lent – Page 7 – katyandtheword

Ash Wednesday Narrative Lectionary based on Mark 9:30-37 Psalm 32:1-5

Jesus went with the disciples teaching them, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.”

And the Disciples Kept silent.

Prayer of Confession: Lord we confess that we do not understand, fully, why it is you had to die. We do not understand why you were betrayed by human hands, and we do not understand how it is you rose again. But we do know while we kept silent our bodies wasted away and we groaned all day long.

Taize Option: Lord here my Prayer, Hymn Option: What Wondrous Love is This v. 1

Help us to live with our lacks and to lean into why you came: to teach, to heal, to die and to forgive our sins. Help us live fully with who we are.
(Write down what Jesus has taught you, who you are, what you want to hang onto)

Taize Option: Bless the Lord My Soul Hymn Option: What Wondrous Love is This v 2.

And let us once again confess our full selves to you so they may once again be forgiven.

Writing down Confession of sin on another piece of paper

Taize Option: Jesus Remember Me Hymn Option: What Wondrous Love is This v. 3
(Collect to trash, burn, rip up)

Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,  whose sin is covered.  Happy are those to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity,  and in whose spirit there is no deceit.   Selah
While I kept silence, my body wasted away  through my groaning all day long.  For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;  my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.

Selah  
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,  and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’,  and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah

Let us know the truth, as short and imperfect as life is. Remember that you are always and forgiven. Thanks be to God.
Holy Communion

The Lord’s Prayer

Imposition of Ashes

Blessing

#Seeds: #Prayer Resource for Narrative Lectionary Triumphal Entry or Palm Sunday

Triumphal Entry or Palm Sunday

Matthew 21:1-17 or Psalm 118:25-29

Call to Worship

Blessed be the One who Comes in the Name of the Lord

Lord save us!

Bind up the festal procession with branches, cry Hosanna!

Praise the Lord, Lord Save us, Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord

Call to Worship

This is the day that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

This is the day that the Lord has made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Call to Worship

How will the Lord Come? Upon a great chariot or a fine stallion?

Jesus rides in the back door, on the back of a mere donkey

Victory we cry!

Are you the one prophets foretold? (Is the question ringing in our ears)

Call to Confession: Who is this that we are confessing to? Who is this Son of David? The one who cleanses the temple?

Confession: Jesus we confess that we are still left with questions. After 2,000 years we still don’t know exactly who you are, or how it is you will save us. And yet, we will cry Hosanna, help us to know you and save us from our sin we pray.

Confession: Our temple is still unclean, we confess, for we are broken and do not know how to make things clean. So we confess our sins to you. Heal us as you healed the blind and the lame we pray.

Confession: Lord, we confess that we have trouble keeping our eyes on you. We cry Hosanna, save us, one minute and then turn you over to be killed the minute your justice offends us. Forgive us, and teach us the path to you, we pray.

Confession: Lord, we confess that when things are going our way, it is easy for us to celebrate one another, but when we are worried or in pain we lash out. We confess that sometimes we are the people of Palm Sunday and sometimes we are the mob by the cross. Forgive us when we lash out, we pray.

Assurance of Forgiveness: Whenever we ask, whenever we confess, wherever where we are, no matter what we’ve done, no matter when it is, we are always, always, through the grace of Jesus Christ, forgiven.

Prayer of Dedication/Prayer of the Day: Lord we often don’t know if we will exist as the Palm Sunday Parade or the Mob at the Cross, give us the help we need to be the body of Christ we pray.

Full List of Lenten Resources (Of course some prayers may be appropriate for other weeks)

Hymns

Hosana, Loud Hosana,

Ride On! Ride On Majesty!

What Wondrous Love is This?

God of Our Life

Amazing Grace

If Thou but Trust in God to Guide Thee

#Lent Seeds of #Prayer: #Liturgy Resource Abundance of Justice April 7th

Last Judgement: Abundance of Justice

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Sacred Quilt Exhibit:“Let Justice Roll Down Like Water” Kit Tossmann; Louisville, KY

Matthew 25:31-46

Psalm 98:7-9

Amos 5: 21-24

Call to the Worship:

Make a joyful to the Lord, all the earth.

Break forth into joyous son and sing praises.

Sing with the lyre and the sound of the melody

Let us make a joyful noise before the Kind, the Lord.

Call to Worship: Can you hear the good news? It’s contained within the roar of the ocean, its contained within the songs of the hills, it fills the earth and and those who live in it.

