The Season of Holy Revenance

Kingdomtide in Climate Emergency

This season is during November, before Advent. It incorporates All Saints, All Souls and Remembrance and on 30^th is the Day of Remembrance for Lost Species¹. So, the themes for this season are remembrance of losses, lament, and recognition of mortality. It also recognises the natural theme of growing darkness and lengthening nights (in the northern hemisphere). Officially this season before Advent is Kingdom Season. The title “The Season of Holy Revenance is taken from a book of Poems by Cynthia Hogue ². For some context on how the idea of daily prayer in climate emergency is worked through, read this.

—————– ɷˡˡ̷ —————

All flesh is grass, enduring as a flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades.
But the Word of our God stands for ever.³

Pause to appreciate God’s presence.

Your word O Lord, is a lamp to our feet
and a light to our path.

Lights /candles may be lit

Sustain us according to your promise
and we shall live.

Psalms and readings

Comfort our hearts and strengthen them
in every good work and word

Reflection individually or together.

Then a Canticle (as follows) may be used or a hymn.

Every good deed
Every perfect gift
Is from Above,
Coming from the Creator of lights
Who does not change
Like their shifting shadows.
God chose to birth us
Through the truthful Word
So that we would be
As firstfruits
Of all God created. ⁴

O Lord, open our lips
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessèd are you, God of all consolation, you love us and in grace you give us eternal comfort and good hope ⁵, you give seedtime and harvest and nourish life in the midst of decay; with you is the well of life,
In your light we see light.

Praise and thanksgiving, silent or aloud.

God in heaven; you are as a father and a mother ⁶ to us,
Hallowed be your name

The nights lengthen, trees leave themselves bare and plants retreat in on themselves. We remember summer, and warmth. We recall whom we miss and remember what is no more. And we pray for life in death, light in darkness and hope in despair.

We grieve for fraying the web of life we love.
We rail at the losses we contemplate.
We long for words of comfort,
yet find them hard to hear.

…We bring our concerns for creation, or for the needs of the earth, people or events to God, silently or aloud. Consider pausing after each of the following response to consider and pray from whatever the petition brings to heart and mind.

We pray for life in death, light in darkness and hope in despair. In the travails of earth:
bring your vision to birth

Creation groans: we feel the marring and lament the harms. In the travails of earth:
bring your vision to birth

The cries of the needy and dispossessed call out for justice. In the travails of earth:
bring your vision to birth

Strongholds against truth and compassion vaunt themselves. In the travails of earth:
bring your vision to birth

We cast our cares upon you, generous and faithful God. In the travails of earth:
bring your vision to birth

…

As we seek to walk in Light, you promise to supply our need

…sharing of needs, silently or aloud …

Seeking first your righteousness,
All things needful are shared.

The darkness of night is dissolving as the Dawn’s light draws near. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness.

We pause to recognise what of our life needs to change in the light of God’s Reign

When the shadows we have cast have hidden the light for others,
Father forgive.
Bring us life again

We reflect on what we may need to forgive

We forgive the shadows others have cast on our lives.
Father forgive.
Bring us life again

We cry to the Lord in our trouble:
deliver us from our distress
Bring us out of darkness:
from out of the shadow of death ⁷

We reflect on the coming day:
…

In all that today may bring; the anticipated and the surprising, the pleasant and the testing;
Go before us, alert us to the real issues,
strengthen us for Good,
awaken us if we sleepwalk into sin,
show us the way out of the darkness:
fill us with love, hope and peace as we cling fast to you.
Amen.

In your tender compassion, O God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

—————– ɷˡˡ̷ —————-

1 https://www.lostspeciesday.org/

2 This word can be found in Cynthia Hogue’s book of poems. It resembles “revenant”, the French word for ghost (literally, “returning”), and ‘reverie’ -a state of dreaming (in this case for a better future) and it also conjures the word ‘reverence’. See https://poets.org/book/revenance

3 Isaiah 40:6b-8

4 Adapted from James 1:17-18

5 2 Thessalonians 2:16

6 See Isaiah 42:14; 49:15; 66:13; Hosea 11:3f; Psalm 131:2

7 Psalm 107:13-14

Kingdomtide

Kingdom season is in the few weeks before Advent, presently this means during November. The theme of the Kingdom season is Christ’s light being brought to the darkness of the world and life into death. It is a time to remember and take encouragement from the dead in Christ, the saints in light.

The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness did not overcome it.
The true light enlightens everyone,
and has come into the world.
Lights /candles may be lit

My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
and in your word have I put my hope.
Psalms and reading[s]
The word that goes out from God’s mouth shall not return empty,
it shall accomplish God’s purpose,
and succeed in what it is sent to do.
Reflection individually or together. A framework for reflection> using the pattern of the Lord’s prayer is available to help if desired.

