silence

Teach Us to Pray

March 16, 2023

We are told we are not alone,
that you are with us.
You are as close as a prayer,
close as our heart.
Yet why do you feel so far away, God?
Teach us to pray! 

For those among us
who didn’t take time to pray this week–
forgive us for not turning to you.
We prioritized many things, 
but missed what was essential.
We failed to call home,
even though you are waiting for our call.

For those among us who wanted to pray,
but didn’t know how to pray this week–
show us that we can long for you,
even when there are no words. 
We can turn our gaze upon you,

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Visualizing Kindness Guided Prayer

May 20, 2021

In this prayer, I invite you to close your eyes (if you are comfortable doing that), and picture things during some short times of silence. Rather than forming sentences in your mind, just create a picture. These pictures will be our prayer.

Picture in your mind how someone was kind to you this week.  Thank God for that person.   [10 seconds of silence]

Picture in your mind someone in the congregation who is grieving or sick, and picture how the kindness of the community is helping them through this time. Thank God for kindness.  [12 seconds of silence]

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Guided Silent Prayer

February 19, 2016

We come to God each week with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.
This morning I will lead you in a guided silent prayer.
Even though each of us prays in our own hearts,
our prayers are not solitary
when we join together as the people of God,
praying as one in many voices.

God,
creation is so much with us,
sights, sounds, tastes, fragrances;
we pause to give thanks for something
in nature that gave us joy this week.   [PAUSE]

You have brought people into our lives,

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Psalm for Silence

February 20, 2012

I crave silence like water.
In this noisy non-stop fast-paced high-powered
injection-fuelled people-filled emotion-packed
day, I say,
“I crave silence like water.”
Drop, drop, drop
into my soul, soul, soul.
I will listen for the drip and the echo.
I will look, look, look
for the dropper of silence
and wait, wait, wait to be filled.

Silence expands noiselessly.
It blossoms unexpectedly,

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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

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