More than thoughts & prayers
Tag: prayer
Gun Violence Prevention Prayers
This is the start of my collected resource. Because I need to be real about this.
Also more than “Thoughts & Prayers”
All prayers can be used/adapted/shared with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Wrong Turns (About getting lost and Gun Violence that resulted, and Rainbows)
No Breath Prayer In the Pit: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/26/13962/
Call Me Mara, A Bitter Prayer: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/25/mara-a-bitter-prayer/
14 no 19 no 21, https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/24/14-a-prayer/
Truth: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/16/truth-a-prayer/
Imprecation: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/15/imprecation/
Do You Reject Evil? https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/15/do-you-reject-evil/
Forgiving God: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/03/19/forgiving-god-a-prayer/
Empty-handed Prayer: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/02/25/empty-handed-prayer/
I’m so mad: https://katyandtheword.com/2021/04/16/im-mad-and-thats-not-going-to-change-prayer/
Timeless God: https://katyandtheword.com/2022/05/28/god-of-time/
14, A Prayer
14 18 20 21
God?!!???
When will the
USA
countdown
Enough
Wisps of childhood
Enough gasps of Black People
Enough cries of Brown People
Enough endangerment of Whot people
For thoughts to turn into flipped tables?
And prayers to turn into peace beyond understanding?
How Long Lord?
I’m tired of this prayer, prayed on behalf of those who no longer pray
Melt our hearts God, move us beyond what we are—to doing what we need to do to bring peace.
No more thoughts and prayers—policies ans protests. Times 14. 18 20 21
Screw it. Times 14,000 18,000 20,000 21,000
In the name of Jesus Christ. We pray.
Amen
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
May 22nd Partnerships in the Gospel
Praying the Gospel
Call to Worship
God you call every single person here
We are called into community with one another
Help us to pray for one another
Let us thank God for one another
Come let us worship God
Come, let us be called into community together
Call to Confession: God is here, to listen, always. Come let us confess ourselves to God.
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that sometimes we feel like we are in competition with fellow Christians, or that our work is not good enough, or that we do not know how to be evangelists for your faith. In truth, we do not often agree with people who call themselves Christians, and we do not know what to do with that. We confess, that we do not really believe that all good works will somehow be brought into fruition in Christ. Help us: to keep at it, to have courage, to take joy in the work and to keep teaching and praying. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God’s Love is from everlasting to everlasting. Let us live into the assurance of the truth: In Jesus Christ you are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: May we go into the world thanking God every time we think of one another, and knowing that the good works that have begun here will be brought into completion by Jesus Christ. Amen.
Hymns: Every Time I Feel the Spirit, I Love the Lord Who Heard My Cry, Lord I Wanna Be A Christian In My Heart, O God Our Faithful God, If Thou But Trust in God to Guide Me, Just As I Am Without One Plea
With Children: How do you know prayers are answered? Talk through about what praying for another person is, and what to do when prayers are answered and when they aren’t. Talk about God’s perspective versus the human perspective.
Holy Week
Teaching No More War, A Prayer
God,
Today I am thinking about how much
We humans have to devalue one another to go to war.
God, when I think of all of the lying that war involves.
Of all the hate and dehumanizing.
It chokes in my throat, and makes it hard for me to breathe.
Was this what it was like for the Hebrews,
walking in the desert,
homeless,
landless,
without water
immigrants.
Is this why you admonished them never to forget
that they were victims of war?
Is this why you promised them a land of milk and honey?
Does this symbolize a land where all people are valued as humans.
Does the promised land signify a place
where Terfs lies about trans individuals are muted
so we do not even hear their voices?
Is this a place where the bullying that
the right honorable judge,
and so many minorities had to stand by
and just take
Is not only unacceptable
but laughable.
If that is the Kingdom,
God–sign me up.
If that is peace,
I want to be there yesterday.
Teach us the ways of war no more, Lord.
