Litanies & Prayers

by Ken Sehested

Men: Our hearts sag with sorrow when the history of such misery is unveiled.

Women: Such truthfulness comes at a cost. But worthy is the truth.

by Ken Sehested

Introduction: To “steal away to Jesus” is not submission to injustice or passivity in the face of evil. Rather, it represents a strategic retreat to gather the weapons of the Spirit needed to reengage enemies in ways they fail to fathom and ultimately cannot thwart. Enemies are destroyed, by and by, when enmity itself is swallowed in death.

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by Ken Sehested

It is with careless ease that we say, “Bless God, for all life is good,” when the sun shines during our outings, when no strain threatens our budget.

It’s easy, when life is blessed with children and our ancient ones live long and die in peace.

by Ken Sehested

All of you with voices, sing out! All who lack melodic
      tongue, raise the roof with joyful noise! If you have
      hands, clap them. Feet, tap them. Fingers, snap them.

Let even your eyelids blink out praise to the One whose
      delight drenches earth and every creature.

by Ken Sehested

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

By that Word were all things breathed to life from the breathless dark, knit into comely shape from nether and nil.

by Ken Sehested

Call to Worship

Come to the place where horizons expand, and the gulf between earth and sky shrinks. Here covenants unfold and confrontations are staged.

by Ken Sehested

Let the room be filled with laud and laughter, oh people of Mercy. Fill the air with music and merriment, with the sound of delight annulling the wail of indigence.

Praise your Maker, you wind and wave. Sun and moon and Bethlehem’s star, shout in exultation!

by Ken Sehested

Worthy, worthy the One who conceived the earth and gave birth to bears and basil and beatitudes alike.

We extol you, Heaven’s Delight and Earth’s Repose!

by Ken Sehested

In the beginning the Verdant One saw everything that was made, and behold, it was lavish and delightful. (Genesis 1:31)

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of God’s greening hand. (Psalm 104:13)

by Ken Sehested

Discard your reluctance, you saints and you sinners:
Shout vowels of praise, sing consonants of delight.

On you, Dear Beloved, have I cast my care and
entrusted my fare. Let none rejoice over my sorrow;
let none reprise my grief.