The Majesty of God; the Intimacy of God

“As I gather with many Christians, I experience the Majesty of God;
as I share in a small group of Christians I experience the Intimacy of God.”

So ended the wording of our lead pastor in his email to the Church Council of July 10, asking each of us, “Can you help me?”, as we discuss changing the church calendar to a single morning service, with time for more adult bible study and Sunday School opportunities between an 8:00am Communion service and a single traditional service at 10:15am.

I don’t know how many of us have answered the email; but I know that some of us have some difficulty with these concepts, in our own experience within the life of this church, within the small group opportunities that we have been able to share.

My belief, for what it is worth, is that we need to be able to say AMEN! to both of those statements, at least once and awhile. Many of the poems God has given me come out of the Majesty of God and the Intimacy of God. And much of that HAS been felt within my household of faith.


In the Quiet of the Circle

We sat around the living room
a more casual gathering
the small flock
listening to the word, yes;
but sharing our own
in ways we don’t in the sanctuary,
in worship. The majesty of God lives there
in the communing of the congregation,
the swelling of the choir, the sharing of bread;
but here in their room, this little slice of their life
shared with the rest of us, opening their home
to strangers becoming deeper friends,
we felt God’s closeness, with us
in the telling of our faith journeys,
each so different,
so much alike at the same time
in the quiet of the circle,
God joined us

July 10, 2007 23:56

God Joined Us

God joined us
in that intimate space
sharing our stories, our beliefs
reading the scripture together
sipping the tea, laughing
at the timely anecdote,
the common memory
the shared verse,
we love so well
Closing your eyes,
for a moment at the reading
hearing the words differently
in the quiet of the circle,
thinking on it now,
a few months past,
a smile warms my face
even now, in the wee hours
I remember well
the bible study
in their living room.

July 11, 2007 00:47


God Filled the Church

With tears pouring down my face,
washing down into my mouth
wide open
singing, praying, believing
in the power of the testimony,
the compelling
words from the chancel,
from the pulpit,
feeling them wash over me,
down from the
holy of holies,
down into Your courts
out over the congregation,
hands waving
in the warm air,
hearing the saving message
of the God who forgave her,
set her to work
with the migrant workers,
out in the blueberry fields
downeast from here,
feeling the truth in her message
the second and third,
and maybe even fourth chance God
that lifted her up
set her feet to walking a different road
one we share in ministry
in mission
in common

July 11, 2007 1:20

Joyful Tears

Tears of joy
welled up
in his heart
spilled down his cheeks
in the pew again

Frozen Yankee stoicism
melted by the telling
the knowing
of Your Word

Safe telling of ancient stories of faith,
or hopeof love
Understood better
by study
and communion

Learning together
deeper meanings
in His times
and our own.

June 26-2005 - Reflections on Pastor We Hyun Chang's final sermon and the meaning of 1 Cor. 13:13, enhanced by participation in the Disciple I bible study.

Tears

My eyes welled up
Tears rolled down my cheeks
As the choir sang
Of God’s Love and His forgiveness
Vision blurred for a few moments
So I could but see
Unburdening my heart
In your house this Sunday

You are not finished with me.
You have saved me
For what I know not yet
I pray you will steel my heart
And guide my hands and feet
To do your work.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day
And your promise
Paid with your body
For all of us

July 1, 2001 12:10


Approaching the Table

We walk silently, hands cupped
rising to receive the bread,
dip into the wine, the living symbol
of his blood, his life poured out
for all, the world from beginning to end

We walk silently, sad, hopeful,
unworthy, unsteady, unready
for the gift of grace
the heavenly sustenance
at his table,

A powerful joy, washes over me
in the receiving, in the words
of the server, my hearing ears need
my Amen, to acknowledge the gift
given and received, again at his table
Smiling heart and face, knowing
the redemption in the communing

February 28, 2007 17:34

Cloth Me With Joy

Joy comes with the morning
the birthing of a new day
Cloth me in your joy Lord
wrap, cover my nakedness
my iniquity, my shame
with joy in the covenant
the abiding relationship
creator and sustainer God
Redeem me, use me
for your purposes
Gird my spirit,
carry your banner,
clothed in joy
in the dawning

July 15, 2006 22:45
Psalm 33:5b, 11c



The Intimacy of Informality

Words not rituals
casual, heart-felt words
telling the real story
of the greatest sacrifice
in all of human history
finding words to speak
of the awesome nature
of the death of an innocent
a deity paying our price
Words in a tone of transparency
taking risks, risks worth taking
to reach each questioning sheep
each member of the flock
Painful words, hope filled words
more so
for the wisdom, the prescience
the enormity of understanding

8/6/06 19:51
Saturated Believing

Our bodies,
like cloth dolls,
immersed in the living waters
of your holy word,
living sacrifices
each week
given for your pleasure

August 21, 2005 11:00, based on Romans 12:1-8 and the sermon by the Reverend Joel Guillemette, "For God’s Pleasure".