Christine Hoff Kraemer
Andresen – TT 866
Ground of Being:
An Earth-Centered Liturgy for
I. Introduction
At the cutting edge of religious feminism, two major schools of thought have formed: that of reformist Christian feminist theology, represented by Rosemary Radford Ruether, Anne Carr, Elizabeth Schüssler-Fiorenza, and others, and post-Christian spiritual feminism/thealogy (Goddess theology), represented among others by Carol Christ and Mary Daly, and also including writers coming from entirely outside the Christian tradition, such as Starhawk (a practitioner of feminist Witchcraft with a Jewish background). Each of these groups represents a minority position in relation to the religious mainstream, and there is considerable overlap in the content of their beliefs: both value embodiment; feminine metaphors for deity in worship; female religious leaders; the abolition of social structures of domination and exploitation in favor of nonhierarchical, inclusive structures; diversity; and environmentalism. Sadly, perhaps because these two groups are so similar, but are strongly split over the issue of whether the Christian tradition can be made liberative for women, there has been friction between them. One might recall, for example, Daly’s vicious attacks on Christianity in the 1970s (Carr, 96-99) and the somewhat confrontational exchange of articles between Ruether and Christ in the early 1980s (Raphael, 37), as well as Carr’s reiteration of Ruether’s position in her 1988 Transforming Grace (90-1), implying in addition that Goddess worship is connected with the abandonment of children.
It is my belief that this kind of conflict is damaging to the religious feminist movement, which is too small to afford these kinds of rifts, and represents a missed opportunity through which reformist Christian and post-Christian Goddess feminists can draw upon each other’s strengths. Though writers such as Christ and Melissa Raphael made a concerted effort to articulate a social ethic of Goddess worship in the late 1990s, Christ’s reliance on Christian feminist theologians in her work demonstrates that the most powerful ethical writing comes from Christian reformist feminists, whose connection to church institutions with their centuries-old commitment to social justice no doubt grounds their projects. The most exciting and innovative worship techniques, in contrast, are emerging from the Goddess and neopagan movements, who as Janet Wootton puts it, are not suffering under the same weight of dead liturgical practices as the Christian tradition (122). To those Christian congregations who are willing to risk experimentation with new worship forms, the Goddess and neopagan movements have a wealth of energy and new ideas to offer.
With all of the above in mind, I have written a collection of liturgies that celebrate the eight festivals of the neopagan year in a way that fuses progressive feminist Christian beliefs with the aesthetics of Goddess worship. For this project I take inspiration from a number of sources, most particularly Richard E. Kuykendall’s wonderful small-press pamphlet Liturgies of the Earth, now sadly out of print. Kuykendall’s effort is similar to my own in that, using the writings of Starhawk as inspiration, he created Christian seasonal liturgies that could be performed in progressive Christian churches. The weakness of Kuykendall’s work, however, is that his book’s eight rituals simply do not resemble the structure of a typical Sunday worship service. This forces churches to either use only the parts of the liturgy that they can adapt to their standard worship structure, reshape their worship service entirely for the occasion, or hold a separate service that will not reach as wide a variety of worshippers. To solve this problem, I have created liturgies that can fit easily into a typical Christian worship service, as well as seasonally appropriate communion liturgy. I have also attempted to take into account the resonances some of the seasonal festivals have with Christian holidays, and have written alternate liturgies that may be used when the seasonal festivals overlap with the Christian liturgical calendar.
With this project, I hope to demonstrate the potential for the Goddess and neopagan movements to interact fruitfully with Christianity, emphasizing themes that were already present as well as providing new material for a living, growing Christian tradition. In addition to revitalizing Christian worship, I believe such experiments may also help to provide a bridge between the feminist Christian reformers and post-Christian Goddess worshippers. This may make the Christian Church a more welcome place for those who have left to pursue nature-based, feminist spiritualities, as well as helping to retain those who still feel connected to Christianity but are attracted to Goddess traditions.
To demonstrate the particular advantages of my project, I will compare and contrast its qualities with the liturgy presented in Ruether’s groundbreaking 1985 Women-Church. I want to emphasize, however, that I have chosen to dialogue with this work not in order to demonstrate its inadequacies – in fact, I find it highly inspirational, and consider it to be an important contribution to the evolving tradition of feminist liturgy. Instead I have chosen it because it is one of the better-known works of feminist liturgy by a well-known feminist theologian, and thus represents a significant thread of thought within that tradition. Additionally, I have chosen it because I wish to show that, despite the radical sound of combining Goddess and neopagan liturgy with progressive Christian liturgy, in many ways Women-Church is far more radical than what I am attempting here. Though Ruether’s book is primarily intended for women who are creating new communities of worship on the fringes of the Christian Church, I hope progressive Christian churches who have not undergone such a radical transformation in consciousness will find my liturgy useful in raising their congregations’ awareness of feminism, environmentalism, and the immanence of divinity. That being said, however, I believe my liturgy is best used in a context that has already absorbed some of the basic principles of feminist worship. As with Ruether’s Women-Church, these liturgies will make the most sense if worship services are performed in circles or half-circles, emphasizing the equality of all participants and the immanence of divinity; if people of both genders and all ethnicities and ages play significant roles in conducting worship services; and if the line between laity and clergy is blurred with the frequent use of lay leaders. These conventions all undermine hierarchical structures within the church and emphasize that all people are potential vessels for the divine message of love, inclusivity, and justice.
