Seeking: Poetry for Lent
Seeking: Poetry for Lent
[This resource is one of many included in our Seeking Lent Bundle for Year A]
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD FOR ONE-TIME LICENSE
This collection of 10 poetic prayers explores our Seeking weekly sub-themes in light of the RCL (Year A) scriptures for Lent–Easter. Honest and intimate, these poems offer meditations that we hope become prayers of your own. Adapt them for worship liturgy, use them to open and close programming events, or print them as they are for members in your community to read and return to throughout the Lenten season.
We have also included weekly poetry writing prompts as a creative way to engage with scripture and our weekly sub-themes throughout the Lenten season. Consider sharing these prompts with your entire congregation for a weekly poetry writing challenge, or form a poetry-writing small group during Lent. Share your community’s poems in Sunday school, on social media, and/or as part of a large visual display.
Prayers written by Rev. Sarah Speed. Poetry writing prompts written by Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity.
DOWNLOAD INCLUDES:
12 pg PDF print-ready file of the prayers (for you to print and distribute to members, or copy/paste for worship liturgy).
PDF includes 10 poetic prayers with the following themes and titles:At the Start | Seeking: Is this the fast that I choose? (Ash Wednesday)
Who Will You Listen To? | Seeking: Who Will You Listen To? (1st Sunday in Lent)
How Do We Begin Again? | Seeking: How do we begin again? (2nd Sunday in Lent)
Anything and Everything | Seeking: Will you give me a drink? (3rd Sunday in Lent)
Jesus in the Psych Ward | Seeking: Who sinned? (4th Sunday in Lent)
The Answer Is Yes | Seeking: Can these bones live? (5th Sunday in Lent)
Where Are You Headed? | Seeking: Where are you headed? (Palm/Passion Sunday)
Of All the Ways | Seeking: Will you wash my feet? (Maundy Thursday)
To Ask Why | Seeking: Why have you forsaken me? (Good Friday)
Lost and Found | Seeking: Who are you looking for? (Easter)
11 pg PDF print-ready file of the weekly poetry writing prompts (for you to print and distribute to members, or copy/paste to share digitally).
USES:
Print the prayers and distribute them to members in your community
Adapt the prayers as your Call to Worship or opening prayer for worship
Use the prayers in a bible study group or Sunday school
Use the poetry as a meditation during the sermon
Use the poetry to inspire your own liturgy and sermon writing
Print the poetry in your bulletin (perhaps as the bulletin cover)
Share the poetry writing prompts with your entire congregation for a weekly poetry writing challenge
Create a Lenten poetry small group using the poetry writing prompts to write and share poems each week
Share your community’s poems in Sunday school, on social media, and/or as part of a large visual display
EXCERPT:
I’m not sure exactly how we begin again,
but I know that moths wrap themselves in silk,
and after quite some time,
after many long nights,
after days spent alone,
they break out of their shell.
They pull themselves out under open sky,
and they spend the rest of their days chasing the light.
—Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed, excerpt from “How Do We Begin Again?”
CREDIT INFO:
When printing and sharing online or in worship, please always include the following credits:
Poem by Rev. Sarah Speed | A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org