Now is the time to share the good news of Jesus Christ, passing it out as bread for the hungry, now is the time to show the love of God sharing it as free medicine for the sick. Now is the time to show the warmth of the Holy Spirit, wrapping the naked up with sturdy clothing. Now is the time to be the people of Matthew 25.

Prayer of Confession: Lord, how can we not feed the hungry, or visit the sick or clothe the naked. And yet, there are those who go without, and we fail to help them. Lord Jesus, help us to examine why we fail to live up to your standards of caring for each other and you. Help us to confess where the gaps are, and then help us to build the bridge of kindom care that is needed, we pray.

Prayer of Confession: God almighty, we do not treat our neighbors as we wish to be treat. Instead we differentiate between us and them, we look for reasons behind these differences, and we conclude that the others must be lacking. Forgive us, we pray, correct our mouths and our arms and our legs so that what we do and say represents your love. We pray this in your son’s most holy name.

Prayer of Confession: Lord we forget that every time we help someone, it is as if the waves clap their hands in praise of you. We ignore those in need, forgetting to make a joyful noise, forgetting to tell the good news of your open table, setting a feast before all those in need. Teach us to see your face, in whomever we encounter, we pray.

Assurance of Pardon: God has made known, already, God’s victory of salvation, with steadfast love and faithfulness, so know you are forgiven and be at peace.

Hymns:

Joy to the world

They Will Know We are Christians By Our Love

The Lord’s Prayer Hymn

Live Into Hope

Full List of Lenten Resources (Of course some prayers may be appropriate for other weeks)

#Seeds: #Prayer and #Liturgy #Lent Abundance of Preparation March 31

Screen Shot 2019-02-26 at 3.24.17 PM

Matthew 25:1-13 and/or Matt 25:14-30, and Psalm 43:3-4

Suggested Resource: Nicene Creed

Call to Worship

Lord, you teach us how to prepare,

Every valley shall be exalted

You remind us to gather the supplies we need light the fires & to risk and spend money for the kingdom

And every mountain and hill made low

You remind us to clothe the naked and care for the sick

And the crooked shall be made straight

You remind us to feed the hungry and give the thirst something to drink.

And the rough places plain,

Help us to make a preparation for you today we pray.

Call to Worship

Lord you tell us to prepare for you

Help us to plant the seeds, to do the work

We would rather be safe, but you teach us to trust and grow

Let us praise the Creator, the Gardener, the Tender of all Good today.

Call to Worship:

God you are my help and my hope.

Light us with your light.

Your truth shines on.

I shall again praise my creator today.

Confession: God, are wicks are not lit, we have no spare oil, sometimes we are not able to do the tasks you set before us. Send the Holy Spirit to us, so our fire will not go out we pray.

Confession: Lord, we confess we suck at waiting, its hard work, and it speaks to a maturity that we don’t often have. Teach us how to wait, lord give us patience, we pray.

Confession: Gardening God, sometimes we are afraid to invest, so we don’t plant the seeds that need to be planted. God of Growth Sometimes we don’t want risk, so we bury money instead of planting seeds; we don’t give the time, money or effort needed. Generous God, sometimes we just throw the extra your way, forgetting to make a real commitment Help to do the work and to make the right commitments in the right way we pray. (Silent Prayer)…Amen

Prayer of Dedication/Prayer of the Day: Lord, we are asking for your light and truth today. Send it out, we pray. Let it lead us to your holy hill, bring us to your dwelling place, loving God.

Prayer of Dedication/Prayer of the Day: God of God, Light of Light, Very God from Very God, encourage use to seek your light and truth, and help us to prepare for you we pray. Amen

Prayer of Dedication: God of God, Light of Light, Very God from Very God, help us to prepare for you by investing in your work, and help whatever seeds we plant, whatever money we invest, whatever faith we practice, to grow and flourish we pray in your most Holy Name. Amen.

Full List of Lent Abundance Resources some prayers may work for more than one text this season

Hymns

We Give Thee But Thine Own

Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord, almost any version/hymn 😉

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuUl522_8jQ

#Abundance of Invitation Seeds: #Lent #Liturgy & #Prayer Resource March 24

Scripture

Matthew 22:1-14 and Psalm 45:6-7 (or all of it, or Psalm 45:6-17)

Also Isaiah 61, particularly v. 10

Call to Worship:

Know this, God has anointed you, baptized you in the Holy Spirit.

We are called to love righteousness, and hate wickedness with God.

