Call to Worship The Poor One Calls to The Lord God hears, and saves the poor, out of all of their Troubles Looks it is the Angel of the Lord The Angel of the Lord comes, and encamps around those who fear God, and delivers them Taste and see that God is God, Blessed is the one who takes refuge in God Come let us take refuge in God Today
Invitation to Confession: Jesus says come to me those who are heavy burdened and I will give you rest, come let us lay our burdens at the feet of Jesus.
God: We confess, we do not understand this Wedding Feast. This parable, confuses us and confounds us. Who are we to invite? How are we to dress? Is the violence good or bad? Who is even getting married in the first place? Perhaps the point is not about the invitations or being chosen, but that fact that we are here, at God’s table, together. Help us to gather at the table, whenever God invites us to we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good news, Jesus will always forgive us, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Let us proclaim that good news to one another: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: God, help us to walk into the world, inspired to act not just like those invited, but as though Jesus is chasing humanity, over and over again. Let us remember that Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save it, yesterday, today and tomorrow. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Hymns: On Eagle’s Wings, Jesus Our Divine Companion, Somebody’s Knocking At Your Door, We Walk By Faith and Not By Sight,
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Canva Image (created by Katy Stenta) Brown Hands welcoming a line of multicultural people, behind which is a basket of bread and wine and the Golden outline of a Middle-Eastern Couple Getting Married
Notes: the differences between invitation and belonging seem relevant
The idea of getting kicked out for not dressing right in the era of anti-Trans/Drag legislation is super ouchy. Handle with Care. But I think it’s also something that may need to be addressed. I bet this person was dressed with hate and thought that was more appropriate than the drag queens and the sec workers off the streets.
Call to Worship God, how is it your grace is so expansive Truly God, your keep calling us Come let us bless our God who calls us God calls us by name Let us keep God before us, God who is always at our right hand! God be praised, God is with us! Let us Praise God together!
Call to Confession: God is calling us to confess, Come let us confess ourselves to God
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that sometimes you have to call us more than once. Sometimes we are the ones that do not hear you until close til dusk. We confess that we envision ourselves as the early morning workers–but we do not know when it is you first called our name. God’s love is not a competition. Help us to remember that faith is always a gift, and that you are always, always calling us by name. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: Hear the Good News: The Steadfast Love of the Lord never changes, God’s mercies never come to the end, they are new every morning, so we know that God will always love and forgive us. Let us proclaim the Good News: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Let us go into the world refreshed by the Holy Spirit and remembering that it is God who is calling us by name. God loves us from the earliest dawn til the darkest dusk–let us go forth enveloped in that love. Amen.
Hymns: Morning has Broken, This is My Father’s World, Here I am Lord,
Call to Worship We are called God as the children of God Come let us welcome eachother as the children of God God invites us to unburden ourselves Come, let us wonder at God together
(Optional Opening Hymn or Taize)
Reading of Scripture: Matthew 18:1-9
Confession of Sin: God we confess that we are caught up. We stumble. We want to be great, instead of having the questions or wonder or faith of a child. We get caught in our worldly things. Help us to let go of those things we do not be, and to be less weighed down. Teach us to be more like children we pray. Amen.
Silent Confession of Sins (We write ours down and burn them for the imposition of ashes, no water only oil is used and they are smoldered to be put out)
Imposition of Ashes
Assurance of Pardon: (based on Psalm 51) Hear the Good news, God judges us according to God’s lovingkindness and the multitudes of God’s tender mercies. Thus we can say in confidence: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Communion
Communion Prayer: (Based on Psalm 146) Jesus Christ is the one who brings all together, forgiving us into being, executing justice so that the hungry might have good thins to eat and the prisoner might be free. Jesus Christ came to open the eyes of the blind and to uphold the blind, the widow. Jesus watches over the Immigrant. This is the one who sets the feast for us, is it any wonder that he forgives our sins and reminds us that we are all human so that we might love and honor one another as children of God together? Come let us pray the prayer Jesus taught us together (The Lord’s Prayer)
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.