II. Multiple Metaphors for Deity
The reactionary collection The Politics of Prayer, containing articles by a number of conservative theologians and clergy, attacks the feminist religious movement in general and the movement toward gender-inclusive language in particular. Several writers even compare the feminist insistence on gender-inclusive language to the imposition of Newspeak in the novel 1984 (25, 61). In their article “Femspeak and the Battle of Language,” Peter Berger and Brigitte Berger argue, “Indeed, the very phrase ‘feminist language’ is likely to arouse puzzlement if not resentment on the part of those who believe in the rightness of this language. In their mind, there is no such thing; there is only the correction of the ‘sexist’ language used by others; it is the others’ language that is political language” (61). Despite my distaste for the views represented in this book, I am somewhat sympathetic to the Bergers’ point: inclusive language is political in nature. Attempting to scrub Christianity clean of masculine referents, particularly those for God, is a political position just as the traditional prohibition of female referents for God is, and both have exclusionary potential. Although inclusive language for God does serve as a corrective for millennia of androcentric language and certainly has its place within Christian discourse, I believe the next step is the use of multiple metaphors for deity in worship. In She Who Is, Elizabeth A. Johnson argues that though traditional Christian theology asserts God’s ineffability, the use of consistently and exclusively male images of God conceptualized as Father and King leads believers to begin to understand these images literally. God is rendered small and constrained, known and boxed in by a narrow repertoire of images. Not only does using female images for God empower women and raise their status within religious worship, Johnson argues, but by introducing competing images of God into liturgy, we encourage believers to understand that these are all metaphors. Though their use may lead us to a deeper understanding of God, God is ineffable and cannot be contained in any one of them, or even in all of them together. In addition, the use of multiple metaphors opens up the possibility for honoring all kinds of diversity in the church – not just gender differences, but also ethnic, age, and class differences. All people can then be seen as the face of God, thus opening up a much greater possibility for tolerance and plurality.
Though I have de-emphasized the metaphor of God as Father in my project, I have not excluded it entirely as the liturgies of Women-Church do. When using feminist liturgies, I believe it is more important than ever to make sympathetic men feel welcome and included. Maintaining a certain connection with the masculine metaphors of the earlier Christian tradition sometimes has an aesthetic advantage as well. Even the most progressive Christians may not want to let go of the beloved Christmas carols of their childhood (I certainly find it difficult to categorically condemn the metaphor of God as King when listening to the triumphant strains of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”). Rather than banishing these images from our tradition entirely, their dominance may be most effectively reduced by introducing strong, competing images. To make a given kind of language taboo, after all, is often to give it the wrong kind of power.
III. Celebration
One
of the things that the liturgies of Women-Church
do best are acknowledge and attempt to deal with pain, especially pain
caused by political domination and exploitation. An examination of the text
will find rituals of healing from battering and rape, exorcisms of patriarchal
language and misogyny from the Christian tradition and the scriptures, and
ceremonies to remember the Holocaust and
Working to change institutional structures that were often hostile to me and to my visions wore me out. Tired, stressed, and diagnosed with the early stages of cancer, I felt I had to change my life. As I see many of my friends developing stress-related or stress-activated diseases, I wonder if they, too, are suffering from working too long and too hard in the wrong ways. Carol Lee Sanchez explains how this occurs:
Many activists maintain a negative attitude, a continued focus on everything that is wrong, that is harmful and hurtful to self, creatures, and the environment. Over a period of time many activists suffer “burnout,” long for a different world, and drop out because they accurately perceive themselves to be “out of balance.” (173)
In these liturgies, I have attempted to focus on celebration without entirely losing touch with the struggle for justice. This focus reflects my own need to nurture a love of life as the basis for my activism, knowing that without that stable base, my efforts are likely to be twisted by anger and frustration. I also believe this focus on celebration is vital for the revitalization of worship in churches, many of which, in adhering to strict worship structures and tired liturgies, have lost the spark of excitement and joy that is invaluable for keeping worshippers engaged. Though we may ache for the pain of the world, if we do not allow ourselves also to be nourished by its beauty, our power to transform it for the better is weakened.
IV. Interconnection with the Earth and Creation
Though Women-Church provides effective liturgies for empowering women spiritually in worship, their personal lives, and their justice work for other human beings, its environmental focus is mainly political rather than spiritual in nature (i.e., it recommends environmental action in the form of protest, lobbying one’s representatives, education, etc.) The feminist commitment to embodiment, however, seems to me to suggest a strong connection between the honoring of bodies and the honoring of the earth on which the body is dependent. How might Women-Church’s commitment to the preservation of the environment be enhanced on an emotional/spiritual level, as well as more clearly connected to the other social justice issues it values? Sallie McFague’s book The Body of God provides one potential answer – by considering creation and particularly the earth as being God’s body, McFague hopes to encourage Christians to develop a stronger sense of connection to environmental issues as they recognize the interconnection and sacredness of all forms of life. McFague’s emphasis on theology done from an ecological perspective has a very practical base. She believes that if human beings as a whole do not alter their attitudes towards the environment, we risk causing an environmental collapse that could result in our extinction as a species. Even if this apocalyptic vision does not come to pass, however, we daily harm our own health through the pollution of the air and water, and reduce the beauty of the natural world through the destruction of wilderness and the extinction of plant and animal species. By understanding the earth as a single holistic system that is permeated by God, believers gain a deeply spiritual connection to the environment, as well as to the suffering and exploitation of (for example) those living in third world countries, who they can now understand as part of the same, interconnected web of life.
