Holy God, when I am holding on by a thread, buffeted by gale winds, anxious and overwhelmed, teach me to praise the thread. Show me the thread is your gift, a connection of love and hope, delicate as your tender mercy, strong as your unquenchable grace. In the thread, may I know I am stillContinue reading “In Praise of the Thread”
Author Archives: carolhprickett
A Prayer for the Empty Chairs (Thanksgiving in a Pandemic)
Eternal God, we come to you in prayer today over the empty chairs. We pray with longing for the friends and family who cannot come to the table today and while we give thanks for Zoom and text and phones it’s not the same as passing the rolls and hugging them tight. We pray withContinue reading “A Prayer for the Empty Chairs (Thanksgiving in a Pandemic)”
An Ode to the Pandemic Pastor
You never expected this. You never expected to be an epidemiologist, televangelist, crisis counselor, and innovation architect all rolled into one. Yet you’ve piled all those hats on your head, washed your hands and masked your face, and sallied forth into God’s hurting world. Well done, good and faithful servant. You never expected this. YouContinue reading “An Ode to the Pandemic Pastor”
A Deeper Well: Litany of Commitment
This Litany of Commitment was created to serve alongside the stewardship sermon series, A Deeper Well.
A Deeper Well: Communion Liturgy
This Great Prayer of Thanksgiving and Sending Blessing were written to accompany the stewardship sermon series “A Deeper Well.”
A Deeper Well: Confession Cycle
These Prayers of Confession and Assurances of Pardon were created to serve alongside the stewardship sermon series, A Deeper Well.
A Deeper Well
This four-week stewardship sermon series is built around the theme “A Deeper Well.” It engages four scriptures with well/water imagery from both the Old and New Testament. Originally developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the series is designed to carry pastoral sensitivity for churches in times of economic uncertainty. It recognizes that giving money is aContinue reading “A Deeper Well”
A Deeper Well: Call to Worship Cycle
These Calls to Worship were created to serve alongside the stewardship sermon series, A Deeper Well.
A Deeper Well (Stewardship Sermon Series)
This four-week stewardship sermon series is built around the theme “A Deeper Well.” It engages four scriptures with well/water imagery from both the Old and New Testament. Originally developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the series is designed to carry pastoral sensitivity for churches in times of economic uncertainty. It recognizes that giving money is aContinue reading “A Deeper Well (Stewardship Sermon Series)”
Back to School Prayer (in a Pandemic)
Jesus, our friend, we are going back to school but not like we remember. We are full of feelings—mad, worried, scared, confused. We don’t know what will happen. We don’t know how to do this. So remind us that you are with us every day, with us whether we are in a school buildingContinue reading “Back to School Prayer (in a Pandemic)”
Reflection Questions: Walking in the Storm
These reflection questions were created to accompany the sermon series Walking in the Storm: Spiritual Practices for a Resilient Faith. They could form the basis for a Sunday School class, a small group, or could simply be printed in the bulletin. You are welcome to use or adapt these reflection questions, with credit. When printingContinue reading “Reflection Questions: Walking in the Storm”
Call to Worship Cycle: Walking in the Storm
These opening words for worship were created to accompany the sermon series Walking in the Storm: Spiritual Practices for a Resilient Faith. You are welcome to use or adapt these liturgies for worship, with credit. When printing these liturgies, please use the following credit line: “Prayer by Rev. Carol Holbrook Prickett.” Week 1: “Walking inContinue reading “Call to Worship Cycle: Walking in the Storm”
Confession Cycle: Walking in the Storm
These unison confessional prayers were created to accompany the sermon series Walking in the Storm: Spiritual Practices for a Resilient Faith. You are welcome to use or adapt these liturgies for worship, with credit. When printing these liturgies, please use the following credit line: “Prayer by Rev. Carol Holbrook Prickett.” Week 1: “Walking in theContinue reading “Confession Cycle: Walking in the Storm”
Walking in the Storm: Spiritual Practices for a Resilient Faith
This eight week sermon series explores basic Christian spiritual practices as ways of building up resiliency in times of crisis, chaos, uncertainty, and distress. Centering on the story of Peter walking on water, the series looks at body care, grief, forgiveness, anger, connection, grace, and gratitude. Week 1: “Walking in the Storm”Scripture: Matthew 14:22-33An introductoryContinue reading “Walking in the Storm: Spiritual Practices for a Resilient Faith”
A Prayer for Impossible Choices
God, we scream to you “we can’t do this!” All the pieces won’t fit, no matter how many times we run through the questions. Nothing is good. Nothing is what we want. We’re stuck between impossible choices, and we wonder what happened to the God through whom all things were supposed to be possible. “I’mContinue reading “A Prayer for Impossible Choices”
Prayers of the People: Witness
God our creator,ruler of heaven and earth,you see us in our joy and our pain,our doubt and our faith,our confusion and despair,our longing and hope. You see us.
A Blessing for the Masks
Great Physician, Giver of All Life, may this mask I wear show your true face: a face of mercy and compassion a face that loves others above myself a face that protects the vulnerable and weak. As I wear this mask, save and protect me from danger that may come my way. As I wearContinue reading “A Blessing for the Masks”
Breathe: A Prayer for Church Leaders on the Sunday after Easter
When Jesus returned to that dark and locked room where the disciples huddled in fear he demanded no apologies, no account of ministry tasks performed in his absence, no statistics of new disciples engaged, but simply spoke peace, and breathed his Spirit. As we sit in our locked rooms, or stream from empty sanctuaries, giveContinue reading “Breathe: A Prayer for Church Leaders on the Sunday after Easter”
House Blessing for a Pandemic
Ever-present God, our rock and foundation, bless our homes.
In the Wilderness (Ash Wednesday Prayer of Confession)
Lord God, we confess that we reject what is confusing, messy, disordered, unnerving. We have no place in our life for ashes no time for wild places no patience for slow journeys. Of our need for control, we repent. Lead us where we do not want to go, and in the wilderness ofContinue reading “In the Wilderness (Ash Wednesday Prayer of Confession)”