Let us cause God’s name to be celebrated for generations

Let the peoples praise God, our mother and father, forever and ever.

Call to Worship

God, you call us, the good and the bad forever

Clothe us in your love, so we might be worthy of your banquet

Let us remember to invite one another to partake in the feast

Come, let us accept our invitation to spend time with God together.

Call to Worship:

The Lord says: I love justice

My whole being shall exult my God,

God promised to make a covenant with us, and the covenant will be fulfilled.

God has clothed me, like a mother clothes her children, in the garments of salvation, protecting us from the elements, dressing us in love.

Remember that what is sown in the garden will spring up. The promise of resurrection comes with the winter of Lent.

God will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations, come let us plant the seeds of praise today.

Confession: Lord, we confess that sometimes we come into your presence, thinking we are dressed in love, but then realize that we are wearing judgement or shame instead. It is so easy to forget the worst of ourselves or other. It is so easy to disclude people from your invitation. We can feel unworthy, or be convinced of others’ unworthiness. Forgive our prejudice, and teach us to extend the invitation again and again, we pray.

Confession: Lord, sometimes I love wickedness. Sometimes I like to gossip about or ignore those who are need . Sometimes I spend all my day complaining and forget to practice gratitude for the invitations you put forth. Forgive me, and teach me to pray and confess in such a way that my words are a love song, and my tongue becomes like the pen of a writer. Teach me I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

Confession: Lord, we confess here together, because we are each and every one of us invited to your party. Though we are each uniquely made, and though our circumstances are different, you call us each here to experience your love, hope and grace. We are invited here to confess our true selves, and to honor one another’s stories, help us when we forget to do justice in either the confession or the honoring, we pray.

Prayer of Dedication/of the Day: Lord we enter back into the world where people look and sound different from us. We enter a world where we are afraid to invite people, for whatever reason, to join us in your banquet. Encourage us to go into the world and to make that invitation we pray.

Prayer of Dedication/of the Day: Let us begin again to prepare for the feast together, with invitations and appropriate garments, with words of prayer and praise, we pray.

Prayer of Dedication/of the Day: Lord, remind me that I am here for you. You are the host of the feast, and you have anointed me as a beloved child of God. Please don’t let me forget that today or any day, I pray.

Hymns: I’ve Got Peace Like a River

God be the Glory

Christ is made the sure Foundation

Crown him with Many Crowns

Praise My Soul the King of Heaven

He is King of Kings

(Look in your Christ the King/Ascension hymns)

Food for Thought:

Those who think they should be invited to God will take that gift for granted.

2. We think we need to clothe ourselves in the appropriate garments, but really we have to depend on God for the right clothing.

3. Justice is God’s and is not in being productive (or too busy or too important) for God.

4. Human’s often think looking right is more important than acting right, how might that play in here?

More Thoughts https://wp.me/p2rhxZ-2iI

Full List of Lenten Resources (Of course some prayers may be appropriate for other weeks)

Seeds of #Prayer #Lent #Liturgy #Prayer Resource for #NarrativeLectionary #Abundance

Abundance

An extra Abundance Prayer

Ash Weds Mar 6 Who is the Greatest? Abundance of Blessings

Sun Mar 9 Forgiveness Abundance of Forgiveness

Sun Mar 17 Laborers in the Vineyard Abundance of Grace

Sun Mar 24 Wedding Banquet Abundance of Invitation

Sun Mar 31 Bridesmaids (or Talents) Abundance of Preparation

April 7 Last Judgement Abundance of Justice

Note: for Palm Sunday you may wish to swap out or combine depending on your holy week schedule

April 14 Triumphal Entry Abundance of Celebration

April 18 Words of Institution (Last Supper) Abundance of Presence

April 19 Good Friday/Tenebrae options Crucifixion: Matthew Fully, Abundantly, Human

April 19 Full Liturgy: Tenbebrae & nailing sins to cross

April 21 Easter: Matthew Abundance of Discipleship

April 28: The Great Commission Go! by Rev. Dr. Barb Hedges-Goettl

An extra Abundance Prayer

Abundance of #Grace : Seeds of #Prayer for #Lent March 17

Laborers in the Vineyard

Abundance of Grace

Matthew 20:1-16 and Psalm 16:5-8

Call to Worship:

Lord it is good when we come to you at the beginning of the day

Whether we come at the beginning, the middle or the end you will be there.

Lord it is good when we find you at the beginning of the week

But what a blessing when we find God, instead at the end, for still God’s hand will hold us fast.