Accordingly, my project attempts to emphasize holism, interconnection, and natural imagery, as well as identifying creation with the body of God. Neopagan theology, which attempts to reconstruct agricultural religious practices of pre-Christian (particularly Celtic) Europe and also thinks of the earth as the body of its deities, is an excellent source to draw from in order to emphasize these issues; accordingly, the eight seasonal festivals I have chosen for my liturgy are neopagan festivals. In developing this aesthetic, I have also been influenced by the writings of Matthew Fox, founder of creation spirituality, a movement which celebrates the grandeur of creation, embraces the scientific creation story, and seeks to infuse worship with an intense awareness of the immanence of divinity. With the ecological emphasis of my imagery, I hope to raise Christian congregations’ awareness that the implications of feminist theology demand that all excluded and exploited groups be included and valued in Christian theology and worship – not just women, minorities, and the poor, but also much-abused and exploited Nature.
V. The Appropriateness of Neopagan Theology/Thealogy
To some readers, the appropriateness of drawing on neopagan theology in order to bring natural imagery into Christian worship may not seem obvious. The question may be asked: Aren’t these ideas foreign to Christianity? In fact, neopagan practices are not nearly as foreign to Christianity as one might think.
First, however, a few definitions: neopaganism is an attempt to reconstruct the beliefs and practices of pre-Christian nature religions. Practitioners of neopaganism tend to be eclectic, and groups go by a variety of labels, including pagan, neopagan, witch, Wiccan, etc. The majority of these groups, however, look back specifically to pre-Christian Europe for their seasonal festivals, and most were at least partially inspired by the 1950s witchcraft revival in Britain, which saw itself as preserving pre-Christian European religion. Post-Christian feminist Goddess worship, from which the term ‘thealogy’ comes (from the Greek thea, meaning goddess), is a primarily American phenomenon, and emerged from the second wave feminist movement. Though not all practitioners are neopagans, many have been strongly influenced by neopagan thought and worship forms, and many celebrate some or all of the eight seasonal neopagan festivals (even Ruether’s Women-Church shows this influence by including seasonal rites for the Summer and Winter Solstices and for Hallowmas in its Day of the Dead/Samhain variant, holidays that are not now much observed by Christian churches).
Neopagan
reconstructionists have been quick to point out that many of the customs practiced
in both Christian and secular homes today are pre-Christian pagan practices.
For example, the term “Easter” derives from the Eostre, a goddess of fertility
and rebirth whose symbols included the egg and the rabbit. Similarly, our
Christmas tradition of decorating an evergreen tree can be traced back to
pre-Christian Winter Solstice celebrations, where the tree (which did not drop
its needles in the winter) represented the promised rebirth of the Sun God.
Though it is often considered a dirty word by Christian theologians, syncretism
is actually a long and honored tradition within the Church, which during its
conversion of pagan
For those churches that are largely populated with European-Americans, borrowing from neopagan practices also avoids some of the ethical concerns that come with borrowing from the traditions of other ethnic groups, such as Native Americans. Although many white Americans are fascinated with Native American nature religions, as anthropologist Ronald Grimes describes in Deeply Into the Bone, inappropriate borrowing of rituals across ethnic lines can become just another form of cultural exploitation (117-144). Although there are problematic elements to borrowing from a tradition that European Americans have long been severed from, for European Americans to borrow from their long-dead European ancestors is still far less problematic than co-opting the practices of nature religions from still-extant religious groups with their own context and understanding of the world. As a European-American, I have chosen neopaganism as an appropriate site from which to integrate a heritage of natural imagery, but I acknowledge fully that these rites may not seem appropriate for churches that largely consist of other ethnic groups. In these cases, I urge such churches to follow the lead of feminist theologian Kwok Pui-Lan, who in Introducing Asian Feminist Theology describes the merits of drawing inspiration from the traditional religions of one’s own region and ethnic group in order to revitalize and expand Christian worship (see, for example, 86-89). Though in modern times, we have become distanced from the natural world, the ancestors of all the races of the world worked the land for their survival and brought that sense of dependence and connection with nature into their religious practices. Combining modern thinking on ecology with an awareness of our ancient religious roots may provide a framework for Christians of all ethnicities to bring ecological imagery and values into their worship.
VI. Diversification of Worship Types
In addition to the goals described above, my final intention for this project is to revitalize worship by increasing the variety and creativity of activities that are performed in Christian worship. Marcia McFee’s book The Worship Workshop, intended to encourage Protestant churches to create more exciting worship experiences for their congregations, points out that different people have different needs and foci in a worship service: some come primarily for the sermon, others for the music, others for the liturgical readings, others for the beauty of the church building itself and for the seasonal decorations, etc. Still others may not feel moved unless they are able to participate bodily in worship, and feel confined by having to spend an entire service sitting in a pew. Along similar lines, Matthew Fox’s Creation Spirituality emphasizes the importance of embodiment and creativity in worship, and encourages worshippers to integrate movement and art in worship services. Accordingly, in addition to readings, this project includes suggestions for seasonally appropriate ritual actions. These are designed to increase the involvement of laity, as well as provide opportunities for creativity and variety without requiring a radically different Sunday morning order of worship. Additionally, the directional invocations provided for each seasonal festival can be used to introduce movement into worship if desired: the congregation may be asked to face each of the four directions as the invocation is read, thus focusing attention on the natural world outside the church building and encouraging worshippers to look at the community gathered around them.
