Saturday, November 24, 2007

In Forgiving

We are forgiven
by God, made man,
born and raised,
suffering and dying
for our sin
He was faithful
to the journey
he trod in life
fulfilling scripture
serving man
saving us
from our sins
even in death
He forgave and
made us whole

November 24, 2007 8:08pm
Luke 23:33-43

Forgiving All

As we say in the prayer He taught us
we must forgive all, even in death
forgive all who sin against us
in the example of our Lord
we are to follow, live his way
forgiving those who would do us harm
every enemy, everyone
and reap the reward in heaven

November 24, 2007 7:39pm
Luke 23:33-43

Jesus, remember me

The sinner, in a moment of awareness
of truth about himself,
the man who was God beside him
an innocent man on the cross
“Jesus, remember me
when You come in Your kingdom!”
A prayer like none other,
but one we share, at whatever moment
when we face our sin
and beg for the grace offered
available from the father
by the blood of the son
the lamb on the altar
given for our redemption
once and for all time
In the asking, he, like we
are saved

November 24, 2007 7:36pm
Luke 23:33-43

Asking for Forgiveness

In the pain of the cross,
shared by each of them, he asked
he asked for forgiveness
of the king, on the cross beside him
asking for forgiveness, for entry
through the narrow gate
the way to heaven
through the son

And the King forgave
promised him grace
and presence in paradise
that very day
What a joy that must have been
in the midst of the pain,
the humiliation, the taunting
he was to see the savior
in paradise, in forgiveness

November 24, 2007 7:00pm
Luke 23:33-43

A Different Kind of King

He proved the point one further time
a humble king, just and holy
hanging on the wooden cross
body bloodied and pierced
forgiving the Romans
the Jews, all whose sins
brought him to the point of death
humbling himself, to atone for us
taking on the mantle of the cross,
the grave, on himself
to fulfill the scriptures
and bring us home
to the father

November 24, 2007 6:55pm
Luke 23:33-43

Even in Death

A God of love, of forgiveness
of grace, so is our Savior
Even in the moment of death
of humiliation, hanging on the cross
He thought of us, of all the world,
our humanity and our sins
and forgave us, all of us
for our sin, each one
even those who lifted him on the cross
instruments of his death
they too, in the act
forgiven by our Lord

November 24, 2007 6:50pm
Luke 23:33-43

Friday, November 23, 2007

Bread of Life

For us, this is a heavy lesson,
the bread of life,
contained within the scripture
harkening back to the manna
in the desert
the provision of the people’s needs
day by day, just enough
the daily bread of the psalmist
now in the person of the savior
the son, God with us,
the Christ, living among us
for he was the one, is the one
who provides, who nourishes
who maintains our strength
our strength to serve,
to humbly follow his example
eating of the bread of life

November 23, 2007 7:08pm
John 6:22-71

Code Talker

Seemingly submissive words,
words of humility to our ears
Words of power, provocative, creative
turning the table on power
making the powerful follow through
on the law, pay the price
for the weak, using the law
to control their fate
to stand tall, not humbly
before injustices

November 19 and November 23, 2007 6:36pm
Matthew 5:38-48
The parable of turning the other cheek,
retold in the sermon by Reverend Peter Hey,
November 11, 2007, Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Snow Glazed

The world, the grass, the roads
the woods, were all
snow glazed
trimming, coated, in white
a bit cleaner, more pure
in the patina of white
covering the world
with a thin film
in the first snow of the year

November 23, 2007 6:58pm
Snow Glazed


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 31,510+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Saying Grace

We call our prayers, our giving of thanks
the saying of grace
A wonderful, wondrous thought
speaking aloud the means of grace
recognized by mortal eyes,
of family and faith
of the wonders of Your creation
Speaking aloud our thanks
to you, oh God
around our table,
in the company of family
the fellowship we share

November 23, 2007 6:54pm
Psalm 126:3
Psalm 106:1
Psalm 107:8-9

Fresh Tracks

Fresh tracks
in the new-fallen snow
the dusting on the forest floor
exposing the many creatures
who scurry and walk
between the trees
out in the woods
tiny little footprints
in lines and in longer gaits
preserved while the snow lasts
on the forest floor

November 23, 2007 6:21pm

Giving Thanks

Throughout the scriptures,
the people gave thanks
for the way the Lord provided
How much more we,
in this land of plenty
where we are free to worship
as we choose,
should give thanks to the Lord
for all our many blessings