Help us to find you, Lord!

Help us to find you today, so that we might give you praise.

Call to Worship:

Come let us worship the Lord

God shows us the path of life and invites us to join in the work of the day.

Come let us work together

So we can all share in the fruit of our labors together, with all the saints who participate, come let us do some of that work today!

https://www.strofiliawines.gr/en/wine-in-art/red-vineyard-arles

Prayer of Confession: Lord, I confess that you are my Lord, I have no good apart from you. So I turn to you to confess my failings, so that you can fill me with your grace and love, so that you can be with me and teach me. Show me the path of life I pray.

Prayer of Confession: Lord I confess aha some days I worry if there is not enough grace for me and my sins. I so often feel so full of holes, that I do not count myself as holy enough for you. Yet, you are ever with me, with your presence there is a fullness of joy, there is enough. Remind me that there is enough, I pray.

Assurance of Pardon: Lord you are the path of life, fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore, so we can be confident of the truth: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Assurance of Pardon: Lord, it doesn’t matter if we come to you in the beginning, the middle or the end, we are assured of your grace. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.

Hymns: Amazing Grace

On Eagles Wings

Jesus, Priceless Treasure

Jesus, Thy Boundless Love to Me

There is a Wideness in God’s Mercy

Lord I wanna be a Christian in My Heart

Full List of Lenten Resources (Of course some prayers may be appropriate for other weeks)

Abundance of Blessings: Seeds of #Prayer for #Lent March 6th #AshWeds

March 6th: Matthew 18:1-9

Psalm 146:7c-10 or 51:1-3

Abundance of Blessings

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/425027283575522346/Call to Worship

Our God is an awesome God!

He made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in it.

God reigns from heaven above with wisdom, power and love

For our God is the one who executes justice for the oppressed, the one who gives food to the hungry.

Who cannot praise our God, Our God is an awesome God!

Our God is an awesome God, let us praise God together.

Call to Worship

God, you are the God of the hungry, the blind and the oppressed.

We praise you for opening the eyes of the blind, for lifting up those who are bowed down, for upholding the orphan and the widow

Prayer of Confession: Lord we think that blessings are like pie. We confess we want to be the closest to God, because we think those closer to God will get the most blessings. Remind us that blessings are not pie. Remind us that your blessings are enough. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Prayer of Confession: Lord, we admit that we sometimes cause stumbling blocks. We put things in other’s paths so they cannot succeed. Sometimes we even have to get out of our own way to be able to see you. Forgive us when we build walls, remind us to open any and all paths to Shalom, and help us be creators of those paths we pray.

Prayer of Confession: Lord I now my transgressions, my sin is before me and it is against you alone God, I have sinned. I have done what is evil in your sight. I was born imperfect. Remind me that you desire truth in my

Assurance of Pardon: Jesus promises us, that we are forgiven, loved and enough.

Assurance of Pardon: Our God is the God of healing, wholeness and peace. Our God gives us Shalom! Let us share the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen

Assurance of Pardon: God promises to always execute justice, know that God’s justice includes mercy, hear the good news: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven.

Assurance of Pardon: The Lord will have mercy according to God’s steadfast love, blotting out all trangressions. Know we are loved and forgiven by God.

Prayer of Dedication/Prayer of the Day: God, you are the God of Hope precisely because you are the God of justice. When we forget who you are: open our eyes when we are blind, teach us again to feed the hungry, show to us how uphold the orphan so that we can remember who you are, Lord who will reign forever. Amen.

Hymns:

Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us

Create In Me Clean Heart

Jesus Thy Boundless Love to Me

A Short Order of Worship

Call to Worship: Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the Lord their God,

who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them;

who keeps faith for ever;

who executes justice for the oppressed;

who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free;

the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.

The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;

the Lord loves the righteous. —Psalm 146:5-8

Communion

Oral Story: Matthew 18:1-9 Who is the Greatest?

Burning of Our Sins: The Lord says, if there’s a piece of you that causes you stumble, cut it off. What do you need to cut off or let go of ? Or what do you need to hang onto and grow so that you can be more joyful and curious like a child? (ceremonially burn our sins written on paper)

Imposition of the Ashes

Closing Prayer: Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.—Psalm 51:1-3

Full List of Lenten Resources (Of course some prayers may be appropriate for other weeks)

When in Doubt: Easter Sunday Resource

John 20: 1-18 and Psalm 118:21-29

Call to Worship (from Psalm 118)
One: Jesus Christ is risen;
ALL: he is risen indeed!
One: And so I thank you, O God, that you have answered me.
ALL: You have become my salvation.
One: The stone that the builders rejected
ALL: has become the chief cornerstone.
One: This is the Lord’s doing;
ALL: it is marvelous in our eyes.
One: This is the day that the Lord has made;
ALL: let us rejoice and be glad in it.
One: For Jesus Christ is risen;
ALL: he is risen indeed!

