Category Archives: Holidays

A Prayer for National Donut Day

07 Friday Jun 2024

Posted by in Holidays, Life, National Day Prayers, National Donut Day, Pop, Pop Culture, Prayers

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God of the Circle Desserts and Square Breads,

In this Holy and Holely world, we walk the line of the sacred and profane, the healthy and unhealthy, the joyous and morose. We fill our lives with delicious desserts and bland vegetables.

You continue to call us to paths of celebration – even through the wilderness. And even when life discourages us, we mark the deliciousness of today: National Donut Day.

The delightful dough dropped into the fryer, converting bread-like fare into a deceptively delicious dessert. Tables have been transformed into joyous parties. Breakfast has received a pleasure like no other. Coffee has a friend as the bitter and sweet have danced together, creating a treat for many to enjoy.

Bless the donuts and makers of donuts. We know donut-making time is early, and the days are long. Bless the glaze and powdered sugar and all of the miraculous fillings.

And thank you for friends who bring us donuts and coffee to bring joy into our lives.

Amen.

(c) 2024 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian.

A Prayer of Grace for Failed Goals

04 Thursday Jan 2024

Posted by in Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers, Holidays, Hygge, Life

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Divine Journal of Visions and Dreams,

Before I close the last year’s calendar,
I scan each page for the moments of joy-
For the blessings and the tasks done well,
For the moments which will shine in my memories for eternity.
Holy God, I share much gratitude for those moments of bliss etched into my soul.

And then…

For the many ways my plans never came to fruition,
For the goals that stagnated and the dreams that fell asleep,
For the visions that danced only in my mind and never in front of me,
And for the ways I let my anxiety overwhelm the path ahead,
I lament.
I ask for forgiveness in the ways I could have stretched myself just a little more-
And then I ask for forgiveness as I didn’t embrace grace for myself.
I may believe I only gave 25%,
But the 25% was really 100% of what I was able to contribute.
I gave my whole self when my body could give no more.
I used my mind the best I could.
And now, as the calendar closes, it’s time to clothe myself in mercy
And see myself as your child, a beloved piece of the puzzle.

For all the failures and incomplete dreams, I give gratitude as well.

In this new year,
May I continue to work to be my most optimal self,
To care for my neighbor as you have asked,
To grow in the ways you are calling,
And to forgive myself for falling short of perfection.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.

A Prayer of Gratitude for Sabbath

28 Thursday Dec 2023

Posted by in Holidays, Hygge, Life, Pop

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Divine Deliverer of Rest,

As workdays stretch brains and bodies,
and minds feel like mush at the end of a day,
I give gratitude for a few days of rest.

My focus is drawn away from fretting over the details of the day-to-day.
Instead, my soul relaxes to the sounds of Netflix and video games.
The taste of chocolate and cheese.
Or maybe a good book. Or hobby-time.

And throughout this week, I’m investing my time with loved ones-
since I have pushed our time aside with them in pursuit of perfected production
and have shamefully embraced a “live to work” mentality.

As my brain restores to a restful state-
like a battery recharging overnight-
and clarity returns to my mind,
creativity builds inside of my soul.

O Holy One-
Allow me to find the blessing of balance moving forward,
to embrace the strength to say no,
to prioritize Sabbath over overachieving,
to recharge my mind and body, and spirit,
and to realize time with loved ones is a gift from you.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.

Prayer of Grief for the Losses on our Card List

21 Thursday Dec 2023

Posted by in Advent prayers, grief, Holidays, Life, Pop, Prayers

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Divine Deliverer of All Greetings-

As we scan the names of loved ones on our holiday card list, we ache with the absences reminded by this list. We’ve lost the aunts, uncles, cousins, old loves, and friends. As they abide with you on that side of heaven, our hearts hunger for their presence. Our breath is taken away by the sight of their names. The lights of this season is dimmed just a little more with each loss.

God of All Connections, our ties with some love ones on the list have stretched and broken. They remain here on this earth, but our contact is minimal to none. Due to our falling-out, there is pain that radiates throughout our spirits.

And some on our list have just drifted away as we’ve grown apart. While there are little hurt feelings, melancholy rises as nostalgia draws us away from the present moment to a time that will never be again.

Holy Comfort- Heal our hearts with each pinprick of sadness or wave of grief. May we remember the joyful times often. Ease the hard memories that linger.

