Here’s a prayer for the Nonbinary those who are represented in the Twilight the Dawn And all of the beautful shades of gray in the world which can contain a rainbow of colors within it.
Here’s a prayer for the Nonbinary Those who are both/and The ones who feel at home in the Trans* community and those who are created in the image of God Male and Female
Here’s a prayer for the children Who should be safe in their identity Beloved in their Zir Xyr Eir Full selves Able to Name and Claim Who they are
And yes Use the bathroom Without peering eyes questions or even a second of discomfort Is that not what we want for all of our children?
Here is a prayer for the Nonbinary the ones who understand the importance of a well-placed pronoun those who ones who live bravely in the thin places the in-between for we know that those places are blessed and Holy
You are Holy
Here’s a prayer for the Nonbinary For you are Beautifully and Fiercely made
Don’t let anyone tell you differently
For you are a Child of God Who created you, loves you exactly as you are and calls you by your chosen name Amen.
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
You know God, as my husband takes down the Christmas tree Christmas eve (quick before we get distracted) and the relations make their way home and the songs and candlelight fades
that we need time to sink into Christmas because Christmas is a journey.. I say this not to tsk about Advent vs Christmas vs Epiphany But to think about deep rhythms of the body, winter and the universe
And how we need a good couple of weeks of Christmas-tide to rest think and pondering
There is so much journeying and pondering at Christmas
not to mention comforting of one another
Yet we seem to burst onto the scene in joyfulness and glory and demand a quick wrap up with the wise ones before we rush home
I wonder how wonderful it would be if we gave one another the time of slow and fruiting Christmas with a full couple of weeks of rest
(I thought this especially during Covid “Shutdown” what if we emphasized a quiet holiday time home protecting one another?)
How I long for a time of cozy recovery built in to our culture Tricia Hersey suggests we snatch this kind of of rest whenever we can
So I pray that you steal some cozy restful comfort and recovery this holiday-tide
And if you have not I hope that you build it in As I imagine
Jesus longing for Peace for all as he lay with his parents snug after all of the festivities
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “KatyandtheWord”
Pride and prejudice archive. The days between Christmas and New Years. A woman reading by the fire, another reclining on the couch, the third writing. all look languid.
Longest Night Prayer Jesus, Sweet Baby Jesus Born in the midst of a collapsing empire Hidden in plain sight from everything and everyone official
When different factions of the religion were all claiming to be the “truer” one Each saying if you don’t worship our way You don’t belong to God.
You were born when a Messiah Seemed to be around every corner Lamps were left on at night and demagogues and dynamic cult leaders Were followed at whim, because people needed hope
And the gulf between who was poor and who was rich The distinction between who was citizen and who was not The taste in one’s mouth when people called one another Foreigner, Outsider, or Different was sour and full of hate
Violence was everywhere Children, the Poor, The Elderly, The Lonely, the Sex Worker were Ignored or Forgotten Laws were passed against anyone deemed Unclean in any way (oh my Queer siblings!)
Jesus Christ, you were born in a time When no one was receiving proper healthcare So people banged down your door for a bit of healing
And my heart aches With the familiarity, you could be born today Is this why you have to be born into today’s world? Have we forgotten why we need you?
Sometimes I wonder if you haven’t returned Because we haven’t learned enough? Heretic thought I know But I sit in the hate and terror and worry Jesus
Jesus Christ, we need you. A baby A sneak king full of healing and mischevious teachings of Grace Jesus we need someone who will sit in the dirt with the marginal and embody the Peace so much that we will sit in the dirt with you.
Sweet baby Jesus, though I know we picture angels, shepherds, & magi I think that a baby born in the war-torn dark might be the truth Help us to sit with that, in the shortest day and longest night I pray.
Amen.
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Peace tastes like bubbles being blown free and never poppin’ soapy clean on the tongue
Peace smells like dandelions and clovers Growing wildin’ clumps across the meadows fresh to roll across, the better to catch the minglin’ your nose
Peace feels like cool autumn days Just crisp enough for sweaters and everyone to be out walkin’ jumpin’ crunchin’ leaves
Peace sounds like the hush after snow–where sounds are crystallin’, sparkling in clarity and the hush magicin’ throughout
Peace feels like abundance enough food for everyone a safe place to be layin’ one’s head Kinship and friendship without jealousy Space to be creatin’ and buildin’
Good God who is glorious, generous full of bounty, food and other good things
I feel too exhausted to pray about pieces of metal that explode into messes of blood tragedy and annihlation
As the weeping of babies across oceans haunt my dreams at night and the artwork of Banksy decorates the walls, the walls of hate
My words seem like a meager choice the cry of Peace while those with nothing are crying in war
Who will share this burden? The prophets cry
And the artists will paint with their tears
Call your Congressperson I pray
Do not tell the story of the downtrodden: the Palestinian Christian, the hungry senior citizen the beaten Black Lives Matter Activist the forgotten Trans Teen the shot kindergartener Do not tell the story after the tragedy has happened
God I am so tired of praying about pieces of metal empty of bullets emptying lives emptying souls
Teach me another prayer Teach me the prayer of Peace Because
Because I am all too familiar with the vocabulary of hate it contains words like animals revenge and dehumanization
Reteach me the languages of love teach me the me the lexicon of humanization
Melt our hearts our weapons our souls into another shape I pray. Amen.
Feel Free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta “Katyandtheword”
Peace Means wholeness When no one Is looking For pieces Of houses Bodies Or family …….Members Any For Ever …. More Peace And War Taught Know Told Learnt No ….Pieces of My Heart Lay Shattered On the floor I don’t Have the Energy To pick Them up
Puzzling out Peace
Feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy “Katyandtheword”
katyandtheword 