November 23, 2007 6:17pm
Psalm 126:3,
Psalm 106:1,
Psalm 107:8-9

A Harvest

Our church, a place of harvest
a harvest of cans
of love for others
for our neighbors
not merely a collection of cash
in the offering plate
these were gifts of food
bought by the congregations
brought into the sanctuary
carried to the altar of God
by our children

November 23, 2007 6:13pm
about our annual Ingathering
November 18, 2007,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

For Us, More than Them

The children, in the chancel
with the pastors
hearing a small bible story
a large gathering of our children
listening, fidgeting, playing, worshiping
But, this time in the service
far more important for us,
for the adults in the sanctuary
than for them
Because we are the ones
who need the reminder
to have the wonder of children
before our God
to see their reactions
their questions, their answers
that draw all of us
closer to God

November 23, 2007 6:06pm

Their Compass

Their compass, their due North
was him, not their struggle
not their fight with the District, the system
They focused on him
and that made the difference
Their strategy, their focus
their compass
was pointed on their son
and his needs
not their own
That guided us
in the options, the choices
we made
all along the way

November 23, 2007 5:52pm

A Widow’s Gift

A widow’s gift,
more pleasing to God
than all the others
not to its value
but for its worth
the meaning in the way she gave
when compared to theirs
She gave out of her poverty
they from their wealthy
She gave all
they gave a proportionate share
She gave out of real faith
they gave for form, for show

November 19 and November 23, 2007 5:48pm
Luke 20:45-21:4
The scribe and the widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007

Two Stories

Put together, as Luke intended,
as the Lord lived their meaning,
two stories of one day in the temple
minutes apart, or so it would seem
Of the scribe, touting the law,
without living its true meaning
the wealthy paying to the temple
out of their abundance
and the widow, the poor widow,
paying all she had, two meager copper coins
out of her faith, her trust in God
poor by the world’s standards,
unlearned perhaps as well
but understanding the law,
living righteously before God
as the others could not.

November 19 and November 23, 2007 5:20pm
Luke 20:45-21:4
The scribe and the widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007

One Time in the Temple

It was one time in the temple,
two intertwined stories, continuous moments
seamlessly woven by the master
to the listening disciples,
Not separate really, at all
not as those who followed
would organize his life, fragment the stories
These were all one time in the temple
one day in his life, his ministry
teachings that are to be read together
of the scribes, the wealthy, and the widow
Who was the richer is a very good question
when you read the scripture together
think about the law, the chosen people
the faithful, the righteous
as Jesus intended

November 19 and November 23, 2007 5:15pm
Luke 20:45-21:4
Scribes and the Widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007

Acting on Hope

A widow’s offering
simple, small, a meager few pennies
But, all she had
a sign, a statement, a testament
to her faith
to her hope in God
her belief in God, in the provision
of her daily needs
by the creator, the sustaining
the loving God
of her forefathers, her foremothers
her faith

November 18 and November 23, 2007 4:54pm
Luke 20:45-21:4
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007

Snow in the Woods

A monochrome whitewash
over the world, the browns and the greens
hidden under the white
The grasses and the edges
of the oak leaves, the fallen limbs
still visible under the fine cover
the dusting of white,
deepening in the woods
snow to cause the denizens
to leave tracks where they would not otherwise
marks, footprints of their presence
white covering the world
even in the woods,
after the fall of the leaves
this autumn

November 23, 2007 4:51pm

My Response to Christ

So, pilgrim, what is your response to Christ?
that is a hard question to answer, isn’t it
something to ponder, to lament, in answering
I turned my back, I walked away, I denied Him
for most of my life, though I knew He was there
I wanted my needs, my desires, my wants met
immediately, to be given by the world’s standards
what I needed was simple faith,
of the woman with hemorrhages, the widow
who gave her two coins, all she had, the foreigners,
who believed when the chosen did not
To turn my life over to him, to walk where
I am sent, to believe enough, to trust
Walking today, in a new life I didn’t imagine,
blessed in so many ways
thankful every day
for the gifts heaped upon me
means of grace
all around me
to share the words
He gives me, this is my response

November 23, 2007 2:59

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Their Hands, a Gift

Fast moving fingers, flying in unison
complementing, echoing, exhorting
one another, to the best, to joy
a duet for the piano
filling the church once more
with Your love

=================
edited December 27, 2015
Their Hands, A Gift – v2
11/18/07 and November 20, 2007 10:26am
Their Hands, a Gift
Duet by Lynne LeMay and Ken Gallager
on the piano,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH


All of my poems and photographs are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 40,440+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Comforting Words, Melodies

