Resources on Carol Penner

Peace, War, Refuge, God's Presence

After a Mass Shooting

Carol Penner | Together in Worship

Carol Penner offers a congregational prayer that laments the tragedy of mass shootings, bringing before God questions, confusion, and petitions.

Lament, Violence, Guns, Brokenness

Worshiping the God who Sees Me

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Scripture Meditation or Sermon

"God sees Hagar, but do we see Hagar?" Carol Penner's sermon from Genesis 16:1-14 emphasizes "seeing" domestic violence and responding in a helpful way, i.e, reporting it.

Genesis 16:1-14

Hagar, Violence, Abuse, Family

St Patrick’s Remix Congregational Prayer

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner offers an updated "remix" of the Breastplate or Lorica attributed to St. Patrick. "We bind to ourselves the love of Christ that will not let us go, and the strength to share that love."

Power, Christ, Love, Hate

Remembrance Day

Carol Penner | Together in Worship

Carol Penner's poem remembers—inviting readers to remember, too—the costs of violence and war and that there is hope, though its beginnings small, in the Kingdom of God.

Hope, Peace, Memory, War

Advent Adventure

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner's poetic prayer recognizes Jesus as the source of light, hope, and peace, and asks for guidance in the adventure of Advent.

Advent, Hope, Longing, Peace

On Good Friday

Carol Penner | Together in Worship

Prayer of Confession

This prayer of confession by Carol Penner is weaves together Matthew 11:28 and Isaiah 53:4-6 to invite congregations to actively participate in confess their "burdens" of sin. Instructions are included.

Isaiah 53:4-6; Matthew 11:28

Good Friday, Sin, Confession, Violence

Leaving Marriage: A Survivor's Prayer

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner offers a prayer from the perspective of one who has reluctantly decided that they must leave a marriage. "Help me trust that even if I leave him, you will never leave him."

Fear, Love, Marriage, Prayer

Prayer for a Battered Woman

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner offers a prayer from the perspective of a woman who is the victim of violence. "For it is in new beginnings that we find your grace."

Prayer, Peace, Violence, Change

Prayer Against Patriarchy

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner offers a prayer lamenting the injustice of patriarchy in which girls and women are treated unfairly in school, home, and the workplace.

Work, Gender, Sexism, Strength

Peace Prayer for Imprisoned Sexual Offenders

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner offers a prayer for imprisoned sexual offenders. "Unsettle us with improbable and unexpected incarnations as you are born again in the cages we call prisons."

Hope, Prayer, Sexuality, Peace

Psalm for a Women's Shelter

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner offers a psalm from the perspective of one who has come to a women's shelter, with many allusions to canonical Psalms.

Hope, Love, Violence, Psalms

Did I See You? A Reading About Abuse

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

Carol Penner's poem, alluding to Matthew 25:31-46, speaks of feelings of gratitude for being compassionately assisted by a person "when I called on God for help."

Poetry, Violence, Compassion, Prison

Advent Prayer for People Living with Violence

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

"May love’s pure light this season empower us to come to the aid of your hurting people." In this Advent prayer, Carol Penner intercedes for those for whom "peace is absent."

Advent, Fear, Peace, Violence

Advent Angel Prayer

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

"Open our eyes to the angels who walk among us... Help us to be angels, heralds of love." This advent prayer by Carol Penner invites us to be like the angels, bringing peace on earth.

Advent, Peace, Angels, Violence

Longest Night Prayer

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

"We need a Savior for those who sit in the shadow of death." Carol Penner offers a prayer on the "longest night" for people who live with violence, conflict, war, assault, destruction, starvation.

Death, Peace, Violence, Advent

God Confronts War Today

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

"God the Almighty longs for peace; God confronts the desolation of war." Carol Penner's poem, based on Psalm 46, speaks of God's solidarity with those who grieve and activity to destroy the implements of war.

Psalm 46

Peace, Violence, God, War

When Family Violence Devastates a Community...

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

God of hope, hear our lament... This is violence happening in our own neighborhood." A lament by Carol Penner for victims of domestic violence.

Crime, Violence, Women, Lament

Prayer for Male Survivors of Violence

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

"God of Comfort: We pray today for men and boys whose lives have been scarred by abuse and violence." A prayer by Carol Penner for bullied, abused, and exploited men and boys.

Spring Congregational Prayer

Sexuality, Violence

Carol Penner | Leading in Worship

This spring congregational prayer by Carol Penner thanks God for new life “greening all around us” and asks for forgiveness and wisdom. The prayer remembers the suffering, mentally ill, depressed, and peacemakers.