Income for everyone? That sounds like bullshit!

……

Can’t wait Jesus, Till then,

I’ll keep praying

Idle Prayers,

And doing the work to make them

Working Prayers again.

Amen.

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

Like my work? Please support my Doctorate in Creative Writing in Ministry–as a Public Theologian at Pittsburgh Seminary

Image: https://www.cbeinternational.org/sites/default/files/styles/article_image/public/2020-05/ChristIsRisen1200_0.jpg?itok=pikHhKoE

April 17th Resurrection: Hope Seeing Resurrected Jesus

John 20:1-18

Psalm 118:21-29

Call to Worship

Christ is Risen

He is Risen indeed

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone

Look the Lord’s doing wondrous things before our eyes

This is the day that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Call to Confession: God sees us exactly as we are and loves us, so come let us confess ourselves to God.

Confession: Jesus, we confess that sometimes we are blinded by tears or turned away, and it is hard to recognize you. We confess that all too often we do not practice or believe in the power of resurrection, so it sneaks by us. Forgive us, teach us to see the seeds you are planting, for you are, after all, the original gardener, and help us to co-create and tend the seeds of resurrection so that they grow, we pray in the name of the resurrection Jesus. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: Christ is risen, so you are forgiven. Know the truth: In Jesus Christ we are Forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: We are an Easter people, a Resurrection People, let us name it and claim it we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources

March 13 Jesus Washes Feet: Hope of Serving

Jesus Washes Feet: Hope of Serving

John 13:1-17

Psalm 51:7-12

Call to Worship

God we gather to serve

For you first served us, the one who taught the first will be last

Jesus we long to be near you

Come let us worship the alpha and omega

Call to Confession: God calls all those who are in relationship with God to come into God’s presence for confession, come let us confess ourselves to God and each other

Prayer of Confession: God, I confess that I am like Peter crying out create in me a clean heart God, clean my feet and my hands and my whole body! Because some days I understand all too well all of my imperfections, and they seem to scream at me, from my body and my personality and my accomplishments. Remind me God, that you sent Jesus to show us how to love and serve one another, no more, no less, and that your grace is infinite. Remind us, we pray in your most Holy name. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon: God always restore us to the joy of salvation, hear the good news of the gospel: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God we come to you fully confessing ourselves and ready to be washed clean. Let us go forth rejoicing and ready to serve our God. Amen.

Children: Discuss Baptism and how Confession is a renewal of Baptism

Hymns: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, Create in Me a Clean Heart, Jesu Jesu Fill Us with Your Love, I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me

Please support my writing: Katy’s Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing at Pittsburgh Seminary.

For Word versions of the Liturgy email me at Katyandtheword at gmail

From Lament to Hope Full Resources