At the start of the holiday season
after fall, before winter
leading into Advent
comforting words, melodies
the warm, memory-laden
hymns in the sanctuary
familiar, affirming words in worship
singing old hymns of praise
harbingers of the Christmas carols
soon to rise from our lips
up to the vaulted ceiling heights
common, ages old words
the music of our faith
welling up, in unison, again

November 20, 2007 10:25am
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

For Him

Sights set on what is best for him
first and foremost
bending their will, their desire to fight
to focus on him
their compass point
their son first
what he needs now
Able to push anger,
righteous indignation,
aside for a moment
able to thoughtfully weigh
their options, remedies
with their focus on him

November 20, 2007 9:04am

Giving from Love

She gave, all,
from her poverty
out of her love
her love for God
in His holy temple
where he lived with His people
the fixed tabernacle
dreamed of by David

She stood in her poverty
clutching two copper coins
but she was free
free of the shackles of her station
free to give joyfully
giving what the wealthy cannot
giving all to the Lord
her love an echo
a holy echo
of God’s steadfast love
for us


November 18, 2007 and November 20, 2007 8:57am
Luke 20:45-21:4
The scribe and the widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007

Out of Our Abundance

Too often, like the scribe, the wealthy,
we give, not from our hearts;
but from our brimming wallets,
out of our abundance
not giving all, risking little,
trusting less,
Unlike the widow
who, out of faith, out of love
gives all to the Lord
even her meager coins
all she has
holy giving to God
out of her poverty
But really,
out of her wealth
her rich, deep
abiding faith


November 18, 2007 and November 20, 2007 8:55am
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/11/out-of-our-abundance.html
Luke 20:45-21:4
The scribe and the widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007



All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 32,840+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Gathering In

Gathering goods
food for the needy
brought bit by bit,
bag and box
to the altar of God
offerings from our abundance
a bounty brought to the chancel
by our children
carried lovingly
in the heart of worship
thanksgiving offerings
of this household of faith
at the harvest,
before winter


November 19, 2007 8:25pm
our church’s Ingathering of canned goods
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Focused on

Focused on
on him, his needs
so were their hearts
as I talked of options
ways to serve his needs,
the whole family’s
Whether to fight the decisions
the injustice, or wait
allow him to heal
in a safer place.
To choose to lay down our banner
let the fields of battle grow fallow,
by focusing on him first

November 19, 2007 7:40pm

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Her Offering

Meager humble coins
brought to Your holy altar
given for You, Lord,
from out of her love
out of her poverty she gave
all she had
giving all to the Lord
Trusting God to provide
to meet her needs
releasing her, empowering her
emboldening her to give all
how much more able
are others to give
if we have her faith


November 19, 2007 19:24
Luke 20:45-21:4
The scribe and the widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007

Passing the Light

Oh so casually
practiced really
they were, bringing the light
up into the chancel
relighting the wicks
so they could light
the altar candles
signaling the presence
of the Lord
in this place

November 19, 2007 11:54am
our acolytes Sunday,
Erica and Nick
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Carrying the Light

Each Sunday
they, our youth, our children
carrying the light
into the sanctuary
through the chancel
to Your altar
carrying the light,
feeling Your presence
God with us
in worship

November 20, 2007 8:53am
our acolytes Sunday,
Erica and Nick
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Caring for the Light

He gently cupped his hand
around the flickering flame
shepherding the light
into the chancel
shielding the light, the warmth
from the breezes
preserving, protecting His light
so it can shine

November 19, 2007 12:24pm
our acolytes Sunday,
Erica and Nick
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

The Light Will Shine

flickering wicks
cannot still the light
they carried to Your altar
guiding the trembling flames
from their young hands
to the candles,
symbolizing Your presence
with us

November 19, 2007 12:28pm
our acolytes Sunday,
Erica and Nick
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Old Pros

They carried Your light
up into the chancel
old pros handling an unlit tallow
with calm aplomb
deftly relighting the wick
the light growing
as the candles burned
on the altar

November 20, 2007 7:45
our acolytes Sunday,
Erica and Nick
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

We give thee Thanks

At this time of year, remembering,
sharing, caring for those less fortunate
spending time with family
Reflecting here, before advent
we give thanks to thee O Lord
for our bounteous harvest
for the gifts you have heaped on us this year
for the giving of our church,
for the caring of our people
for the service, the participation
for members willing to share of themselves
we thank you too for the challenges we face
for the growing in fellowship, in worship,
in small groups and growing edges
For the work you have given us to do Lord
and the hands given to do that work
we give thee thanks
Amen

November 19, 2007 5:40pm
For the Church Council closing prayer
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH