Thursday, July 16, 2009

Like John

Laity, like John
able to speak, to share
stand for the message,
speak as messengers, witnesses
to the savior’s ways
raising our voices, out in the darkness
into the wilderness, repent!

God so loved the world,
in spite of our sin, repent
we may find saving grace
in the sacrifice of the son
in the love of the father
the indwelling spirit
guiding our days

Like John we are called
to be the hands, the feet,
the voice of the disciples
the apostles of our brother
the sheep of his fold
the fishermen sent into the world
a harvest of souls to reap
for the glory of God


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
Acts 18:9
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

Speaking as John did

We are each called
in our time, this place
in our own way,
as we have been gifted
to serve our neighbors
to the glory of the Lord

Speaking, as John did
in Jesus’ name,
going into the wilderness
into the courts of power
speaking what is right
in the eyes of the Lord

Saving by water, by the Spirit
by the grace of God
given, not earned
by the works of our hearts;
but by the love of God alone


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

A Gadfly in my Soup

nothing they didn’t know
warned, told to be silent
ridicule, banishment
imprisonment, death
the prophet before the king
a dangerous place to be

steeled by the message
by the certainty of their calling
they spoke of God,
of the sins of the nation
the failings of the king
an urgent indictment
plain and clear

not to be silenced
those led by the Spirit
heralds of our Lord
speaking out to the world
the message of love
of saving by grace
the lamb for us all
our brother, our master,
our friend


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

His Voice

Herod knew, these twelve
sent into the world,
Christ speaking
the continuation, the resurrection
John raised from the dead
the message of the prophet
the voice, still calling out
sharing in the wilderness
an urgent plea to turn, to change
to repent of our ways
to follow the one to come
the one who came
to save us all


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

liked to listen to him

as others before him,
the king and the prophets
the ruler, seeing, understanding
knowing the one from God
perplexed, confounded, tormented;
but keeping them close
listening to the inspired word
feeling the presence of God
words of power, of grace
of truth in the night
never stopping
urgent words
of God


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

Always Speak Out

Face our fears,
always speak out
sharing the redeeming love
the ever present grace

waiting, pursuing, seeking after us
God’s hand open, his arms wide
ready to give us our heart’s desire

No matter the place, the age
God’s love to reveal
always speak out
our voices raised
in the wilderness
in the courts of power
wherever we may go


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
Acts 18:9
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

Silencing the Prophets

Sending away,
putting into prison, shut him up
the killing of the messenger
these men of God
silencing the prophets
so they may not be heard

But others have come,
others are sent
to share the message
the redemption of God

When we turn our face
from the ways of the world
and turn our lives
to the ways of our Lord
our lives changed
healed, made clean
before our maker

By grace alone,
the sacrifice of the lamb
his blood making me whole
a message to share
hope to make known
to the ends of the earth


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

Relentlessly

Each vision, each message
each indictment
written and shared
in the prophecy of the herald
the messenger of God
Speaking to the priest,
to the king, to the people
change your ways
from the world
from your desires
to the teachings of God


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

An urgent indictment

Amos, John, standing in the waters;
Nathan speaking to David’s ear
An urgent indictment, the prophets revealing
the king, the people
walking away from relationship with God
Change your ways,
leave the world behind you
the calling of the prophets
over and over
to the people,
truth to power
saving in their words
turning to God
and the guiding of his ways


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56
and Book of Amos

Prophesy to Power

never silenced, speaking truth
prophesy to power
to the king, authority, to the people
turn from your ways, the ways of the world
die in the water, rise with our brother
the indwelling spirit
changing our days

never silenced, speaking love
the sacrifice of our savior
the grace of our God
fall on your knees
in praise and thanksgiving
rise and go
to spread the good news


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56

A Greater Power

not being silent
prophesy to power
speaking the truth of God
to the world
telling the nation, the people
the word they must hear
the urgent message
to turn away from the world
and return to God
to call upon the savior
and to come home
to listen to the Spirit
and follow the will of God


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56

Not even death

The king knew
whatever others said
the message would live
John raised, his truth
the prophet alive
not even death would silence
the mighty word of God

The judgment of God
resounding in the story
the prophesy fulfilled
the faith spreading
no exile, no banishment,
not even death
could still
the message of God


July 12, 2009 and July 16, 2009
Psalm 24:3-6
Amos 7:12-15
Mark 6:14-29
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“Rejected . . . Again!”,
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 12, 2009
and Mark 6:1-56