Help us to pray for our enemies in such a way,
in such a way that we do NOT dehumanize one another.
Please teach us God.
we pray.
Amen.
Feel Free to Use/Adapt/Share with Credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
God, a prayer
God,
I’m tired
Of praying
For peace.
God,
I’m tired
Of praying.
God,
I’m tired.
God.
Amen.
Feel free to use/adapt/share with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
Empty Handed Prayer
Ok God,
You know that sometimes,
Ok let’s be honest,
All too often,
My hands are outstretched!
Not because I’m throwing my hands up in praise
but rather
because they feel WAY too empty.
And I can’t find a way to help–
So I pray.
So here I am Sweet Jesus,
In the middle of a veritable plague,
on the edge of what could be World War 3,
while dictators invade innocent nations,
while families are treatened to be ripped apart
for supporting and loving and affirming
your God imaged trans and lesbian and gay and nonbinary children
and black and brown people are still killed without warrant or warrants
and books are being banned and burned
and gun violence is up everywhere
and home prices are through the roof–
Is this how it felt Jesus, when you were born
in the middle of occupied Jerusalem
Is this how the disciples felt
when they asked you the same questions
over and over (and over) again.
Did you have compassion for them,
because you knew their questions were a form of prayer?
God why is this happening?
How do we stop it?
Why do we fall into these patterns of evil again and again.
Hosanna! Save us! Help us!
God, as we enter this lonely time time of Lent,
Help me to walk with you, I pray.
because, God knows,
You know,
I at least don’t want to walk it alone.
And so here I am,
with an empty handed prayer,
knowing that I’m asking for something to do
and what you ask will not be easy…
but I choose to pray anyway,
Because I don’t want to be empty handed anymore!
Lord hear my prayer,
Amen.
Amen.
Feel free to share/adapt/use with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
With thanks to @Thomaslhorrocks for the inspirational tweet
Boiling Over
God,
I see the schools
that are closing up
due to violence
and protests
and the likes–
and I’m reminded
All Behavior is Communication
All of it–You knew God, when
Helen Keller was throwing a tantrum
when Elijah was crying out
when Moses said
don’t call me
when the disciples
woke Jesus in the midst of the storm
terrified…
All behavior is communication.
So, God I’m wondering
as we start to boil over,
what are we trying
to communicate?
As we are forced
to work
and school
and carry on
in the middle of a storm
as though everything is normal
and haven’t even paused to grieve.
Help us–not to behave,
God no.
But to communicate,
because clearly we are crying out,
and boiling over.
Help us, we pray.
Amen.
Please feel free to use/share/adapt with credit to Pastor Katy Stenta
March 27th Jesus and Pilate: Hope of the Kin(g)dom
Jesus and Pilate
Call to Worship:
God is faithful in all of their words, and gracious in all of their deeds
My mouth will speak the praise of God
Come let us praise the Trinity
Let all flesh bless God’s holy name forever and ever
Call to Confession: You send the Holy Spirit to encourage us and inspire us to be brave in our confession, so let us confess ourselves to you God.
Prayer of Confession: God we confess that we too often confuse earthly power with heavenly power. We think power is about wealth and politics and stuff, when really you show again and again that it grace and love and mercy given in abundance. Continue to teach us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Assurance of Pardon: God loves us and forgives us, hear the good news: In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Prayer of the Day/Dedication: Jesus Christ you are the truth, and the life and the hope everlasting. Let us hold onto that as we go about the world we pray. Amen.
Children: Talk about “The Lord’s Prayer’ “Thy Kin(g)dom Come” and the King and Kingdom that Jesus and PIlate are talking about with Pilate, why is Pilate so Confused? What are we praying for when we are praying “Thy Kin(g)dom Come?”
Hymns: Lead On O King Eternal, Lord Dismiss Us With Thy Blessing, Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty, Live Into Hope, Glory Be to the Father, Our Father Lord of Heaven and Earth, And He Never Said a Mumblin’ Word
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
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