Author Archives: mictori

A Liturgy for Trinity Sunday

13 Thursday Jun 2019

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CALL TO WORSHIP  (Inspired by Psalm 8)
One: God, how majestic is your name throughout this earth!
Many: From the farthest reaches of the planet to the spaces immediately in front of us.
One: Whether we call you Mother or Father, Companion or Lord-
Many: How majestic is your name throughout this earth!
One: Whether we see you as Spirit or Savior, Creator or Comforter-
Many: Your name is majestic throughout this earth!
One: How many ways there are to know you!  How many ways to call you!
Many: How majestic is your Spirit throughout this earth!

INVOCATION (Unison)
Divine Whirl who moves about as three-in-one: we can’t fully comprehend your complete greatness. Our minds spin as we attempt to thoroughly understand the concept of Trinity, of how you work as Creator God, Christ, and Holy Spirit.  Although our minds are finite, we still look towards you in our growing understanding of how you work, God. Inspire us in your movement so that we whirl in your love. Amen.

PRAYER OF RECONCILIATION
One: Spinning, Whirling God, you pirouette as the Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost.  The three images dance in unison. Unfortunately, with our limited minds, we can only see you in one form.  We then curb ourselves to how we experience you. We call you by only a few of your names. We limit our songs.  We are drawn by few prayers. We make spiritual growth as easy on ourselves as possible.

All: Break down the confines in which we place you.  Encourage us to move beyond our comfort zones. Help us to know you from a variety of angles, and nudge us to listen to others’ stories of you.  May our spirits of understanding grow as we see you from different perspectives. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GRACE
One: God knows that stepping outside of our comfort zones and seeing the world from different views is difficult on us.  When we stay in safe spiritual spaces, God still loves us. The God who dances in our world will continue to call us new spaces, sharing grace with us in our moments of hesitation.  Amen!

All: Amen!

CALL TO OFFERING
One: The Spirit is calling us to use our time.  The Christ is beckoning us to use our talents. God is desiring us to use our treasures to construct God’s kin-dom.  Let us celebrate all of creation and each of the ways God appears to us as we share in this time of offering.

DEDICATION PRAYER
How majestic is the name of the Christ – the one who asks us to love through our gifts.  How majestic is the name of the Holy Spirit – the one who energizes us to share our time and talents.  How majestic is the name of our God – our source of blessings. May we use our gifts as a way to strengthen our world and build the kin-dom of God.  Amen.

BENEDICTION
One: The Divine is spinning, whirling around you.
Taste the sweetness from their fruits.
Feel the winds from her movement.
Hear the joy from his song.
Through the Holy Spirit, may we go forth in strength.
Through the Christ, may we go forth in love.
Through God, may we go forth in peace.
Three-in-one.  One-in-three.
Moving to bring forth love, justice, and mercy in our world.
Amen.

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A Liturgy for Pentecost

06 Thursday Jun 2019

Posted by in Holidays, Liturgy, Pop

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INVITATION TO HOLY SPACE
Dream – God said.  It’s time for you to dream in ways you never have before.

It’s time for you to open up your soul to the expanding nature of my Spirit.
It’s time for you to share this joy with the people surrounding you
It’s time for you to look deeply within you
Around you
In front of you
For the ways in which I am talking.

Dream – God said.  In this space you will dream in ways you never have before.
It’s time for you to reconfigure the box you’ve put me in.
It’s time for you to knock down the barriers that you’ve placed between you and your neighbors.
It’s time for you to delight in the ways we are church
And the ways we connect with our friend, foe, and stranger.

Be amazed.
Be perplexed.
Get excited.

CALL TO WORSHIP (Based on Psalm 104)
One: God rides on the wings of the wind.
Many: And God makes the winds messengers.
One: God makes fire and flame ministers
Many: As we seek the delivery of God’s visions.
One: May God’s glory endure forever.
Many: May our songs be praise-filled to God, for I rejoice in the Spirit’s offerings.

INVOCATION
Holy Winds who supply our souls with hope, we enter Pentecost with spirits of anticipation.  As the rush of your gales infuse us with visions, may we continue to keep ourselves open to possibilities.  As the flames ignite our once-cold souls with warm dreams, may we keep ourselves focused on your presence in our lives.  Amen.

PRAYER OF RECONCILIATION
God of the Open Doors, we have tried to cram you into small boxes.  We have repeatedly told ourselves that your dreams won’t become a reality.  We have devoted our time to obstructing doors and locking windows when your Spirit tries to deliver its visions.  Clear doubt from our minds.  Call us from our locked rooms where we hide behind couches of fear and drapes of doubt.  May the hope and boldness of Pentecost become our new way of living.  Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GRACE
One: God’s Spirit ushers grace into our lives.   As the Spirit’s hope endures forever, may the fires of possibility ignite our souls.  The Spirit will transform our minds as she refills our spirits.  May we see new ways of living and loving as we dream the Spirit’s dream.  Amen!