VI. Conclusion
With my work on this project, I believe I have demonstrated that the line between feminist Christian reformers and post-Christian Goddess worshippers need not be drawn so strictly, and that liturgy can be created that emphasizes their commonality rather than their differences. As the term “post-Christian” suggests, the Goddess movement is still very much in dialogue with Christianity; the two movements have common roots which I believe can provide a continuing basis for respectful discussion and collaboration. I have been pleased to observe that in the 1990’s, books such as Kathleen Sands’ Escape from Paradise and Christ’s Rebirth of the Goddess drew from both Christian reformist and post-Christian sources. Just as the Goddess movement can learn groundedness and practicality in its struggle for social justice from feminist Christians, feminist Christians can draw on the energy, creativity, and fearless experimentation in worship of the Goddess movement. To further that effort, I offer this liturgy as my small contribution to the continuing transformation of religious consciousness.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Dr. Sid Hall,
Rev. Susan Sprague, and
Bibliography
Carr, Anne E. Transforming Grace.
Christ, Carol P. Rebirth of the Goddess.
Christ, Carol P.
and Judith Plaskow. Womanspirit Rising.
Fox, Matthew. Creation Spirituality.
Grey, Mary. Introducing Feminist Images of God.
Grimes, Ronald L.
Deeply Into the Bone.
Hampson, Daphne. Theology and Feminism.
Hitchcock, Helen
Hull. The Politics of Prayer.
Johnson,
Elizabeth A. She Who Is.
Kuykendall,
Richard E. Liturgies of the Earth.
McFague, Sallie. The Body of God.
McFee, Marcia. The Worship Workshop. Peace by Peace Productions, 2000.
Northup, Lesley
A. Ritualizing Women.
Pui-lan, Kwok. Introducing Asian Feminist Theology.
Raphael, Melissa.
Introducing Thealogy.
Ruether, Rosemary
Radford. Women-Church.
Sands, Kathleen
M. Escape from
Starhawk. The Spiral Dance.
Wootton, Janet. Introducing a Practical Feminist Theology of
Worship.
Notes on How to Use This Liturgy
Timing
This packet contains an invocation, communion liturgy, and suggested ritual activities for each of eight seasonal festivals. These are dated as follows, depending on the source consulted:
The liturgies should be performed on the closest Sunday to the actual date of the festival.
Invocations
The invocations celebrate the four elements air, fire, water, and earth, and are intended as an opening prayer to situate the congregation within nature and create sacred space. The congregation may be invited to face each direction as it is called by saying, “Let us face the [direction]” before each verse. The fifth verse is read with all facing the center. The congregation may also respond to each verse with “Blessed be” or another appropriate phrase if desired. This is a good opportunity to involve laity by positioning readers at the five appropriate points of the circle and giving each a single verse to read.
Communion
I have included a complete Imbolc communion liturgy so that the reader can get a sense of the liturgy’s flow. Each subsequent festival contains only the seasonal insertions for the communion liturgy, with a generic communion liturgy (all seasonal references removed) included at the end of the packet.
Familiarizing the
Congregation with the Festivals
On Sundays when communion is not being celebrated, each Call to Communion can double as a statement of intent. The Call may be read at the beginning of the service in order to familiarize the congregation with the meaning of the festival. For additional information on the festivals, one need look no further than the Internet, which like the published sources on the subject, is full of contradictory but plentiful information about their meaning. Searching for the phrase “Wheel of the Year” will likely turn up enough resources to get started.
Ritual Activities
Some of the ritual acts I describe have been inspired by versions I’ve seen performed in rituals and church services; other ideas are my own. In some cases, I’ve long forgotten where I first saw them done, so I apologize here for not being able to give credit where it is due.
Regional Variations
The seasonal references in these liturgies have been
designed loosely for the North American year. I have lived in
Additional Resources
The book Earth Prayers, edited by Elizabeth Roberts and Elias Amidon (HarperSanFrancisco, 1991) is an excellent source for seasonally appropriate prayers and poetry, and would serve as an excellent companion to the material I have presented here.
Blessed be!
CHK
All materials copyright (c) 2003 by Christine Hoff Kraemer. Permission is given to distribute freely in this form as long as no changes are made. Congregations are encouraged to adapt materials to their own needs for the purposes of worship. For permission to publish, contact chk@bu.edu.
Imbolc/Candlemas (Feb. 1-2)
The Festival of Fire, Inspiration, and Poetry
Imbolc/Candlemas Directions*
We celebrate a Spirit that moves through air,
in the wind that whips through and tugs at our clothing,
in the breath that flows in and out of our lungs,
in the wings of the dove that came down to bless Jesus.
Spirit of air, we welcome you.
We celebrate a Spirit that moves through fire,
in the light of the sun that warms the earth,
in the heat of our bodies as we dance and play,
in the tongues of flame that inspired the disciples.
Spirit of fire, we welcome you.
We celebrate a Spirit that moves through water,
in the current of the ocean that ebbs and flows,
in the pulse of the blood that throbs in our veins,
in the moment of baptism when we know God’s love.
Spirit of water, we welcome you.