For your children who are still alive, please bless their paths that divert from ours. May their health be sustained, and may their new year find bountiful blessings.

For the loved ones of saints who will no longer be on the list: deliver strength to them during this holiday season. May your comfort coat their hearts and peace fill their souls.

And for the saints we marked off the list this year or years before: May they live into the eternal lights of Epiphany and absorb the fullness of your presence and love.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.

A Prayer of Gratitude for Thanksgiving’s Deliciousness

22 Wednesday Nov 2023

Posted by in Current Events, Holidays, Life, National Day Prayers, Pop Culture, Prayers

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Savory God,

As we bask in the warmth of the radiating heat from our ovens
And the cozy candles of vanilla and pumpkin-something,
We give much gratitude for the deliciousness of the holiday.

From the richness of our conversations-
Some spicy, some smooth-
To the sweetness of the pies and chocolate-something desserts,
We celebrate the flavors of the day.

For our loved ones near and far,
And the ways we connect to one another across the rooms and miles,
We are thankful to live in this time filled with many means of connection.

And for the tables at which we sit,
For the friends and family who warm our hearts,
For the ways we gather together again after a year or two of distancing-
Whether from illness, or strife, or that pandemic-thing-
We are grateful for the people in our lives who support us
Through the peaks and valleys,
Through the burnt pies and undercooked turkeys,
Through the wanted and unwanted political and religious discussions.

May peace radiate throughout our homes,
Across our tables,
Throughout our communities and countries,
And across our war-torn world.

Amen.

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use or repost with attribution.

A Liturgy for “Christmas in July”

17 Monday Jul 2023

Posted by in Church Life, Holidays

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Call to Worship
One: God who dwells in the mystery of life
Many: Fill us with wonder as we traipse around your world.
One: Christ who offers kindness and mercy
Many: Fill us with understanding as we meet our stranger, enemy, and friend.
One: Spirit who delivers dreams to us
Many: Draw us into your visions of love for our neighbors.

Invocation
God of Illumination,
Under the sparkles of the Christmas lights and long starry night skies, we find joy in the bustle of the Christmas season.  As the Christmas lights are taken down, the beauty of Christmas is just beginning.  Birth is happening in the springtime buds, the summer sunsets, the autumn hues, and the winter snowfall.  May we see the joy of birth surrounding us throughout our year.  May this joy move us to bear kindness, creating your Realm here on earth.  Amen.

Prayer of Reflection
Holy Bearer of Delight-
Most days, we shuffle along, filled with focus on the ordinary.  Instead of seeing your Divine Light in each space, we overlook the beauty of your presence.  Open our souls to notice the amazement of your steadfast presence.  May we see the holy beauty of each flower’s petal, each cloudy sunset, each rumble of thunder, and each weed in our lawns.  Amen.

Assurance of God’s Grace
Our God who gives us rebirth, resurrections, and renewals lavishes us with grace.  May God’s mercy allow us to see how newness can transform our lives.

Reflection on Giving
The Gift of Christmas is greater than what can be found in any wrapped box.  Christmas has presented us with the Christ in our midst.  As Jesus the Christ was the one who taught us how to love one another, we pass this Divine Love to our neighbors through our talents, treasures, and time.  Whether Christmas or Easter, Pentecost or any ordinary day, we share our gifts with the church and community.

Blessing of the Gifts
Enchanting God, Divine Joy,
We take these days in the warmth of summertime to remember the birth of the Christ.  We take time away from the consumerist holiday to celebrate the holy aspects of Christmas.  May this day remind us of the mirth of Jesus’ birth and the love of Jesus which still ripples in our world.  May we spend these next few months until Christmas with the joy of rebirth in our hearts, sharing that excitement with our neighbors around us.  Amen.

Benediction
Filled with the joy of this ordinary day,
May we go forward celebrating the magnificent and ordinary,
The fantastic and everyday,
The mediocre and amazing,
The astounding and common.
God is in the shiny days and cloudy evenings,
The starry nights and the foggy mornings.
Let us find Divine Sparkle no matter the time or space
As God is already there!

*****

(c) 2023 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use with attribution.

