About Gifts in Open Hands

Welcome to Gifts in Open Hands – A Blog for a Pentecost Year

Nine years ago, on Pentecost Kathy Wonson Eddy and I published the anthology Gifts in Open Hands – More Worship Resources for the Global Community (Pilgrim Press, 2011). I began this blog to highlight prayers, poems and liturgical resources from that book and invited the one hundred and forty-seven contributors representing forty-three countries to share new work. Some were in English; many more were in other languages. 

Since this beginning, Maria Mankin and I have published From the Psalms to the Cloud — Connecting to the Digital Age (Pilgrim Press,2013) and A Child Laughs — Prayers of Justice and Hope (Pilgrim Press, 2017) both anthologies with a wonderful globally diverse community of writers. I have re-shaped this blog to include a wider range of contributors and more of my own work, including my new book of poetry Christmas Eve at the Epsom Circle McDonald’s and Other Poems, and I encourage others to share poetry, liturgy and prose reflections.

As each year Pentecost returns, I am recommitted to the fresh wind, new language and descending Spirit of hope that shares a common story. I had originally come up with the book title “Gifts in Open Hands” and it continues to express what I hope shall be the content of this blog.

Richard Bott, liturgical writer and United Church of Canada pastor wrote to me in a personal letter,  Sometimes I think that we have the best job in the world. The rest of the time I *know* it. Where else could we have the space to play with words for the purpose of helping people encounter themselves, their neighbors, and the One that is greater than the sum of what is?

I agree with Richard. How could we have more fun?

This blog has two very fluidly regular posts, on Mondays when I will share my poetry or liturgy, and on Thursday, when I will share guest posts that highlight the poetry, prose, liturgy, essays or stories of others. In addition there will certainly be many other occasions that will call for prayers or in which I’ve received a contribution that fits best during the week.  I am also willing to write for an issue that you lift up and try to do so when I receive it. Please send your request to giftsinopenhands@gmail.com. 

I hope that some of you may want to contribute to this blog, willing to let others be blessed by the gift of your words. Please send your submissions to giftsinopenhands@gmail.com. If I am able to use your work, I will notify you by email immediately and then again after it is on the blog so that you see it there. Please be aware that others will given permission to use your work as outlined here.

These are, indeed, gifts. Permission to copy these prayers, poems and worship resources is freely given for church bulletins, newsletters, congregational and educational use, and even personal blogs, as long as there is appropriate acknowledgement. There is no need to contact copyright holders. For my work, adaptations with integrity by abridging, altering to express or include a local community concern, or gently re-writing to change the season of the year honors my original intention.

Reprinting the resources in this blog in any other way, such as a book, a curriculum, or a workshop for which a fee is charged requires additional permissions of the copyright holders. I handle requests for my work and will put you in touch with other writers. These are gifts to be honored and remembered, to be used for your spiritual growth and to enrich communities of faith of which you are a part.