Poetry Where You Live

sermon blog

meditation blog

“God’s Whisper” blog

Suncook United Methodist Church

Suncook, NH

August 21, 2011

Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (NRSV Bible)

Job 16:1-5 (NRSV Bible)

Psalm 96:1-6 (NRSV Bible)(Call to Worship)

Communion

Worship Theme: “Why do bad things happen?”

Children’s Time

and sermon: “In My Weakness I am Strong”

by Pastor Ruth Foss

sermon blog

meditation blog

“God’s Whisper” blog

Suncook United Methodist Church

Suncook, NH

August 7, 2011

Nineth Sunday of Pentecost

Acts 11:2-18 (NRSV Bible)

1 Peter 3:8-9, 15 (NRSV Bible)

Psalm 118:19-20, 24 (NRSV Bible)(Call to Worship)

Worship Theme: “We are all one Family of God”

Children’s Time

and sermon: “I Got Your Back!”

by Pastor Ruth Foss

sermon blog

meditation blog

“God’s Whisper” blog

Suncook United Methodist Church

Suncook, NH

July 31, 2011

Eighth Sunday of Pentecost

Genesis 1:1-8

Matthew 22:16b-17, 21b-22

Unison Prayer

“Loving, Merciful God, giver of all knowledge,

we thank you for your Spirit, here among us.

We ask for eyes to see you at work in our lives

and the lives of others, ears to hear the words

you have for us, and a heart that is open to

your love and grace. It is truly good to be in

the house of the Lord! Amen.”

Worship Theme: “God’s Wisdom”

Children’s Time

and sermon: “We don’t know everything?”

by Pastor Ruth Foss

sermon blog

meditation blog

“God’s Whisper” blog

Suncook United Methodist Church

Suncook, NH

July 24, 2011

Seventh Sunday of Pentecost

church sign, “Hanging Out with Jesus”

July 17, 2011

Luke 15:1-2

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

“This man (Jesus) welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Galatians 5:22-23 (GOD’s WORD Translation)

Psalm 92:1-2 (GOD’s WORD Translation)(Call to Worship)

Worship Theme: “What kind of people did Jesus hang with?”

and sermon: “When Christians Are Un-Christian”

by Pastor Ruth Foss

sermon blog

meditation blog

http://adamhamilton.cor.org/

“God’s Whisper” blog

Suncook United Methodist Church

Suncook, NH

July 17, 2011

Sixth Sunday of Pentecost

Sermon series by the Reverend Adam Hamilton

http://www.facebook.com/#!/RevAdamHamilton

http://www.abingdonpress.com/adamhamilton/forms/default.aspx?pageid=554&id=106

“When Christians Get It Wrong”

http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Rev-Hamilton-When-Christians-Get-It-Wrong-1298797.htm

http://www.abingdonpress.com/forms/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=6223

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEp5aGSwUmY

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 40,430+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

In a Spider Hole

Like others before him
trying to be the puppeteer
to command others
to live in the streets
in the grip of the chaos
in the teeth of war
to send others
into the maelstrom,
the fighting, the chaos
while hiding,
trumpeting power
yet weak, his control crumbling
the madman no martyr
a dictator soon to be forgotten
given up your delusion
and turn yourself in
while you can

August 22, 2011
on the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s
reign of terror over Libya
and capture of Saddam Hussein
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/3317881.stm
---------------------------
An Enemy Within

In the stalemate of rebellion
the unfinished sanctions
the madman remaining in power
at the cost of so much
the guns of anger
the dogs of war loosed
an enemy within
whatever the outcome

So much lost
so many martyrs
because of the desire
of the people to be free
the Madman in the bunker
the bombs falling
while the media spewed his lies
his invectives, his bile

Factions forming
before the war is over
needing greater closure
before the next toll
the cost of no conclusion
playing into the hands
of those who sow dissension.