We celebrate a Spirit that moves through earth,
in the rumble of thunder on a stormy night,
in the pleasure of our mouths when we eat our food,
in the loaf that we break for Christ’s holy meal.
Spirit of earth, we welcome you.
We celebrate a Spirit that never rests,
who in the stillness of winter turns our faces toward spring,*
who awakens our creativity with tongues of flame.
Spirit within all that contains all,
move through us to bring justice to our troubled world.
We honor you. Blessed be.
*The imagery of fire and
inspiration of this invocation makes it appropriate for both Imbolc and Pentecost,
though Pentecost occurs some three months later.
Alternate line for Pentecost:
who calls us to be prophets,
see visions, dream dreams,
Imbolc/Candlemas
Communion (Complete)
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of the sun’s waxing light, called both Candlemas and Imbolc. The young light and hope that were reborn at the Winter Solstice have begun to manifest, and the lengthening of the days brings the promise of spring. We meet today to share a ritual of purification and inspiration, in memory of Jesus Christ.
The Great
Thanksgiving
Leader: The Creator is with us!
All: We open our hearts to the Spirit.
We rejoice to give thanks to
our God.
Leader: Holy One, throughout the turn of the seasons you remain steadfast. In the depths of our suffering, you suffer with us; in the heights of our joy, you share in our pleasure. Creator of earth, air, fire, and water, we celebrate the creation that is your body. In the faces of those around us, in our own faces in the mirror, and in all living creatures, we see your face. By your power and presence, you transform us; we become prophets and makers of justice, bearers of your message of truth and beauty to all the world. And so, with all of being, we raise our voices in your praise:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy One, Source of Life
and Love, all that is blazes with your glory.
Leader: Blessed are you, and blessed is the Child of Humanity, called Jesus, who came amongst us to proclaim liberation and wholeness. Jesus came to break all bonds, to shatter the chains of oppression that hold us in captivity; he healed the sick, gave food to the poor, and ate with those that society rejected to show that God’s table is open to all. Through his suffering, death, and resurrection he proclaimed the victory of love over death. O God, by your power of compassion and justice you gave birth to a new community to embody the continuing presence of Christ in the world. When we break the bread and share the cup, we do so to remember Jesus Christ, and to affirm that your acceptance is poured out for all.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the earth warms with the sun, and we feel the fire of inspiration catch in our hearts, burning to bring light to the growing year. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: Christ has died; Christ is risen;
Christ will come again.
[or: The sun waxes; the fire
is lit; the light will shine forth!]
Leader: Holy One, let your spirit well up in us and in these gifts of bread
and wine. Together we pray as did St. Teresa of
All: Christ has no body now on earth but
ours;
No hands but ours;
No feet but ours;
Ours are the eyes
Through which Christ’s
compassion to the world looks out;
Ours are the feet with which Christ
goes about doing good;
Ours are the hands with which
Christ blesses now.
Sharing
of the Bread and Cup
Closing
Prayer
Leader: Mother of all, inspire us!
All:
Descend on us in tongues of
flame!
Leader: Lord of the dance, invigorate us!
All: Descend on us in tongues of flame!
Leader: Creator of being, fill us with passion!
All: Descend on us in tongues of flame!
Leader: O Holy One, let there be no more complacency among us.
We offer ourselves as vessels of justice and beauty.
Know us today as your people of fire!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Imbolc/Candlemas
Communion Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of the sun’s waxing light, called both Candlemas and Imbolc. The young light and hope that were reborn at the Winter Solstice have begun to manifest, and the lengthening of the days brings the promise of spring. We meet today to share a ritual of purification and inspiration, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the earth warms with the sun, and we feel the fire of inspiration catch in our hearts, burning to bring light to the growing year. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: The sun waxes; the fire is lit; the
light will shine forth!
Closing
Prayer
Leader: Mother of all, inspire us!
All:
Descend on us in tongues of
flame!
Leader: Lord of the dance, invigorate us!
All: Descend on us in tongues of flame!
Leader: Creator of being, fill us with passion!
All: Descend on us in tongues of flame!
Leader: O Holy One, let there be no more complacency among us.
We offer ourselves as vessels of justice and beauty.
Know us today as your people of fire!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for
Imbolc/Candlemas
Ostara/Spring
Equinox (Mar. 21-22)
The Festival of Rebirth
Ostara/Spring
Equinox/Easter Directions
Spirit of the East, spirit of Air,
Blow over us and make us clean.
On your fresh breezes we taste resurrection,*
On your powerful gusts, endless possibilities.
Under your open sky we celebrate freedom.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
Spirit of the South, spirit of Fire,
You burn the past away to make room for the future.
We have worn ashes, for the old that has died;
Teach us now to use them to nourish the new.
In your holy light we celebrate rebirth.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
Spirit of the West, spirit of Water,
Your rain soaks the earth and prepares it for growth.
As you soften the soil, grown hard in winter,
Soften too our hearts, that compassion might bloom.
In your lush morning dew we celebrate renewal.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
Spirit of the North, spirit of Earth,
The first buds of spring burst up beneath our feet.
As the air fills with the sweet scent of green,
Plant in our souls a new seed of hope.
In your delicate flowers we celebrate life.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
Spirit at the Center, Creator of Being,
We shudder with the possibilities of new beginnings.
Renew our thirst for justice, free us from despair,
That as the earth is reborn, so might the world be transformed.
In your eternal dance we celebrate change.**
We welcome you into our circle, where you have always been. Blessed be.
