For Christmas Day or Epiphany Ready-to-print download: Now Comes the Brighter Day. – Bob Hill Now comes the brighter day so wanted, needed now, reminding all that dark is stalled when love comes home to stay. Now comes the brighter ray, a beam for all to show, a flame of fame, no one to shame, […]
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Ascension Ascending Who went where? Where is the place or space or experience to which they went? Why up? Above the clouds? Beyond the Horsehead Nebula? Into the void? What words, what concepts do we use to talk about this mysterious event? Or is it a non-event? It comes around every year, 40 days after […]
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Mysterious paradoxes collide in this story, A story of a baby, Born into nothing, Yet born into everything. Born in a shed, But born in love, And is love And brings love. The paradox of a young woman, Not yet wedded, Blessed to bring life, Into this world that needs life Needs hope Requires love. […]
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My family and I have experimented with the Jesus Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer. By removing gender-orientation and limiting phrases and inserting words that ring with meaning and truth for today, this prayer has remained a pillar of my faith practice. In the 1980’s saying nightly prayers with my children, we replaced “Our Father” with “Almighty God.” Today, with […]
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The Christmas season is not always a happy time. — Mary Oliver (from Thirst, Beacon Press, Boston, 2006) The Advent and Christmas seasons can remind us of loved ones or relationships we have lost. The sights and smells of the weeks approaching Christmas, rather than bring joy and delight, can bring sadness and grief. A “Blue […]
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Dear God of all, grant us understanding of our brothers and sisters worldwide. Plant in us the seed of oneness. Nourish us with your love and grace so that we may live God-like in our interactions with those who are different from us. Grant us the ability to recognize the spirit and sameness that unites […]
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An initiative of the Progressive Christianity movement: Join communities around the world celebrating religious diversity on the first Sunday of May (or the date of your choice). Pluralism isn’t just diversity; it’s something we create out of this diversity. The first Sunday of May is the day that many progressive Christian congregations observe as Pluralism […]
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We follow the way of Jesus. He opens our hearts To know that our true selves are one with God, who is Love. Jesus saves us from fear, from selfishness, from meaninglessness. He leads us to serve with compassion and act for justice. He moves us to curiosity and creativity. He brings us together in […]
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This ready-to-use Café Church worship service weaves together scripture, drama, reflection, conversation & communion. It has been designed for worship around tables, but is easily adaptable to a more traditional setting. This service includes everything you need — an Order of Service to handout, leader script sheets, reader printouts, song suggestions, a list of supplies, […]
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Seeking to be faithful to the original languages, Priests for Equality have sought new and non-sexist ways to express the same ancient truths. The Inclusive Bible is a fresh, dynamic translation into modern English, carefully crafted to let the power and poetry of the language shine forth. While this new Bible is certainly an inclusive-language […]
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Pentecost came once – long long, so long ago! What can it mean to us but to inspire perhaps? And yet could it be so that we might know the fire upon our heads and in our souls? Our lives might yet be changed beyond out wildest dreams – or fears? For we might have […]
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Refreshing words, by Lawrence Moore, UK Preparation: a bowl of water (to represent baptism) and towel Affirmation I go into today with the gift of the God who calls me, the Christ who walks beside me, and the Spirit who empowers me. I refresh my body with the water of all life. (Wash hands, face […]
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God, help me to figure out what I need, and hear my prayer when I am bold enough to ask for it. Amen. Matthew 9:20-22 Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, […]
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Mark 15:25-39 Response I didn’t sign up for this. Not whips and nails, splinters and thorns, blood and stink and agony. I didn’t sign up for this. Not failure and despair, discouragement and derision, ignominy and ridicule. If it comes to this, I want to walk away too – flee; deny having ever known you. […]
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Inspired by Julian of Norwich Ready-to-use printable copies: WORD Mothering prayer, Cara Heafey PDF Mothering prayer, Cara Heafey Mothering God, you birthed the universe into being. Home-maker, your creation is habitat and sustenance to all that lives. How costly for you our freedom must be. How painful the separation From the parent who has numbered […]
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May be read in unison as a Call to Worship I worship and adore God, source, essence, and aim of all things, spirit that enlivens all beings. I follow the way of Jesus, who found God in himself and shared a way for others to find God in themselves. He was born […]
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Words seeking the deepest places Words for rigorous honesty Words to cleanse the spirit, mind and soul Newest posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Words of Confession’ resources . . . Featured image: Holocaust Memorial, San Francisco, California USA
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What words reach out to a gathered congregation? Do they bring comfort? Challenge? A call for renewal and re-commitment? Are we free or stuck in a formula? What words enable God to speak through us? Newest related posts . . . (images link to posts) Alphabetical archive of all ‘Pastoral Prayers’ resources . . .
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23rd Sunday after Pentecost, Year B Children’s Conversation and Prayer Mark 10:46-52 Hold up cards of different colours, one at a time. Ask: What can you name that is… [the colour of the card being held up] orange/red/purple/etc? Thank you God for the colour orange/red/purple/etc and everything that is orange/red/purple/etc. God created our eyes to […]
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The progressive Christianity movement continues to morph and evolve in relationship to the voices rising up within the Christian movement as a whole. Groups identifying themselves as Progressive Christians uphold freedom of thought and practice paramount within Christianity, and respect and humility paramount regarding how Christians relate to other religions and beliefs. There are on-going […]
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Words resting in the silence of our hearts Words spoken into eternal presence Word felt Words uttering our deepest need and strongest faith, our doubts and uncertainties Prayers for Sunday Prayers for Monday Prayers for Tuesday Prayers for Wednesday Prayers for Thursday Prayers for Friday Prayers for Saturday Prayers for today, words for you:
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The USA-based Liturgy Project provides hundreds of liturgical posts by authors around the globe. The free worship planning material is easy to locate using an extensive index. “Progressive Christianity is an open, intelligent and collaborative approach to the Christian tradition and the life and teachings of Jesus that create pathways into an authentic and relevant religious experience.” […]
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