Taking Part

to follow the reading of Ruth 3–4 

We thank you for Ruth,

her love, her loyalty,

her obedience, her trust; 

and we wonder, was 

it blind, or open-eyed? 

and we pray for all the Ruths,

loving, loyal, obedient

and trusting: may their eyes

see clearly, may they 

always understand. 

We thank you for Naomi,

her care, her protection,

her creative manoeuvre for safety: 

and we wonder, was she there

if reward did not follow the dare? 

and we pray for all Naomis,

on unprotected journeys home,

holding only risky cards to play: 

may our motives, however jumbled,

include each other in our care. 

We thank you for the Story,

for your part, between the lines;

for the Story of your people,

their welcome of the 'other' 

and the part they play – up-front. 

and we pray for our hearing

of your Story, and our part

as people of your Story, open 

to each other and the parts

we all will play. 

Amen. 

Prayer of honesty and hope

Mark 16:1–2 

Easter Day confession & intercession 

When the Sabbath was over – 

Oh, God, help us to pause, 

to breathe, to focus on you; 

help us find the courage

to stop, to feel – even 

what hurts, even what hopes. 

Help us to hold the moment 

long enough to be there;

help us to stay with you

and with each other, even

in the garden of grief. 

Mary, Mary, and Salome brought spices – 

Oh, God, this is a story 

of women, written out of 

so much of your story, our 

story. So we pray for 

the ones written out of the story

for so long, and now finding

their voice, claiming their place;

and we pray for the ones 

still hidden between the lines,

obscured in the shadows, held

off to the edges, the margins,

the outside. More, we pray

for ourselves to see

as you see, welcome as you

do, and listen to shaking voices

with your message to speak. 

So that they might anoint him – 

Oh, God, how do we honour you,

having come among us

in Jesus, having stood firm

for the Way of Justice and Love

in the face of the fiercest 

persecution? What can we do

to honour that act of love,

of reconciliation, of invitation

back to your Way of Justice,

of Love? Help us to see, 

help us to act, to live, our 

honour for you. 

one night in Bethany

Holy Week. Year B. Monday 

John 12:1–11 

a pound of costly perfume

a house filled with fragrance

a woman pouring, touching, caressing 

a man uncomfortable, spitting blame

a call to remember

a woman pouring

a pound of perfume

a house full of fragrance 

Grace for the scoffers and deniers

Genesis 18:1–15 

'I did not laugh.' 
'Oh, yes, you did laugh.' 
Gen 18:15 

Confession 
When your message is hope for those oppressed,
for surely hope is futile –
we laughed;
then we denied it.
Oh, but you know we did.

When your call is to make room for the outcast,
for surely they belong outside –
we laughed;
then we denied it.
Oh, but you know we did.

When your love means staying home, staying away,

for surely, you did not mean us? – 

we laughed;
then we denied it.
Oh, but you know we did. 

When your justice demands we let them cross our border,

for surely we can not take that risk – 

we laughed;
then we denied it.
Oh, but you know we did. 

When your peace requires presence, reconciliation, restraint,

for surely we need not pay such costs – 

we laughed;
then we denied it.
Oh, but you know we did. 

When your Way is welcome, generosity, vulnerability,

for surely not? Not us, not such price, no now – 

we laughed;
then we denied it.
Oh, but you know we did. 

Repentance 

Forgive us our scoffing, our dismissal.

Forgive us our denial, our dishonesty. 

Heal our shame, 

God of grace,

God of surprise,

God of Love. 

Forgiveness 

Holy One sees and hears.

Holy One understands our fear. 

Holy One extends a hand to bid us stand,

leave our tents of safety and comfort,

and with courage, to embrace the Way

of grace, surprise, and Love. 

Amen.

sarah tells stories · Grace For The Scoffers And Deniers

Mother's Day

Prayer of Celebration and Lament for Mothers' Day 

As a community, we take time to pause and give thanks for the gift of mothers.
Shining a light on the gift, shadows fall, and we acknowledge the shadows, too.


We celebrate and give thanks, each of us, for our mother. The woman who carried us in her womb, gave birth to us, brought us into life.


We lament, each of us, separation from our mother at different times, through conflict, distance of place, death. We lament, seek to forgive and be forgiven.


