Able to Breathe – unedited – v4

Denied their pound of flesh

for who she is

able to breathe freely

falling to her knees

in praise to God

Moving toward equality

to deeper understanding

hoping the tide has turned

within our hearts and minds

that our doors would be open

The stumbling block

a stepping stone

on our sacred path

finding union, wholeness

in Your word alone

====

edited October 16, 2014

Able to Breathe – unedited – v4

(editing original again)

Edited November 27, 2013

“Able to Breathe – unedited – v3”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/11/able-to-breathe-unedited-v3.html

(editing original again)

(after conviction of Rev. Frank Schaefer)

http://umcconnections.org/2013/11/22/schaefer-says-blame-others-trial/

&

Edited September 8, 2013

“Able to Breath – unedited – v2”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/08/able-to-breathe-v2.html

June 23, 2011

Able to Breath – unedited

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2011/06/able-to-breath-unedited.html

&

Edited September 7, 2013

“Making the secular Holy – v2”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/09/making-secular-holy-v2.html

new poem September 7, 2013

“Making the secular Holy”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/09/making-secular-holy.html

https://www.facebook.com/StandWithFrank/posts/324730717671030

----

This poem is about my wife and me when we got married

in a civil service on December 17, 2004 in Concord, NH in White Park

and then before our church family at

Wesley United Methodist Church in Concord, NH

http://www.concordwumc.org

on April 23, 2005.

----

We celebrate 2 anniversaries because they both mean a great

deal to us, in very different ways.

I grieve for those who are able to marry civilly in so many

states now, such as NH, but are unable to marry in their

United Methodists churches and for the clergy who are put on trial

for choosing to go against the Discipline to marry them.

&

trials of Rev. Frank Schaefer

http://www.unitedmethodistreporter.com/2013/09/rcm-another-clergy-member-facing-church-trial/

and Rev. Thomas Ogletree

http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=13119911

and  Rev. Steve Heiss

http://www.rmnblog.org/2013/08/rev-steve-heiss-.html

&

Edited September 7, 2013

For Offering Love – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/09/for-offering-love-v2.html

June 22, 2011

For Offering Love

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2011/06/for-offering-love.html

Love on Trial,

http://www.loveontrial.org/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-On-Trial/190582754298364

the case against the Reverend Amy DeLong,

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000572962166

which begins on June 20, 2011

http://www.rmnetwork.org/amy-delong/

&

John 8:1-11

&

Samuel Thompson’s

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

Inclusion Essay

shared at the New England United Methodist Church

Annual Conference

http://www.neumc.org/pages/detail/195

in response to call by Reconciling Ministries Network

http://www.rmnetwork.org/

for essays describing, “My vision for an inclusive church”,

June 10, 2011

&

in part inspired by conversations with

the Reverend John Makokha

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=556451505

Riruta UMC

http://rirutaumc.org

http://www.rmnetwork.org/

Other Sheep Afrika-Kenya http://www.othersheep.org/OSEA_CL_Other_Sheep_Kenya.html

Children of Africa Hope Mission Project in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. http://rirutaumc.homestead.com/children_of_africa.html

&

Matthew 25:31-46

The Sheep and the Goats

&
Matthew 28:18-20

Great Commission

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 32,820+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.