Many: Amen!  Thanks be to God!

CALL TO OFFERING
One: The Spirit’s winds are always nudging us to new ways of giving.  How is God’s Spirit asking us to contribute to our community today?  As we reflect on our offerings of time and talent, we come together to offer God our praise through the giving of our treasures.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION
This is the time for us to dream together, Spirit of Visions.  This is the time for our joy of giving and our imaginations to run wild with hope.  With thanksgiving, we celebrate the gifts contributed today as we commit to dream with you, Holy Spirit.  Amen.

BENEDICTION
One: The Holy Winds of Imagination will lead from behind as we enter our Pentecost journey.  The Holy Christ will lead from ahead, beckoning us to live in love.  Our Holy God will lead from beside us, reminding us always we are never alone.  Get excited – friends!  For this is the time for us to dream in ways we never have before!  Amen!

Many: Amen!

A Pentecost Communion Liturgy on this site can be found here.

(c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian.  Permission to use with attribution.

A Prayer for Youth Fearing Summer Break

01 Saturday Jun 2019

Posted by in Life, Pop, Social Justice

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Possible Trigger Warning of Child Abuse

God of the Midmorning, the Early Summer, the Dusk-

We often focus on the youth who rush out of the classrooms into their summer. We focus on their anticipation of free days and joy like the summers afforded us.

The stars aligned for us… but didn’t for many children.

What we forget is our youths’ dread and concern of extra spending time at home during summer break- houses empty of food and filled with stress and violence.

We forget that they wake in worry of what the day will bring- extra bruises, extra hunger, extra chaos.

May their summer days be filled with activities of fun. As they spend time outdoors, may they find safety in friends and neighbors. May they be able to afford programs that the community offers.

As the fireflies return in the evening, May their homes be filled with peace. May they not feel the emptiness of hunger or the fullness of trauma. May their sleep be restful, and may their tomorrows be overflowing with hope.

Amen.

Tears, Songs, and Hearing His Voice

26 Sunday May 2019

Posted by in grief, Life, Pop

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This morning, I supercried at church – weeping like a small child.

The song was “Let There Be Peace on Earth.” Beyond the voices of the choir, I could hear the sound of my dad’s voice…

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me…

My dad would sing the song with every fiber of his being. His (probably) tenor voice would sing each syllable with intent. As a civics teacher, a Genocide survivor’s son, and a person who believed Christianity was an active faith, the song was probably the best representation of what he believed.

Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now…

And so, when this song is sung as it was today with the choir, every piece of my being remembered him. I remembered his articulation of faith, of his voice singing a song that was a prayer in his heart. I remembered our time sitting next to one another in church as my faith grew next to his more matured, more articulated faith.

Songs connect us with people and the past. Of moments of joy and of losses. We know what we no longer have, but we know that we’ve been given the gift of something spectacular – the holiness of song, of love, of spirit.

To take each moment, and live each moment, in peace eternally-

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

 

Protect the Environment: A Liturgy for the “Be The Church Series”

23 Thursday May 2019

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Call to Worship
One: Whether we live near mountains or in the plains-
Many: We are one in Christ.
 
One: Whether our winters are balmy or our summers are cool-
Many: We are one in Christ.
 
One: Whether we live on the East Coast, West Coast or somewhere in the middle-
Many: We are one in Christ.
 
One: Whether we live in urban dwellings, nestled in the suburbs or surrounded by a rural landscape-
Many: We are one in Christ.

One: In a spirit of unity, caring for one another-
Many: We are one in Christ.
 
Invocation
God of Creation, Divine Painter of Countrysides, we stand in awe of your handiwork.  From the bold geysers out West to rich red deserts of the south, your work creates a sense of wonder within each of us.  From the delicate snows of the north to the playful autumn foliage out east, your designs enliven us.  As we celebrate your creation today, we remember all of the times we experienced your presence in nature. We rejoice knowing that your hands made this spectacular earth and everything within it. Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation
One: Sometimes, we forget that this earth is completely yours.  Sometimes, we neglect to remember that these lands were made by you for all humans.  Sometimes, we think we know better and believe we are entitled without remembering whose hands made this creation.
Many: For the times we neglected to remember you when rejoicing at creation-
For the times we neglected to care for creation when given the opportunities-
For the times we neglected to remember that you formed each human in your own image-
Forgive us God.  Help us to remember whose hands made the soil, the foliage, the birds, the snakes and each and every person on this planet.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace
One:   The cascades of God’s grace falls upon us always.  We stand in the flow of God’s mercy no matter where we abide.  May we rejoice that this grace pours upon us.