Alternate lines for Easter Sunday:
* On your fresh breezes we
breathe in change,
** We shudder with the
promise of the opened tomb.
Renew our thirst for justice,
free us from despair,
That as Christ is risen, so
might the world be transformed.
On this Easter morning we
celebrate resurrection.
Ostara/Spring Equinox
Communion Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of rebirth, called Ostara or the Spring Equinox. Day and night are equal, and the earth shakes winter loose to push forth life. Now is the time to water the fresh buds of renewal and to nurture that which, though now only an egg, will hatch into bright possibilities for the coming year. We meet today to share a ritual of resurrection and new life, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the earth warms with the sun, and we celebrate with the fresh new flowers of spring, growing as a sign of the renewal and resurrection of the earth and of our lives. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: That which has died rises again! Alleluia!
Closing
Prayer
Leader: God who is the Mother of all births us into new life!
All:
O God, plant in our hearts a
seed of hope.
Leader: God who is the Father of all opens doors of possibility!
All: O God, plant in our hearts a seed of
vision.
Leader: God who is the Creator of all moves us to action!
All: O God, plant in our hearts a seed of
justice.
Leader: O Holy One, today your earth is resurrected.
Fill us with the joy of renewal, that we may know how death leads into life.
We come before you as your people of transformation!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for
Ostara/Spring Equinox/Easter
For both these activities, the church may want to provide extra flowers for those who did not bring one.
Beltane/May
Day (May 1)
The Festival of Ripeness and Fertility
Spirits of the East, spirits of air,
We delight in the caress of your warm breeze.
Teasing, flirting breath of life,
We feel your touch as an invitation to dance.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Spirits of the South, spirits of fire,
We bask in the heat of an early summer sun.
Warm our limbs with your golden light
That we may forget what it means to be cold.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Spirits of the West, spirits of water,
We know you in the pounding of our blood
And in the crisp pleasure of a cool drink.
Flow through our land, that we may never know dryness.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Spirits of the North, spirits of earth,
We celebrate your boundless fertility
And eagerly await the summer’s rich and juicy fruits.
As burgeoning life bursts from your soil, let us also change and grow.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Source of Being, Mother of all,
We come with joy and gratitude
To celebrate the power of your life-giving love.
Draw us gently into the rhythms of your dance
That we may know ourselves to all be your children.
We honor you. Blessed be.
Beltane/May Day
Communion Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of ripeness and fertility, called Beltane or May Day. The sun approaches the peak of its power, and we feel the beginnings of summer heat on our faces and in our bones. Now is the time to celebrate the beauty of the earth and the joy of embodiment, through which we experience all the pleasures of God’s creation. We meet today to share a ritual of joy and generosity, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the fertile earth bursts with fresh greenery and new fruits, and we celebrate with bright colors and joyful noise, making merry as a sign of the overflowing bounty of the earth and of God’s love. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: We drink from Christ’s cup, forever
overflowing!
Closing
Prayer
Leader: The Mother of creation bids us dance for joy.
All:
O Mother God, liberate our feet
to dance for your pleasure!
Leader: The Father of creation bids us make a joyful noise.
All: O Father God, liberate our voices to
cry out your glory!
Leader: The Creator of all that lives bids us spread our joy.
All: O Creator God, liberate our hearts
and cast out sorrow!
Leader: O Holy One, your extravagant creation is full of love and pleasure.
Inspire us to love life, that we may better work for justice.
We come before you as your people of delight!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for
Beltane/May Day
Litha/Midsummer/Summer Solstice (Jun.
21-22)
The Festival of Sun & Rain/The Longest Day
Spirit of the East, spirit of air,
we know you in the stillness of every new dawn,
in the crispness of breezes cooled by night,
in the first beams of the rising sun shining through.
Bless us now and always with your clarity. We welcome you.
Spirit of the South, spirit of fire,
we know you in the fury of the noonday sun,
in the wall of heat pushing from an open oven,
in the quiet light of candles upon our altar.
Bless us now and always with your intensity. We welcome you.
Spirit of the West, spirit of water,
we know you in the cooling power of rain,
in the tinkle of ice in a glass of lemonade,
in the refreshing plunge of bare feet into a cold river.
Bless us now and always with your calm. We welcome you.
Spirit of the North, spirit of earth,
we know you in the shadows cast by the setting sun,
in the joyous taste of ripe summer fruits,
in the comfort of a cool, grassy seat under a night sky.
Bless us now and always with your nurturing. We welcome you.
Spirit at the Center, Mother of all,
Cleanse us with your burning sun and cooling water.
As the summer grows long, and we turn our faces once again towards fall,
Give us the strength to live each day in harmony with your creation.
We honor you. Blessed be.
Litha/Midsummer/Summer
Solstice Communion Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of the longest day, called Litha or Midsummer. The sun beats down on us at the peak of its power, and we honor its life-giving light, as well as the cooling relief of rain and water. Now is the time to celebrate sun and rain, the gifts of the heavens by which all plants grow, and all that which gives energy and comfort in our lives. We meet today to share a ritual of light and healing, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the sun shines vibrantly down, marking the midpoint of the summer. Balancing the intensity of the sun with the gentleness of water, we honor the light which will soon begin to wane with the turning of the year. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: That which waxes, must also wane;
but that which wanes shall wax again!
Closing
Prayer
Leader: In the sun’s shining disk, God’s face is revealed.