We celebrate and give thanks, each of us, for those who have been as mothers to us; our aunts and pseudo-aunts, big sisters, friends, mentors and teachers. The women who have nurtured, taught, encouraged, shaped us with love.


We lament, each of us, the women who have caused us pain, who have abandoned or neglected us, mistakenly or intentionally caused us harm. We lament the hurt we have caused to women, our friends, colleagues, neighbours, sisters, aunts and mothers. We lament, seek to forgive and be forgiven.


We celebrate and give thanks, together, for the women in our communities. That women and men are different invites us into partnership, invites us to share the burdens and the joys of life. For the many strengths of women, their gifts of peace-making, nurture, education, entrepreneurship, healing, wisdom, creativity, endurance, collaboration, physicality – and so much more, we are grateful.


We lament, together, that women are still discounted because they are women, in our culture and in others. That the difference between women and men is seen as threatening, a power struggle, a competition or a hierarchy, is not, we know, your dream for us. We lament, seek to forgive and be forgiven.


We celebrate, those of us who are mothers and grandmothers, the joy and privilege it is to collaborate with you in the creation of life. We give thanks for our children, their uniqueness, the delight we find in watching and helping them grow.


We lament, those of us who are not mothers and want to be, or who are mothers of children who have died. We lament, and have no words for our grief.




We celebrate, we give thanks, for you, our mothering God, whose wings enfold us like those of a mother hen, who gives birth to all that lives, who loves fiercely, protectively, and with great delight. We celebrate what we know of you as like a mother.


We lament our turning from you and causing you pain, our rejection of your gifts of life and love in so many ways. We seek your forgiveness again and again.


Again and again, God welcomes us home, as a mother welcomes her children.
Again and again, God celebrates us, God’s children, and delights in watching and helping us grow.
Come, now, under the wings of God; come, now, into the warmth of Love.

You are forgiven. You are loved. Precious child of your Mothering God.


[Sarah Agnew] 

previously published on sarahtellsstories.blogspot.com and in In Prayer and Protest (Ginninderra Press Pocket Poets)

Gabriel and Maria

The angel Gabriel from heaven came,
surprising her by calling out her name:
‘Fear not,’ he said, ‘for God has seen and favours you,
You’re chosen for a blessing, Maria.

‘You will become a mother, Mary,
by Holy Spirit, with a child holy;
he is the one earth’s waiting for – the child of God,
O chosen for a blessing, Maria.’

‘But Gabriel how can this be, my friend?’
‘With God no thing’s impossible,’ he said.
‘Then let it be as you have said, I sing God’s praise.’
O, chosen for a blessing: Maria.

And so in Bethlehem she bore her boy
beneath a star as angels sang for joy:
Immanuel, our God with us, through Mary.
O chosen for a blessing, Maria.

words (c) Sarah Agnew 2019
music ‘Gabriel’s song’ Basque tune

It is true

Luke 24:1–12 

confession 

we don't believe it
it is true! 

we don't believe you
it is true! 

we won't listen
it is true! 

we trust our own eyes only
it is true! 

and in the truth
of our humanity
flawed and fragile,
beautiful and bombastic,
you came, you come,
you lived, you died,
you live again

bring us into your truth
of our humanity,
of your Sacred wonder –
draw us into new life!


grace 

Here we are
on Easter Day,
the day of resurrection:
believe it,
it is true,
grace, love, life,
are here for you,
for us all.
Be at peace.
Amen.


the refrain of 'it is true' could be spoken by a woman, a group of women, or all the women in the congregation, to draw attention to the story from which this prayer takes its inspiration: the male disciples not believing the female witnesses to the resurrection. 
speaking the refrain as a whole congregation draws us into our own disbelief. 
be creative as you pray this prayer in a meaningful way for your community. 

Open invitation: now, abundant life!

An easter hymn

words: Sarah Agnew © 2019 

(adapted from Edmond Luis Budry tr Richard Birch Hoyle)
music: Maccabaeus adapted from GF Handel (Together in Song 380)

Yours be the glory, risen dauntless Love:
open the invitation, now: abundant life.
Angels again were with you, rolled the stone away,
you, set free from death to show us all the Way.