Scripture Readings: Genesis 1:1-31 & Psalm 65

Invitation to Offering
One:    We are always connected to all of creation.   Through the call of God’s Spirit, we are asked to care for the work of God’s hands.  We care for this work through our time, talent and treasures.  Let us offer our treasures in this time and space.

Prayer of Dedication
Through our financial treasures we can Be the Church.  Through these gifts we can care for your entire creation.  May your wisdom carry us as we use these gifts to strengthen your kin-dom.  May the winds of your Spirit propel us to use our gifts of time and talent to build a heaven-like earth.  Amen.

Benediction
One:   As we look upon each tree, each flower, each bird, each bee and each human, let us see our God reflected in creation.  As we look upon God’s world, let us share the love of Christ.  And as we love one another, may your Spirit give us the strength we need to care for each and every piece of creation.
All:     Amen.

*****

Worship service Be the Church: Protect the Environment written by Rev. Michelle L. Torigian

(c) 2016 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian.  Free to use with attribution.

Be the Church Liturgy – Initial Week

23 Thursday May 2019

Posted by in Be the Church, Liturgy, Pop

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Call to Worship
One: Whether in the peak or the valley of our existence,
Many: We are the church.

One: Whether in the nighttime of our grief or the noontime of our joy,
Many: We are the church.

One: Whether sorrow surrounds us or excitement drives us,
Many: We are the church.

One: Whether two or three.  Whether fifty or seventy.  Whether one or two hundred,
Many: We are the church.

One: In a spirit of gentleness, humility, patience and love,
Many: We are the church.

Opening Prayer (unison)
Creator of Christ’s Body, Unifier of All, we join together this morning knowing we are not alone.  We do not walk solo in this life.  We travel with one another and you.  Through words, songs and silence, may your Spirit open us to the Divine and human company on our journey.  May we see that we are all part of one body, honoring differences in appearances, voices, views and gifts.  Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation
One: We were created as individual parts of a body yet connected by spiritual tissues, tendons and ligaments.  We attempt to be the church as separate entities, neglecting that the Christ reminds us that two or three are required to be the Church.  In that fight to live divided from our neighbors, we hurt the entire body.  The body aches to work as one.

Many: Like the individual parts of the body attempting to work separately, we don’t work well on our own.  Our spiritual joints become dislocated, and our muscles begin to hurt leading to pain which reaches from one end of the body of Christ to the other.  In our weariness, give us the healing we need to move forward as one body.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace
One:   No matter how far we try to remove ourselves, we will forever be part of the Body of Christ.  We will forever be part of God’s family.  God extends healing to the body, restoring each connection with grace and love.

Scripture       1 Corinthians 12:12-13
Ephesians 4:1-7, 25-32
Matthew 18:18-20

Invitation to Offering
One:    We are many different parts of the one Body of Christ, of Christ’s Church.  As part of this body, we are called to share our gifts of time, talent and treasure.  May we take moments to embrace the giving of our treasures to God’s kin-dom.

Prayer of Dedication
We are ecstatic for the gifts that you have given us.  In our excitement, we give a portion back to you and your Church.  May we strengthen the Body of Christ, each cell, each ligament and each tissue in order to make the body whole, happy and healthy.  Amen.

Benediction
One:   As we go forward help us to remember that we are your church.  We are the body of Christ.  We are never alone or and live in holy interdependence.  May the God of connections, the Christ of wholeness and the Spirit which energizes us bring us together to make this world a peace-filled place.
All:     Amen.

*****

Worship service Be the Church written by Rev. Michelle L. Torigian

(c) 2016 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian.  Free to use with attribution.

A Liturgy for Easter 6C – Waiting for Healing

22 Wednesday May 2019

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CALL TO WORSHIP (Based on Psalm 67)

One: May God bless each one of us.
Many: May God bless our siblings across the world.
One: May God’s face shine upon us.
Many: May God’s face shine upon each of our neighbors of other races and religions.
One: May God’s way be known across this earth.
Many: May all nations experience God’s mercy and love.               
One: Let all nations be glad and sing for joy.
Many: Let all the peoples know you and sing your praises.

INVOCATION

God of Steadfast Radiance, as creation took form across the universe, your light bid all living beings a greeting of wellness. Crossing time and space, your illumination has alleviated the pain of shadows. Through your luminosity, we see the value of each of our worldwide siblings.  Continue to shine your light upon this earth so that we see the needs of our neighbors. May your moonglow and sunshine allow us to see your image in your children across our planet.  Amen.

PRAYER OF RECONCILIATION 

One: In the haste of our days, we rush to meet our needs.  In the process of our living, we occasionally will step in front of people.  On difficult days, we will even spiritually step over or on our neighbors. 