July 30, 2011
Killing of General Abdel Fattah Younes
claimed to be by Islamic factions
but that could be more Qaddafi lies
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8673021/Islamists-blamed-for-killing-General-Abdel-Fattah-Younes-as-Libyas-rebels-face-up-to-enemy-within.html
&
earlier poems about the genocide in Libya
and hearing the rabbling of Gadhafi
http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/world/2011/02/22/bts.gadhafi.statement.libyanstate
2/22/2011
&
on the transformations since the beginning of January -
all the protests in Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Tunisia, Algeria, Libya,
Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Palestinian Territories, Djibouti, Mauritania, Senegal, etc.
and
especially the resignation of Hosni Mubarak
February 11, 2011
&
and the jubilance in Tahrir Square
versus the bloodshed in Bahrain and Libya, etc.
February 18, 2011
&
hearing claim by President Obama 2/15/2011
in a news conference that when history books tell it
we will be seen as being on the right side of history
in how the United States responded
&
Post on Twitter by Wael Ghonim
http://twitter.com/Ghonim
“Our Revolution was like Wikipedia”
http://twitter.com/Ghonim/status/37306340103688192
http://techpresident.com/blog-entry/ghonim-our-revolution-wikipedia
February 14, 2011
&
Post on Twitter by Wael Ghonim
http://twitter.com/Ghonim
“This is Revolution 2.0: No one was a hero because everyone was a hero.”
http://twitter.com/Ghonim/status/36708161440190464
February 13, 2011
and see
http://www.facebook.com/raymond.a.foss#!/notes/safiyah-fosua/a-prayer-for-the-people-of-egypt-february-3-2011/10150134548244274
A Prayer for the People of Egypt (February 3, 2011)
by Safiyah Fosua
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=719089081

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 13,130+ of my poems at Poetry Where You Live.

Sermon, "God Says What?!", by Pastor Ruth Foss, Suncook United Methodist Church, August 21, 2011

Pastor Ruth Foss
August 21, 011
Acts 10:13-15, 27-28 NRSV
James 2:8-13 Common English Bible

God Say’s What?!

As we have traveled on this road of looking at when Christians get it wrong...I mentioned of how some subjects may make u squirm a little. Well. . . I have found that subject for me. It is not so much the subject but the reaction to the subject that makes me squirm. . . it is how this subject is perceived in some Christian’s lives that make me squirm. But. . . I am called to preach the gospel of grace. . . so. . . I would like to begin my sermon with a story.

“There was a child that grew up in a Christian home. This grew up knowing God. They went to church every Sunday. . . as a matter of fact this child was the star pupil in Sunday school. They learned about God and the love He has for all of His creation. They learned the commandment to love one another as they loved themselves. Their parents were very proud of this child. They lived in a very loving home where their parents showered love abundantly on them. They were loved! This child also knew that they were different from all of their friends. They knew that they stood out from all the rest.

As the child grew, they became more and more aware of how different they were from all the rest. Then one day they realized why they were different. . . they finally figured out what made them stand out in a crowd. Now a teenager, they went to their loving parents to talk with them about their revelation in life. They knew that when they would talk with their parents they would surely be happy about their finally understanding who they were. . . understanding of how they perceived themselves different.

So, they picked a time that they knew they would have their parents’ full attention. It was a morning like all the other mornings when they all started their day with prayer and breakfast. So after the prayer, they were talking about what their days entailed. When it was their turn, they piped up with “Mom. . . Dad. . . for my whole life I realized I am different from the rest and I figured out why. . . you can just see their parents excitement, their child knows that they are different because they are Christian. . . (The child went on) I finally figured out that I am gay, that’s what makes different!”

There was a hush in the room. . . the child was waiting for the loving support that they had received all their life. . . then mom began to speak. . . ”Your what!...how can this be?! I brought you up right. . . where did I go wrong?!” The child stood confused. . . Next it was dad’s turn. . . ”You have got to be kidding! We play all kinds of sports together. . . we did all those “manly things” together! You can’t be gay. . . o son of mine is gay! You are nothing but an abomination and will burn in HELL!”