All:
O Father, we shield our eyes
from your glory!
Leader: In the ocean’s quiet depths, God’s face is revealed.
All: O Mother, we are overwhelmed by your
vastness!
Leader: In all things that are, God’s face is revealed.
All: O Creator, our minds spin with your
variety!
Leader: O Holy One, shine on us, quench our thirst, fill us with your love.
May we reflect your glory in our struggle for justice.
We come before you as your people of the light!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for
Litha/Midsummer/Summer Solstice
Lammas (Aug. 1)
O Energies of the East,
source of thought and of reason,
all of our clarity and judgment we owe to you.
Honor our sacrifices this day
And fill us again with the Spirit of Air.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
O Energies of the South,
source of passion and of will,
all of our determination and focus we owe to you.
Honor our sacrifices this day
And fill us again with the Spirit of Fire.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
O Energies of the West,
source of love and compassion,
all of our mercy and gentleness we owe to you.
Honor our sacrifices this day
And fill us again with the Spirit of Water.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
O Energies of the North,
source of stability and strength,
all of our endurance and vitality we owe to you.
Honor our sacrifices this day
And fill us again with the Spirit of Earth.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
O Energy at the Center,
source of the mystery of life,
all that we do and are springs out of you.
Honor our sacrifices this day
And make us conscious again of the presence of the sacred.
We cherish you always. Blessed be.
Lammas Communion
Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of the sacrifice of the earth, called Lammas. The days begin to grow shorter, though summer’s greatest heat may still be ahead. Now is the time to celebrate the earth’s continuing surrender for our well-being, as well as to reflect on what we might give back to God’s creation. We meet today to share a ritual of self-emptying sacrifice, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the sun begins to wane, and we honor the sacrifice of God’s body the earth, calling us to greater generosity. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: That which is given away is not
lost, but flows forth as love!
Closing
Prayer
Leader: Mother God, you offer us your body to nourish our bellies.
All:
Every bite we eat is holy.
Leader: Father God, you offer us forgiveness to liberate our souls.
All: Every breath we take is holy.
Leader: Creator God, you offer us empowerment to struggle for justice.
All: Every gift freely given is holy.
Leader: O Holy One, your gifts to us are extravagant beyond measure.
Grant us strength that we may give deeply, yet never grow weak.
We come before you as your people of generosity!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for Lammas
Mabon/Autumn Equinox (Sept. 21-22)
The Festival of the Harvest
Mabon/Autumn Equinox
Directions*
(Let us face the East.)
O God, give us grateful hearts,
For the air that we breathe is your breath,
And the wind that rustles the leaves, your laughter.
For these things and more, we thank you.
(Let us face the South.)
O God, give us grateful hearts,
For the fire that warms us is the warmth of your love,
And the sun above is the light of your truth.
For these things and more, we thank you.
(Let us face the West.)
O God, give us grateful hearts,
For the water we drink is your lifeblood,
And the rains that fall are your tears.
For these things and more, we thank you.
(Let us face the North.)
O God, give us grateful hearts,
For the earth where we stand is your body,
And the creatures that live upon it, your children.
For these things and more, we thank you.
(Let us face the Center.)
O God, our hearts are grateful
For the world that is your flesh, your spirit made real.
And as we give thanks, let us also listen:
God's love is infinite, boundless, and free.
Listen, and hear: "You're welcome."
* Congregations may also find
this invocation appropriate for Thanksgiving.
Mabon/Autumn Equinox
Communion Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of the harvest, called Mabon or the Autumn Equinox. Day and night are equal, though the sun continues to wane as the earth moves into fall; leaves will soon droop and brown as the first cool winds begin to blow. Now is the time to celebrate the rich harvest of God’s earth, as well as our own harvests in our lives, the things we have accomplished over the past year. We meet today to share a ritual of thanksgiving and community, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the days grow shorter, and we celebrate the harvest, symbol of all the fruits of our efforts and of God’s continuing generosity. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: Those who hunger for justice will be
fed!
Closing
Prayer
Leader: O God our Mother, we give thanks for our daily bread.
All:
With our efforts, feed all who
are hungry.
Leader: O God our Father, we give thanks for strength of our hearts.
All: With our efforts, empower all who
need courage.
Leader: O God our Creator, we give thanks for creation’s rich beauty.
All: With our efforts, stir the souls of
all who see only ugliness.
Leader: O Holy One, you have poured your gifts out upon us.
Give us grateful hearts, that we may reach out to those in need.
We come before you as your people of plenty!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for
Mabon/Autumn Equinox
Samhain/Day of the Dead (Oct. 31-Nov 2.)
The Festival of Remembrance
Samhain/Day of the
Dead Directions
Bless us, O Air, as we remember our dead.
We who feel you rush into our lungs
Recall the thoughts and words of those who came before.
Inspire now our minds, as you also inspired our loved ones’.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Bless us, O Fire, as we remember our dead.
We who light flames of memory on our altar today
Recall the passion and intensity of those who came before.
Kindle now our spirits, as you also kindled our loved ones’.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Bless us, O Water, as we remember our dead.
We who feel blood pulse in our veins
Recall the love and caring of those who came before.
Soften now our hearts, as you also softened our loved ones’.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Bless us, O Earth, as we remember our dead.
We who work and play on your stable ground
Recall the strength and endurance of those who came before.
Nourish now our bodies, as you also nourished our loved ones’.