All: Forgive us, Divine Radiance.  May your mercy shine so brightly on our world that we can clearly see our neighbors’ needs. May your glow of kindness remind us to ensure all people have a place in line. May your righteousness move us to safeguard others’ essentials.  Encourage us to step aside to allow our marginalized neighbors to have their greater needs met before ours. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF GRACE

One: God’s Radiance will shower us with mercy and call us to new paths of care.  May the steadfast love of God give us the courage to create God’s realm here on earth.  Amen! Alleluia!

All: Amen!  Alleluia! Thanks be to God!

CALL TO OFFERING

One:   The Divine Radiance of God rains upon us.  As we flourish, may we never forget to care for creation, your children, and the church.  We take this time to reflect and to share from our gifts.

DEDICATION PRAYER

Loving God, Divine Gleam, as your light reaches this earth, may this brightness allow us to see the ways we are called to care.  Let our light shine before others so that our world is encouraged to foster your children across this globe. Amen.

BENEDICTION

One: Beloved Siblings in Christ,

Let us open our windows to the light of God

Let us open our doors to the Christ in our midst,

And let us open our hearts to the Spirit who compels us to share God’s love with our world.

Amen!   Alleluia!

All: Amen!  Alleluia!

*****

(c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Free to use with attribution.

Not Today, Death

28 Sunday Apr 2019

Posted by in Pop, Pop Culture

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This contains Game of Thrones season 8, episode 3 spoilers.

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Not today, Death.

Now, I haven’t been on the Game of Thrones bandwagon too long. But since I’ve been watching the past two seasons in real-time and now going back to watch from the beginning, I’m seeing a phrase that Arya Stark learns in season one and follows her into the intense moments of season eight: “Not today, Death.”

This phrase gave Arya the energy she needed to rise about the negativity, the doubt, the potential death she could be facing and take care of a major, necessary task which would save Winterfell and many, many people.

Being people who live into resurrection, we as the followers of Jesus the Christ embrace this statement each year through the season of Easter. Death could not contain the Christ and his love in a tomb. Death could not stop the movement of his passion to love his neighbor or the Good News of new life and grace.

So like Arya Stark on Winterfell’s Good Friday, we say

Not today, Death.

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Eternal Resilience: A Prayer Remembering the Armenian Genocide of 1915

24 Wednesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Current Events, Life

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This was originally posted on my blog in 2015.

Soothing Spirit,
Whose gentle winds hovered over the Euphrates,
Surround our souls with support in these days of remembrance.

Strengthen our resolve to never let anyone forget
The atrocities of April 24 and beyond –
The genocide of the Armenian People.

They wanted to kill all of the aunts and uncles and grandparents
And place the very last one in a museum to show their sordid victory.

But they did not win.
Hate was not victorious.

We remember the spirits of our ancestors,
Of our sisters and brothers in Christ,
Marching through the mayhem
Of death, confusion, loss.
We remember their steps on the march to Deir-Zor-
Their empty stomachs and heavy hearts.
Their lives chipped away
As they lost their mom, or baby, or brother,
and endured violations of body, mind and soul.

In gratitude, we remember those who defied their people,
The Turkish and Kurdish souls who rebelled against the powers-that-be
Saving the lives of our kin.
We are grateful for those who stand against the powers today
And refuse to call these events anything but a genocide.

Heal our hearts as the deniers’ speeches become
Louder and louder.
Their words will melt into the pool of justice one day.

We give voice to the trauma that lingered in survivors’ hearts
From the days they left their homes in the ‘Old Country’
To the moment when they saw the face of God.

Help all who carry the stories of the past into the future
So that we will not forget,
And we will not stand by,
As more of God’s children are massacred.

We pray for the survivors of all genocides that burned our earth
And stole our siblings-
Armenia, the Holocaust, Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia, Darfur, and then some…
And then some more…
Knowing that God will give them resurrection from the ashes of yesterday,
rising into the winds of tomorrow.

Read my grandfather’s story of survival during the Armenian Genocide here. 

National Take a Chance Day Prayer

23 Tuesday Apr 2019

Posted by in Life, National Day Prayers, Pop, Prayers

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Chaotic, Creative God-

The winds of change hover over your creation, nudging us towards a new heaven here on earth.

As the dry winds from the south pick up, causing us to remain inside our comfort zones, your Spirit is throwing open doors and windows, begging us to move back into the world.

In a vulnerable state, we slowly emerge into ferocious terrain- an atmosphere which wants to remain at rest and at unrest.

But here you are, God, asking us to take chances, asking us to speak boldly, love courageously, and care fiercely.

Today, we ask for prayers of strength to advocate for our neighbors on the margins. We pray for bravery as we allow mercy to emerge from our traumatized, closed-up souls.

We are willing to heed your call and take chances that build a more-caring world and share love which unites us and magnifies your image in one another.

Amen.