A Blessing on the Last Days of Christmas

04 Wednesday Jan 2023

Posted by in Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers, Holidays, Prayers

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Divine Glimmer-

The strands of lights are unhooked from the eavestroughs,
And the metallic garland removed from tree’s branches.
January’s shadows prevail when Christmas is removed.

Yet you are the Great Light.
When the brightness of Christmas has been erased from our sight,
The Epiphany glow in our souls brightens.

May the Epiphany Glow expand from our hearts
to reach our neighbors hurting from the cold nights,
short days, and seasonal silence.

May the Epiphany Glow draw us together
even greater than the parties of December
and the hustle of Advent.

May the Epiphany Glow kindle kindness,
knowing that the Christ is present in our midst,
as you, Holy Light, are eager to build your bright realm in our shadowed world.

Amen.

A Prayer When Delighting in Hope

30 Wednesday Nov 2022

Posted by in Advent prayers, Holidays

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Holy Cultivator of Visions and Dreams-

As the sun rises on this new season, we seek your presence in the ordinary and extraordinary.
We gaze to the light growing in the east, knowing that hope is beaming in our world.
We look for the warm rays of hope to thaw our frost-glazed hearts.

So we celebrate cautious optimism-
Even when the chills of winter have slowed our souls,
Even when the disappointments of frigidness have turned us against the hope of the Holy Winds.

Warm us to your visions, God.
Kindle the spark of your dreams in our hearts.
May your presence refresh our weary spirits again.

Amen.

A Communion Liturgy for National Holidays

02 Saturday Jul 2022

Posted by in Communion Liturgy, Holidays, National Day Prayers

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Invitation
May the Spirit of love be with you
And may the love of Christ be with you
Open wide your cautious hearts.
May the hope of our Creator pour peace in our souls.
Let us give thanks to the one who created this time and space
From our joy we give God thanks and praise.

Prayer of Communion
God of the fair winds and bounteous fields,
Of the storms overhead and the seas below,
With joy we celebrate the connection we have with all of creation
“From sea to shining sea,” 1
From the beauteous mountain caps to the rivers winding across the land.

We honor the connection we have with your beings-
from the chipmunks scurrying through our yards
to the swallows swooping in the air above.

We embrace the relationships with our neighbors near and far-
the ones who are close to our hearts,
and the ones with whom distance in miles and souls sets us apart.

And so we come to this table:
The ones with many opportunities, and those seeking liberty.
The ones who have been disregarded and those embraced,
knowing that Christ’s welcome receives all.
knowing that Jesus the Christ ate with sinners and tax collectors,
with those who disapproved and those who leapt for joy,
with Judas and Peter, with Mary and Martha, with Philip and Thomas.

And so we too come to the table.
The table of God’s freedom. The table of God’s justice and love.
The table which reflects the true kingdom, empire, realm of God where all are welcome.

We come to the table remembering the night before Jesus died.
As he ate with his followers in a room away from the world,
“taking a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’
And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant.”2 Whenever we eat and drink at the table, we remember the Christ in our midst.

Spirit of Hope, Holy Winds of Divine Freedom,
encircle this bread and cup,
Encircle us in our eating and drinking
that we may experience the radical love of Christ here today
and sharing this care as we journey throughout this week. Amen.

*****

Liturgy (c) Rev. Michelle L. Torigian 2022. Permission to use liturgy with attribution.

1“From sea to shining sea” from America the Beautiful.

2 Quote from Luke 22:19-20 (NRSV)

Advent Candle Lighting Prayer for Love

15 Wednesday Dec 2021

Posted by in Advent prayers, Holidays, Liturgy, Pop, Prayers

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Tensions rise between neighbors. Hate lurks in stores and on roads, in school hallways and political discussions. Humanity focuses more on its own individual well being instead of the well being of all.

Yet animosity isn’t the last word, and hate will never win because God’s love endures forever. Divine love dissipates all venom and sweetens all bitterness.

Even as we walk in the shadow filled valleys of toxic interactions, God’s love is lighting the path to the future. Through the Spirit of the Christ in our world, the vapors of hate will not last in our world. Love will spread from person to person, lifting the toxic fogs that linger between people.

We light the candle of love to clear the cloud of hate in our world and dissolve the mists of gloom as the Christ enters our world and brightness continues to grow. Amen.

(c)2021 Rev. Michelle L. Torigian. Permission to use in a worship service (including a streamed service) with attribution.