We welcome you. Blessed be.
Bless us, O Creator, as we remember our dead.
We who embody your love and power today
Know that in remembering, the dead live again.
Fill us now with the spirit of Christ, as you also filled our loved ones.
We cherish you, as you cherish us. Blessed be.
Samhain/Day of the
Dead Communion Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of those that have gone on before, called Samhain or the Day of the Dead. The days grow visibly short, and the taste of the coming winter is on the wind; plants and trees wither under the cooling gusts, and our minds turn to our lost loved ones. Now is the time to remember our dead and to celebrate their lives and the love for them that we bear. We meet today to share a ritual of remembrance, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the earth moves into a time of rest, and we remember those people and things which die and yet shall live, just as Christ died but lives in us. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: In remembering, the dead live again.
Closing
Prayer
Leader: Mother of all, comfort us in our mourning.
All:
In the depth of our loss, we
feel our power to love.
Leader: Father of all, strengthen us in our nurturing.
All: In our caring for others, we feel
our power to love.
Leader: Creator of all, empower us in our justice-making.
All: As we transform the world, we feel
our power to love.
Leader: O Holy One, we are fearful of death;
Take our fear and transmute it into awe.
We come before you as your people of memory!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for
Samhain/Day of the Dead
Yule/Winter Solstice/Christmas Eve
The Festival of the Rebirth of the Sun/The Longest Night
Yule/Winter
Solstice/Christmas Eve Directions
O Spirit of Air, we call you!
On this shortest day of the year*
We need more than ever the power of your clarity.
Gift us with your vision as we long for the sun.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
O Spirit of Fire, we call you!
On this shortest day of the year
We need more than ever the power of your warmth.
Gift us with your passion as we long for the sun.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
O Spirit of Water, we call you!
On this shortest day of the year
We need more than ever the power of your wisdom.
Gift us with your compassion as we long for the sun.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
O Spirit of Earth, we call you!
On this shortest day of the year
We need more than ever the power of your stability.
Gift us with your peace as we long for the sun.
We welcome you into our circle. Blessed be.
O Mother/Father of all, we open ourselves to you!
On this shortest day of the year
We are desperate with longing for the birth of your Sun (Son).
Gift us with your child of mercy, your love incarnate.
We await the Christ child with joy! Alleluia, and blessed be!
*or, for Christmas Eve, “this
longest night”
Yule/Winter Solstice
Communion Elements
Call to Communion
Today is the celebration of the longest night, called Yule or the Winter Solstice. We celebrate the rebirth of the sun, which after its long period of waning will begin to wax again. Though we shiver with the cold of winter, we rest easy in the knowledge that the light will return. We meet today to share a ritual of hope, in memory of Jesus Christ.
Words
of Institution
Leader: The seasons turn and the earth is chill and hard. The sun shines wanly in the sky, and we anxiously await the rebirth of the light. We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: That which waxes, must also wane;
but that which wanes shall wax again!
Closing
Prayer
Leader: Mother God, we call to you out of winter.
All:
The light is coming! The sun
will be reborn!
Leader: Father God, we call to you out of stillness.
All: The light is coming! The sun will be
reborn!
Leader: Creator God, we call to you with a desperate hope.
All: The light is coming! The sun will be
reborn!
Leader: O Holy One, we greet your Sun with gladness;
With how much more joy shall we greet your Child!
We come before you as your people of hope!
All: Alleluia! Amen.
Activities for
Yule/Winter Solstice
Earth Communion – Generic
Call to Communion
The Great
Thanksgiving
Leader: The Creator is with us!
All: We open our hearts to the Spirit.
We rejoice to give thanks to
our God.
Leader: Holy One, throughout the turn of the seasons you remain steadfast. In the depths of our suffering, you suffer with us; in the heights of our joy, you share in our pleasure. Creator of earth, air, fire, and water, we celebrate the creation that is your body. In the faces of those around us, in our own faces in the mirror, and in all living creatures, we see your face. By your power and presence, you transform us; we become prophets and makers of justice, bearers of your message of truth and beauty to all the world. And so, with all of being, we raise our voices in your praise:
All: Holy, Holy, Holy One, Source of Life
and Love, all that is blazes with your glory.
Leader: Blessed are you, and blessed is the Child of Humanity, called Jesus, who came amongst us to proclaim liberation and wholeness. Jesus came to break all bonds, to shatter the chains of oppression that hold us in captivity; he healed the sick, gave food to the poor, and ate with those that society rejected to show that God’s table is open to all. Through his suffering, death, and resurrection he proclaimed the victory of love over death. O God, by your power of compassion and justice you gave birth to a new community to embody the continuing presence of Christ in the world. When we break the bread and share the cup, we do so to remember Jesus Christ, and to affirm that your acceptance is poured out for all.
Words
of Institution
Leader: [Seasonal words.] We take this meal, and remember the promise of transformation:
All: Christ has died; Christ is risen;
Christ will come again.
[or: seasonal response]
Leader: Holy One, let your spirit well up in us and in these gifts of bread
and wine. Together we pray as did St. Teresa of
All: Christ has no body now on earth but
ours;
No hands but ours;
No feet but ours;
Ours are the eyes
Through which Christ’s
compassion to the world looks out;
Ours are the feet with which Christ
goes about doing good;
Ours are the hands with which
Christ blesses now.
Sharing
of the Bread and Cup
Closing
Prayer