Canticle of the day may be used or a hymn.
Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O ruler of the nations.
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord?
For you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence:
for your just dealings have been revealed.
To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
[Revelation 15.3,4 ]

O Lord, open our lips
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessèd are you, Heaven’s High King and judge of all,
we give you praise and honour for with you is the well of life,
In your light we see light.
Praise and thanksgiving, silent or aloud.
God in heaven; father and mother to us,
Hallowed be your name

Your will is for the Light of Christ to illumine everyone.
May your light shine on all for whom we pray and chase the shadows from the situations we are concerned about.
We bring our concerns for people or events to God, silently or aloud.
In that day, mourning and crying and pain will be no more and God will wipe away every tear.
Your kingdom Come.

In that day, of the increase of Christ’s government and of peace there shall be no end.
Your kingdom Come.

In that day, your Spirit will fill all things and all shall know you.
Your kingdom Come.

In that day, death will be no more;
Your kingdom Come.

As we seek to walk in Light, you promise to supply our need
…sharing of needs, silently or aloud …
Seeking first your righteousness
All things shall be added.

Jesus proclaimed ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand, change your outlook and commit yourselves to the Good News’
We pause to recognise what of our life needs to change in the light of God’s Reign
When the shadows we have cast have hidden the light for others,
Father forgive.
We reflect on what we may need to forgive
We forgive the shadows others have cast on our lives.
Father forgive.
This we call to mind and therefore we have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God’s mercies never come to an end:
They are new every morning,
Great is your faithfulness, O Lord:
great is your faithfulness.
[Lamentations 3:19 ff]

We reflect on the coming day: it’s potential challenges to our living out the Good News and recognising it may bring things for which we are unprepared.
In all that today may bring; the anticipated and the surprising,
The pleasant and the testing;
Go before us, alert us to the real issues,
strengthen us for Good,
awaken us if we sleepwalk into sin,
show us the way out of the Darkness
and fill us with love, hope and peace
as we cling fast to you.
Amen.

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Saturday

Saturday’s prayers tend to reflect the theme of the Kingdom season: Christ’s light being brought to the darkness of world and life into death.

You are the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
Your word is a lantern to our feet
and a light upon our paths.
Sustain us according to your promise
and we shall live.
My soul faints with longing for your salvation,
and in your word have I put my hope.
Psalm[s] and reading[s].
The word that goes out from God’s mouth shall not return empty,
it shall accomplish God’s purpose,
and succeed in what it is sent to do.
Quiet and/or shared reflection.A framework for reflection, using the pattern of the Lord’s prayer may be used.

Canticle of the day, below, may be used or a hymn.
Great and Wonderful
Great and wonderful are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, O ruler of the nations.
Who shall not revere and praise your name, O Lord?
For you alone are holy.
All nations shall come and worship in your presence:
for your just dealings have been revealed.
To the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might,
for ever and ever. Amen.
[Adapted from text © The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England]

O Lord, open our lips
And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Blessèd are you, Heaven’s High King and judge of all, we give you praise and honour for with you is the well of life,
In your light we see light.
Praise and thanksgiving, silent or aloud.
God in heaven; father and mother to us,
Hallowed be your name
Your will is for the Light of Christ to illumine everyone. May your light shine on all for whom we pray and chase the shadows from the situations we are concerned about.
We bring our concerns for people or events to God, silently or aloud.
In the kingdom of light, death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more and God will wipe away every tear.
…
Faithful One, chase the shadows from this age, ripen the first fruits of your will on earth:
Your kingdom come.
In that day, of the increase of Christ’s government and of peace there shall be no end.
…
Faithful One, chase the shadows from this age, ripen the first fruits of your will on earth:
Your kingdom come.
In that day, your Spirit will fill all things and all shall know you.
…
Faithful One, chase the shadows from this age, ripen the first fruits of your will on earth:
Your kingdom come.

As we seek to walk in Light, you promise to supply our need
sharing of needs, silently or aloud ….
Seeking first your righteousness
All things shall be added.

Jesus proclaimed ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand, change your outlook and commit yourselves to the Good News’
We pause to recognise what of our life needs to change in the light of God’s Reign.
When the shadows we have cast have hidden the light for others,
Father forgive.
We reflect on what we may need to forgive
We forgive the shadows others have cast on our lives.
Father forgive.
This we call to mind and therefore we have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
God’s mercies never come to an end:
They are new every morning,
Great is your faithfulness, O Lord:
great is your faithfulness.
[Lamentations 3:19 ff]

We reflect on the coming day: its potential challenges to our living out the Good News and recognising it may bring things for which we are unprepared.
…
In all that today may bring; the anticipated and the surprising. The pleasant and the testing; Go before us, alert us to the real issues,
strengthen us for Good,
awaken us if we sleepwalk into sin,
show us the way out of the Darkness
and fill us with love, hope and peace
as we cling fast to you.
Amen.

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