Yours be the glory, risen dauntless Love:
open the invitation, now: abundant life!

See there the women, faithful in loving care,
open to invitation, mystery and awe they shared.
Peter again ran headlong, rushed to see the grave,
all the beloved disciples saw and were amazed!

Yours be the glory, risen dauntless Love:
open the invitation, now: abundant life!

Glorious creation, shout and sing: rejoice!
God is recreating, calling out with joy;
former things shall not bring weeping and distress,
for the invitation reaches out to bless!

Yours be the glory, risen dauntless Love:
open the invitation, now: abundant life!

Here, now, we praise you, Wisdom and Word of God,
come to live among us, teach and show us Love.
Let your church with gladness, sing our Maker’s song,
open to invitation, in the Spirit, one.

Yours be the glory, risen dauntless Love:
open the invitation, now: abundant life!

Holy is She

Psalm 99 

God is Queen: let the peoples tremble.
She sits enthroned among the heavenly realm:
let the whole earth cower.

God is great in the Holy places,
She is honoured among all the peoples:
let them praise Your great and awesome Name –
Holy is She!

Mighty Queen, tower of justice,
You have established equity;
You have embodied steadfast love,
restored right relationship.

Praise the Holy One, our God,
worship at her feet.

Miriam was Her prophet,
Deborah Her judge of justice:
Women cry to Holy One,
and She has answered them.

She spoke to Hagar in the desert,
gave strength to daughters
claiming inheritance, kept hope
of salvation alive through Ruth.

Holy One, our God, You
have answered Your people,
You have forgiven and You
have sought always justice and right.

Praise Holy One our God:
worship at Her holy mountain,
for She our God is Holy.

Elizabeth

Luke 1:39-45

who am I to feel

joy dance in my womb, greet you,

Mother of Promise? 

Look again

Mark 12:38-44

hems flicker in dust;

banquet hall shimmer and hush: 

widow's house devoured 

a teacher hears it, 

clamorous silent falling:

small coins of great worth 

Naomi

Ruth 1:1-18 

I said no more to her,
no more to make her
turn from me, return to be
daughter to her mother again,
my friend, my daughter, my
only and my all.

I said no more to her,
no more words, no breath
to speak them, meet the words
she flung at me, wrung for me
from her naked soul, my all,
my friend, my daughter.

I said no more to her,
no more suggestion I could
live beyond her turning, no
denying life's insistence that I
try, and, silenced by the fright
I took her hand and turned for home.

Sarah's turn

Sarah laughed

Genesis 21:1–7



as God promised,
though I had laughed to think
of motherhood, shocked to think
of motherhood, afraid
of motherhood now

but God promised
a child to us now, when
the bridge was crumbling
from disuse, the water under
long ago evaporated

was this promise
of new life to dry bones
a curse in disguise? of course
I laughed, preposterous
promise to bring to a desert
content to be a desert

who would promise
a son to a man
of a hundred years and counting?
yet here is the son God
promised Sarah and Abraham,
and I laugh more joy than fear –
laugh with me, all who hear:
I am a mother, as God promised,
and I will laugh you a river.

Sarah’s scowl

Genesis 21:8–14



the boys played as brothers
play having not yet learnt
to doubt their father’s love

the mothers watched, as rivals
watch, jealous of what she has,
blind to what is her own

and in a moment, the bow
snapped its arrow through thick
taut air, thwacked into its target

a mother’s love twisted the light
to cast shadows to follow them all;
and the father’s love had not seen its last test yet

Hagar’s song

Genesis 21: 8–21



Sarah sent me far away
lest my son usurp her boy
in fortune, rank, or father’s love.

Abraham his wife obeyed,
for peace at home he gave
away his peaceful heart.

God had told him, so he said,
my son would prosper,
Ishmael would grow to be a nation.


Beneath the trees I laid him,
weak with hunger, dying.
Let me go first, I wept, I wept, I wept.

God heard my son cry out,
and spoke to me a promise:
Ishmael will grow to be a nation.

Before my eyes water of life,
I ran to my child, we drank,
we spilled our joy to grow seeds of hope.

I am Hagar, Sarah’s servant,
mother of the first born of Abraham;
God was with my son, grew Ishmael.