The child runs out of the room confused. . . the love and support they received all their life was not there. . . their loving parents that taught them that God loves all and we must love all of God’s creation. . . Everyone is of sacred worth. . . how can this be? The parents go to church and talk with their friends about what has happened and the church that they grew up in. . . the church that they saw Christ in the members. . . the church that was so proud of this child’s understanding of God. . . turns their backs on them. The child vows never to go back to church. . . never to be around those hypocritical Christians again. . . ”

Over the past moth we have been journeying through Adam Hamilton’s book “When Christians Get It Wrong.” We have been looking at why some young people are turned off by Christians and Christianity. The last reason that Adam Hamilton talks about is how Christians act in dealing with homosexuality. . . now I told you that some of the things would be talking about might make us a little uncomfortable, but in Radical Hospitality, there are times when we must step out of our comfort zones and look at our attitudes and actions.

I remember growing up how homosexuality was something to only be whispered about. . . something that was just swept under the carpet. But that is not still the same view in the world today from young people. They see it from a different view. . . one of acceptance and love. They may not agree with what the person is doing. . . it may not be a life style for them but they agree to disagree and get on with the friendship.

But. . . what do the scriptures say about this? Well. . . in the Old Testament. . . some perceive it as an abomination, something that God will have no part of. Some take that piece of scripture and run with it. Taking it out of context and making doctrine out of it. But what does the New Testament say? How would Jesus react to all this? What does God say? Well. . . in the reading from Acts this morning. . . Peter told God that he would not touch or go near such “profane things”. But God called Peter up short. . . He told Peter that it was not up to him to call it profane. If god says it’s good then it is good!

I would like to read a passage from James this morning. . . it is found in James 2 verses 8-13 and I’m reading from the Common English Bible this morning. . .

It’s all about love and mercy, it’s all about loving your neighbor as yourself, it’s all being non-judgmental. It’s all about everything that God has made having sacred worth. It’s all about the Radical Hospitality that Jesus showed as He was nailed to the cross. . . and kept Him there for all of creation.

Beloved. . . we don’t have to agree with person’s life style but we do, as Christians, need to see the sacred worth in all of humankind and God’s creation, we need to let the love of Christ shine through us in a world that is lost and trying to find the light of day. Jesus didn’t come to save just the right kind of people. . . Jesus came to save all kinds of people. When God created humankind, He just didn’t say it was good. . . He said it was very good. Are we to be like “old” Peter and judge what God created or do we need to be like the “new” Peter and trust in God’s decision of what is good or profane. It is our choice to make. . . which will you chose. Judge not or you shall be judge because the same measure you judge you also will be judged. Will we be judged by mercy and grace or by the world’s standard? You decide. . .

AMEN

August 21, 2011

James 2:8-13 (Common English Bible)

Acts 10:13-15, 27-28 (NRSV Bible)

Call to Worship (GBOD)

Prayer of Dedication

Worship Theme: “We all have sacred worth. . .”

and sermon: “God says what?!”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2011/08/sermon-god-says-what-by-pastor-ruth.html

by Pastor Ruth Foss

sermon blog

meditation blog

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2011/08/sermon-in-my-weakness-i-am-strong-by.html

“God’s Whisper” blog

Suncook United Methodist Church

Suncook, NH

August 21, 2011

Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost

2 Corinthians 4:7-18 (NRSV Bible)

Job 16:1-5 (NRSV Bible)

Psalm 96:1-6 (NRSV Bible)(Call to Worship)

Communion

Worship Theme: “Why do bad things happen?”

Children’s Time

and sermon: “In My Weakness I am Strong”

by Pastor Ruth Foss

Suncook United Methodist Church

Suncook, NH

August 7, 2011

Nineth Sunday of Pentecost

Acts 11:2-18 (NRSV Bible)

1 Peter 3:8-9, 15 (NRSV Bible)

Psalm 118:19-20, 24 (NRSV Bible)(Call to Worship)

Worship Theme: “We are all one Family of God”

Children’s Time

and sermon: “I Got Your Back!”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2011/08/sermon-i-got-your-back-by-pastor-ruth-l.html

by Pastor Ruth Foss

sermon blog

meditation blog