God of hope,
as Ukraine balances on a knife edge,
we pray for peace.
Peace for Ukrainian citizens living with constant anxiety,
fearful that calamity will fall upon them today.
Peace for the Russian soldiers who are waiting for orders,
fearful for their own lives.
Peace for neighbouring countries who know
that war makes refugees that must be welcomed.
Thank you, God, for snow!
Thank you for the brilliance of a Canadian winter
and the way snow changes our landscape,
unifying it, showing us new shapes and contours.
Thank you for children who delight in snow,
embracing snowmen, digging tunnels and sliding down slopes.
Thank you for the way snow interrupts our grownup lives.
slowing us down, helping us rely on our neighbours.
The snow is an invitation to experience peace,
the peace of the world in winter.
God of hope,
in this snowy season
we turn our minds to worship;
with thankfulness, we sing praises,
with thoughtfulness, we listen to scripture,
with trust, we put ourselves in your hands.
In this service, through your creative power,
draw us close to one another
and form us as your people,
faithful in every season. Amen.
In these trying times,
there is so much to be thankful for.
Thank you for the taste of gingerbread and chocolate,
for the cheeriness of twinkly lights at night,
for the fragrance of cedar and pine,
and the feel of warm drinks in our hands on a cold day.
Thank you for the way familiar carols sink into us
bringing back memories of Christmases long past.
It’s interesting to be talking about this passage on Hallowe’en, the day we celebrate dress up. I think part of us would resist thinking about these qualities of Christian life like clothing. Because if they are something we put on, then perhaps we are hiding something. Maybe our Christianity is a mask we are wearing, something that is just on the outside. But maybe clothing ourselves is a way to change who we are inside.
An adaptable reader’s theatre, made for a zoom presentation, with at least 12 characters. Suitable for either children, or an intergenerational cast.
God of all great gifts,
hear our thanksgiving prayer!
Thank you for this beautiful world spinning its way through space,
the earth, our home, magnificent beyond understanding.
Thank you for the golden sun beaming out energy,
and for moonlight and starlight gracing the night.
Thank you for the cycle of seasons and most particularly for autumn:
streams of golden grain flowing from combines,
fresh green and red apples mounded on market shelves,
pumpkins lined up at roadside stands.
The story of Joseph and his brothers has captured our attention for thousands of years. It’s a story of family violence. A story of a family walking a long journey with the consequences of that violence. It’s a story of how God can take violent people and turn them around.
Why did violence happen in that family? Maybe it wasn’t the coat they saw in the distance that tipped the balance on the day Joseph was sold into Egypt. Maybe it wasn’t because Joseph was a tattle tale, squealing on his brothers. Maybe it wasn’t the father’s love given unequally, unfairly. Maybe it wasn’t because of the dreams. Maybe it wasn’t any of those things. Maybe it was simply the weather was too hot, everyone was cranky.
Thank you, God, for everything that is true and good:
for true love, and good friendships,
for true stories, and all who tell them,
for the good earth, which is truly a home for all your creatures.
Thank you for all who seek the truth;
journalists who try to reveal injustice,
scientists who figure out how things work,
judges who listen to every side.
Thank you for the desire for truth
that you put inside each one of us,
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.
I love to write and to lead worship! If you are finding my writing helpful, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to use or adapt the material here, it is all written by me. If printing material, please credit “Copyright Carol Penner www.leadinginworship.com” (and say whether you modified it). If publishing, please contact me for permission. Contact me at carol@leadinginworship.com
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