Prayers of the people* (Silence may follow each refrain of “we seek the Lord.”)
One: People, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for? Many: They have taken away the Lord, and we do not know where they have laid him.
One: In the darkness of our mornings and our nights Many: we seek the Lord. One: When hopes have been tampered with and things are not going as planned Many: we seek the Lord. One: When our nation is deeply divided and violence abounds Many: we seek the Lord. One: When jobs are lost or never found Many: we seek the Lord. One: When darkness overcomes the health we try to hold onto Many: we seek the Lord. One: In the darkness of divorce and bankruptcy, eviction and addiction Many: we seek the Lord. One: When the usual situations and explanations reduce us to tears Many: we seek the Lord.
ALL: O God, in our grief and anguish, we seek you. Call us by name so that we know you and proclaim your living, risen presence. Amen.
*These images are adapted from Taylor, Catherine E., “ ‘Who are you looking for?’ I Corinthians 15:19; John 20:1-18,” Journal for Preachers, 28:3 (Easter 2005), 31-33.

Call to Confession:
We do not always live as people of the resurrection. While it is still dark, we come to the tomb, expecting only death, and the risen one meets us and calls us by name.
Prayer of Confession:
One: Confessing the darkness of our lives and our world, we come to you
Many: God of grace and mercy, hear our prayer.
One: Confessing our part in dealing death and denying hope, we come to you
Many: God of grace and mercy, hear our prayer.
One: Confessing that it is hard to love others as ourselves, we come to you
Many: God of grace and mercy, hear our prayer.
One: Confessing harsh words expressed and kind words unsaid, we come to you
Many: God of grace and mercy, hear our prayer.
One: Confessing the decisions we make about our time, our energy and our loyalties, we come to you
Many: God of grace and mercy, hear our prayer.
ALL: God of hope and resurrection, free us from the stones that block us from living as resurrection people. [Silent confession.] Amen.

Assurance of Pardon:
God has removed the stone from the tomb. The resurrected Jesus meets us, calling us by name, that we may proclaim him as the risen Lord.
Thanks be to God for the Good News:
ALL: In Jesus Christ, we are resurrection people. Thanks be to God.

More Lent Prayer Resources

Rev. Dr. Barbara Hedges-Goettl has her doctorate in liturgy and has worked on the new Book of Common Worship for the PCUSA, she is particularly interested in Communion, and uses her writing skills for bulletins, sermons and IEPs for children with special needs.

An entire Communion Liturgy is available at https://katyandtheword.wordpress.com/2018/03/12/when-in-doubt-prayer-resource-maundythursday-communion-liturgy-lastsupper/

When in Doubt: #Prayer Resource #Jesus Condemned

John 19:1-16a and Psalm 146

Call to Worship: Lord we come here for sanctuary Knowing the world is not always safe, we turn to you I will not put my trust in the power of mortals or princes I put my trust in the Lord, who executes justice–the one who gives food to the hungry. Breath departs and plans perish. So My hope is in God who’s promise is peace, that God I will praise all my life long.

Prayer of Confession: Lord almighty, I confess that I feel the powers that be. I am strained by the systems, by the abuse and violence that is in the world. I am overwhelmed. So help me to turn to you Lord Jesus, let me see your love, so I am not only encouraged but also empowered to love in the midst of hardship I pray.

Assurance of Pardon: Hear this, our God is the one who sets prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind. Lifting up those who are bowed down and watching over the stranger. This God is the one who proclaims the truth to us: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Amen

Offering Prayer/Prayer of Dedication: Lord we are here, hoping to give ourselves, not to the powers and principalities of mortals, but instead to you. So that we might love and serve the Lord, so that God’s love can shine through everything we do, we pray in your most holy name. Amen.

Prayers and Liturgy by Pastor Katy Stenta who is the solo pastor at a bigger on the inside church in Albany, NY and enjoys reading fantasy, soaking up sunshine, playing with her three sons and visiting her husband at his work, the library.