On the day fear parks itself in my throat;
when the mountain to be climbed
is the next twenty-four hours
and my ears already echo
with the news I do not want to hear;
as my stomach plummets
and fear pick-axes my heart;
while my mind careens
from possibility to possibility;
as the edges of my known world crumble,
God, this is about the secret sins
which we have managed, we think,
to conceal from others
but which are an open book to you.
You see the sly dishonesty, the creeping pride,
the selfish preoccupation,
the lustful thoughts, the abusive actions,
the crooked business dealings, the tight-fisted stinginess
and the fear of facing consequences we deserve.
We have prepared a bitter table and sit alone.
The unseen guest at every table surprises us
We are in touch with our money.
We know the cool weight of loonies and toonies
and the crisp lightness of dollar bills.
Our smooth bank cards tell us what we have or owe.
We are in touch with our money!
Today we let go of this money,
we place it in the offering plate,
freeing it to do the work of the church in your name.
We remember that you put money into our hands.
You are the Great Provider,
the Giver of all Gifts,
your love the only true currency.
Accept these gifts in the name of Jesus, Amen.
God of social graces
be with me in this gathering today.
In every interaction, stand by my side.
When words are needed, help me find them.
In the give and take of conversation,
help me to give carefully
and take freely.
When others choose to put me down,
be with me in humiliation’s slow burn.
Keep me from returning evil for evil
In the sweet light blossom of first love,
God of new beginnings, be near us.
Let us discover wonder and beauty
in the smile of another.
Let us feel ourselves embraced
in arms and open minds.
Let us be giddy with happiness
at the world’s freshness.
In the wide swoop of love’s new dance
you are the ground beneath our feet,
the air we breathe together
To do my job as pastor here, here is what I need from You:
wisdom to interpret scripture,
courage to speak the truth,
eloquence to touch frozen hearts,
patience when people won’t listen,
kindness for those who irk me,
strength to shoulder hard stories,
discretion to know when to speak,
self-control to remain silent,
hope in the face of hopelessness.
Above all these give me love for all your people
and a passionate longing for your presence.
Thank you God for your good and faithful servants
our forefathers and foremothers in faith
who nurtured us and encouraged us
to journey in Jesus’ footsteps.
We follow their examples and find
that your steadfast love sustains us
in dark valleys of disbelief
on mountains of joyful clarity
along each daily dusty road we walk.
You listen patiently to our complaints:
“Our feet hurt!”
“We’re tired!”
This is what we desire:
Your love breaking down barricades of hatred.
Your peace melting permafrosted hearts.
Your joy cascading over bleak resignation.
Your patience bending the world slowly.
Your gentleness permeating even the most impermeable.
Your goodness towering above all evils.
Your kindness embracing our fear.
Your faith moving mountains.
Your spirit, God, is all we desire.
Be with us in this hour of worship. Amen.
In our remote control world
advertisements compete to control
body, mind, thoughts.
Pop-ups telling us how
to look, walk, eat, buy.
Telling us who to be, what to see
who to fear, what to wear
how to think, where to shop.
Stop. Why?
Your spirit, a divine virus checker
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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