God, I know what it is to love And have nothing else.
I know what it is to be sick for a week, a month, a year and pray and hope for treatment And be stuck with nothing but waiting And illnesses wash over you–and you are stuck with surviving at such a time as this
I know what it is to see your beloved stuck in the throes of psychosis Screaming for you to help them And you are right there But they can’t hear or see your love at such a time as this
I know what it is to be the one talking to estranged family members hearing both sides of the story Knowing that both sides are right in their own way seeing the irony of how similar they and bearing the sadness of their loneliness and hurt during the holidays at such a time as this
I know what it is to worry about your kids getting sick And the dangers of gun violence that seem to be around every corner but that society has deemed that the economy is important, so you send them To school, to the theater, to the shopping center, to activities at such a time as this
I know what it is to act in love To make the best choice one can When there is not right choice Only the best choice at hand- After years of “once in lifetimes” wars, violences, protests, recessions and pandemics, until we learn the truth God at such a time as this
We are in an apocalyptic times: a great revealing of truths. In such a time as this I keep learning the authentic sacrifices of love: communication, doing one’s best, forgiveness, boundaries God, you don’t have to be Queen Esther to live in this advent world at such a time as this
We are all holding each other’s hands And walking each other home In such a time as this– God, I know you understand too I’m hanging onto that with both hands this advent, as I’m waiting at such a time as this
Let’s light a candle of love, especially at such a time as this, light this candle with us I pray Amen
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.
Please Support my Writing, I am Funding some of my Doctorate in Creative Writing as a Public Theologian through donations https://gofund.me/554d36e3 Thank you to all those who have donated, I have successfully completed 2 years thanks to your support.
If you need a doc version of these resources-please email and I will get it to you as much as I have completed* (I have medical leave so things may slow a bit)
Nov 27 Hope Candle Faith as a Way of Life Habakkuk 1:1-7; 2:1-4 3: [3B-6], 17-19 Prophet grieved by injustice: Faith as a way, not an answer Matt 26: 36-38 Gethsemane Jesus is grieved, asks Disciples to watch Hope
God, what does hope taste like? Does it taste like clear cool water after a faithful run God says, faith is a path. God light our path with Hope Help us tp the light the Hope candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 1 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Dec. 4 Esther Love Candle Esther 4:1-17 For Such a Time as This, Esther was Made Queen
Salt and Light
Too often we feel in our souls the meaning of for such a time as this! We need love candles, to light our way. God sends the Esthers, to love us in terrible times. God light our path with Love Help us to light the Love candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 2 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 3 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Dec 11 Joy Candle Light of Nations Isaiah 42:1-9 Through Spirit bring Release to Prisoners Matthew 12:15-21 Spirit of justice, fulfilling the prophecy
Light of Nations, how we desire you We long for the taste of freedom God sends the Holy Spirit to free all prisoners God light the path to freedom with Joy Help us to light the Joy candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 3 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 2 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Dec 18th Peace Candle Jesus as Immanuel Matthew 1:18-25 fPsalm 23:14
Holy Spirit, we cannot even fully conceive your peace But how we need the fullness of God’s Shalom in our souls God be with us, our Emmanuel, tell us the story until it lives in us God light our path to Peace Help us to light the Peace candle So we might find your justice, mercy and light.
Suggested Hymn V. 4 Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence or V. 1 O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Dec 24 Christ Candle Birth of Jesus Luke 2:1-14 [15-20] Psalm 96 (10-13) God, you are coming to us in Christ We long to fill your presence here God what a miracle you become, a baby a human translation of God’s love Come let us welcome Christ Come let us find you in justice, mercy and light
Suggested Hymn It Came Upon A Midnight Clear or O Holy Night
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
If you enjoy my work please consider giving to my Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing https://gofund.me/554d36e3
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!
katyandtheword 