I love the healing stories in the Gospel of Mark. There are two in this pericope and the first part is my very favorite. It seems all the more poignant this year when we are reaching for possibility and trying to be faithful to hope and love. We are reaching with our hands outstretched forContinue reading “Pandemic Prayers for Proper 8B”
Tag Archives: prayer
Last Minute Pandemic Prayers for Proper 7B
Though I am struggling to find a new normal, our world continues to turn. It has been announced that there is hope that the EU will open to American tourists leaving me to wonder if this is good news. Is this over? Can we go back to normal? Or does normal mean that we chooseContinue reading “Last Minute Pandemic Prayers for Proper 7B”
Recipe for Zoom Prayer and Pretzel Making
I want there to be lots of fun options for connection and community in Lent. I have been brainstorming ideas and wondering what is possible while we are still online. I want there to be silliness in this season that is usually so somber. We can do that another year. We can revive that traditionContinue reading “Recipe for Zoom Prayer and Pretzel Making”
Illuminating the Way to Hope in Another Pandemic Lent
Years ago, and I mean years ago, I wrote this liturgy for the six Sundays in Lent. It was an extended Tenebrae or a reversal of the Advent wreath. I wish I had explained it better in the original post. I had completely forgotten about it until some kind soul mysteriously found it in myContinue reading “Illuminating the Way to Hope in Another Pandemic Lent”
How Shall We Pray?
For the past several weeks, I’ve offered prayers as a gift to my colleagues in ministry who are serving faithfully during this pandemic. I’ve written liturgies following the Revised Common Lectionary that I have hoped were copied and pasted into Facebook Lives and Zooms and every other platform that congregations find themselves gathered in thisContinue reading “How Shall We Pray?”
Bless This Mess
In the days before my second child was born, I watched my toddler play while I flipped through the pages of Bless this Mess: A Modern Guide to Faith and Parenting in a Chaotic World. I read every word offered by my United Church of Christ colleague Molly Baskette and her former church member EllenContinue reading “Bless This Mess”
Ingredients for Worship in Holy Week
Though I’ve continued to write liturgy throughout the season of Lent for my lovely church here in Texas, I have completely failed to pepper my blog with any of those prayers. I managed to share semi-regular posts during Epiphany but it seems that my writing project which has long since surpassed 70,000 words has takenContinue reading “Ingredients for Worship in Holy Week”
A Service to Break Down Walls on Ash Wednesday
Sometimes cooking begins just by opening the pantry and realizing that that something delicious with peanut butter (because you mysteriously have a surplus of peanut butter) sounds really good. That’s kinda how this service came together. It all started with an email from the Salt Project which brought me to their blog to read thisContinue reading “A Service to Break Down Walls on Ash Wednesday”
Prayers for Epiphany 5C and 6C
I am blessed and honored to continue to cook up liturgical elements for worship at the United Christian Church in Austin. Admittedly, it feels like I haven’t been in the kitchen in a very long time. I’m editing more. I’m pulling more books off the shelf. I don’t have the familiar recipe of these liturgicalContinue reading “Prayers for Epiphany 5C and 6C”
Prayers for Baptism of Christ Sunday and Epiphany 2C
I attend a church with a super talented and dynamic staff, but as it happens when a lead pastor leaves for a new call, they’re carrying more than they usually do. There’s more work for each and every one of them. I could see it on their faces. It wasn’t obvious but I knew thatContinue reading “Prayers for Baptism of Christ Sunday and Epiphany 2C”
Cooking with Elsa 