Narrative Lectionary Fall 2022 Rainbow God, Queer Edition

Rainbow God

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.

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My Kid is Gay
Image: https://katyandtheword.files.wordpress.com/2022/08/ec610-transforming.jpg

Rainbow God

Sept 11

Flood and Promise
Genesis 6:5-22, 8:6-12, 9:8-17 Flood, Promise Rainbow
Matt 8:24-27 Jesus Calms Storm
Psalm 23 Lord is My Shepherd

Call to Worship:

God you are the God of Rainbows

Before we knew, You knew

You painted peace, in diversity

Before we knew, You knew

Come let us praise the God of Peace and Love

Come, Let us Praise our Rainbow God!

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. 

Sept 25

Joseph in Prison
Genesis 39:1-23 Joseph in Prison, God with Him
Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed when People Revile you
Psalm 146

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.

Oct 2nd

Exodus 14:5-7, 10-14, 21-29 God parts sea and delivers
(Suggested read Exodus 14:5-29 all)
Matt 2:13-15 Mary, Joseph, Jesus flee to Egypt
Psalm 77

Call to Worship

God will part the Ocean for you

God longs for your safety

God knows it is hard work to get to be safe

God longs for your safety

God wants to rescue you

Come let us find places of sanctuary with God

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.

The Bible Queer: National Coming Out Day Prayer https://katyandtheword.com/2022/10/11/coming-out-day-a-prayer/

Oct 9 

Exodus 19:3-7; 20:1-17 God bring Israel on Eagle’s Wings; Decalogue
Matt 5:17 Jesus not to abolish law but fulfill it
Psalm 91

Call to Worship

God you are not made of rules

God you are full of grace

God you make wonderful and fierce

God you are full of grace

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. 

Oct 16th

Joshua 24:15 [16-26] God delivers, me and my house serve the lord
Matt 4:8-10 Satan offers kingdom; worship only God
Psalm 27

Joshua Renews the Covenant 

Call to Worship

Who does not need Renewal?

Renew our full self here today!

God who knows us and loves us

Give us a renewal today.

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!