Monday, November 10, 2014

Closed-heart authority – v6

Our language hard, rigid
stark words written
the black letter law
on pages written by humans
seemingly without the Spirit;
unbending, unfeeling
words written, hardened
tearing us apart, a people
no grace, no feeling of Jesus

Rebuking closed-heart authority
judging one another
as if picking up stones
setting them apart when
the divisions are unimportant;
Love knows no label
the Spirit open, giving, requiring
only that we are God’s children,
all of us the same.

=====
edited November 10, 2014
Closed-heart authority – v6

Edited September 26, 2013
Closed-heart authority – v5
Edited September 23, 2013
Closed-heart authority – v4
Edited September 13, 2013
Closed-heart authority – v3
(editing original again)
Edited August 25, 2013
Closed-heart authority – v2
June 13, 2011
Closed-heart authority
&
Edited September 7, 2013
“Making the secular Holy – v2”
new poem September 7, 2013
“Making the secular Holy”
----
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
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
and Rev. Thomas Ogletree
and  Rev. Steve Heiss
&
Edited September 7, 2013
For Offering Love – v2
June 22, 2011
For Offering Love
&
Matthew 10:40-42
2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16
Psalm 13
Worship Theme: “All Are Welcome”
and sermon: “Ambassadors for God”
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss
Suncook United Methodist Church
June 26, 2011
Second Sunday in Pentecost
&
note of Cynthia Good
on Keith Olbermann Special Comment
and
Passage of gay marriage bill in New York last night
&
posting on my Facebook page
“my 'heart' sinks with your continued association with the United Methodist church. God's Word clearly says that the Lord’s command is no females are allowed to be leaders. 1 Cor. 14:33-38; 1 Tim 2:12-3:12. Violating God's Word is not a recommended path to follow.”
&
verdict and judgment in Love on Trial,
the case against the Reverend Amy DeLong,
&
John 8:1-11
&
June 23, 2011
Able to Breath – unedited
&
John 8:1-11
&
Samuel Thompson’s
Inclusion Essay
shared at the New England United Methodist Church
Annual Conference
in response to call by Reconciling Ministries Network
for essays describing, “My vision for an inclusive church”,
June 10, 2011
&
in part inspired by conversations with
the Reverend John Makokha
Riruta UMC
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 33,430+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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