Carol Penner, Author at Leading in Worship

Prayer After a Tsunami

March 13, 2011

God of Hope,
in this time of tumult we lay before you the country of _____.
With their land still trembling,
they try to comprehend devastation too broad in its scope:
the sea sweeping through leaving people killed and missing,
homes and towns and cities demolished.
Our prayers are for the people of ______:
Holy Comforter, bring your peace.

We are acutely aware of all who need rescue:
those trapped in buildings and remote areas,
those without food or clean water or shelter,
the injured, the terrified, the anguished….

Words Before Vows

February 28, 2011

Dearly beloved:
A vow is a prayer spoken before God.
A vow is a promise made before witnesses.
A vow is a commitment of life and breath and strength.
A vow is a true joy as it proclaims the heart’s passion.
A vow is a new beginning with old ways discarded.
A vow is a standard by which to measure each year.
A vow is a light that illuminates the path.
A vow is a map that shows the way.
A vow is a steady point in a whirling time of trial.
A vow is a familiar voice always calling you home.
A vow is forever, a hope for eternity.

The Fights of our Lives

February 23, 2011

God, we invite you into the fights of our lives;
fights with the ones we love the most,
our brothers and sisters, our partners and parents, our children.
Despite all our promises and hopes to honour and cherish,
we drop the ball and all hell breaks loose.
Words explode like grenades on the home front.
“You never,” “You should,” “You always.”
“I’m sick and tired of,” “Not this again,” “That’s it.”
Anger spews out of us,
fear and rage rumble inside.
We know how this plays out,

Pockets and Hearts Offering Prayer

January 29, 2011

ou are the God of full pockets
and the God of pockets zipped shut;
the God of empty pockets and pockets with holes,
the God of inside-out pockets,
and pockets stuffed with treasures.
You are the God of our pockets.
You came to show us that life is not to be pocketed
but to be given freely, joyfully, sacrificially.

You are the God of full hearts
and the God of hearts that are empty;

A Faith without Bells

January 29, 2011

I belong to a faith without bells.
No crystal clear call to worship
floating over fields and factories,
whispering over shopping malls;
come, come, come.

I belong to a faith without bells.
No insistent tugging reminder
more universal than any cellphone
piercing even concrete with its message,

Way of Peace Benediction

December 7, 2010

By the tender mercy of our God
love has broken upon us!
Light is given where once there was darkness
and hope where there was only death.
We go into this season knowing
that God will guide our feet into the way of peace.

Inside and Outside the Stable: A Christmas Poem

December 7, 2010

Inside the stable there is darkness pushing in,
a small light, perhaps, illuminating three faces.
The murmurs of a baby’s cries, his snuffling and suckling,
the rustle of straw, the sound of animals shifting.
The smell of sweat and blood and manure,
the fragrance of milk and sweet baby.
The touch of a hand on a smooth small forehead,
a man’s arm holding a body still shaking with afterpains.

Outside the stable, darkness is pushed away,
radiant brightness illuminating shepherds, flocks.
The gasps of fright as grown men topple to the ground,

Advent Adventure

November 27, 2010

A story of light dawning,
light that is yearned for, longed for, desperately sought,
a story of light dawning in darkness;
darkness that covers the deep,
darkness that speaks of death.

A story of hope dawning,
hope that is yearned for, longed for, desperately sought,
a story of hope dawning in the midst of despair;
despair that defeats us,
despair that speaks of death….

Litany for Mental Illness

September 29, 2010

God, you are the great Healer.
Today we pray for those who live with mental illness.
For those crippled by depression and anxious feelings,
   bring healing, bring peace.
For those who suffer from the high and lows of severe mood swings,
   bring healing, bring peace.
For those who are tormented by voices and hallucinations,
   bring healing, bring peace.
For those who find it difficult to cope with tasks of daily living,
   bring healing, bring peace.
For those who struggle with suicidal thoughts,

About Carol Penner

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

Carol Penner

Prayer After a Tsunami

Words Before Vows

The Fights of our Lives

Pockets and Hearts Offering Prayer

A Faith without Bells

Way of Peace Benediction

Inside and Outside the Stable: A Christmas Poem

Advent Adventure

Litany for Mental Illness

About Carol Penner

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