Wednesday, April 08, 2015

Challenging Our Understanding – v4

Even today, as we celebrate
the independence of our nation,
our people separated
freed of the oppression
the tyranny of another age
the preeminent kingdom
the world’s superpower
of that age.

Challenging our understanding,
the nature of freedom,
of responsibility,
of our calling as a nation;
as a people of faith,
living in community,
the eyes of the world upon us
as we walk on the earth.

Christ’s message still ringing
powerfully in our ears
calling us from our comfort
to see our neighbors
all the peoples of the earth
their eyes looking upon us
the Rome of this age

When the Messiah
spoke these words
as England was then
when we threw off their yoke
so have we become
the most powerful nation
upon the earth
but called to follow Christ.

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edited April 8, 2015
Challenging Our Understanding – v4

(editing original again)
edited March 14, 2015
Challenging Our Understanding – v3
(editing original again)
edited July 4, 2014
Challenging Our Understanding – v2
July 3, 2010
Challenging Our Understanding
edited March 13, 2015
Not to power but to mercy – v2
----
July 11, 2010
Flawed in Our Selfishness
Isaiah 43:18-21
Genesis 1:1-2:4
(read responsively by the congregation,
speaking the words of God)
John 13:34-35 (Call to Worship)
Worship Theme: “Church is a verb, not a noun.”
and sermon, “Changing the Dictionary, Changing Lives”
by Reverend Huntley Halvorson
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 11, 2010
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost
&
July 8, 2010
Truer Blessing
Luke 10:29-37
Luke 10:25-28
Luke 10:25-37
The Good Samaritan
&
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Alive Now Daily Reflections
for July 5, 2010 to July 11, 2010
by Nancy Ferguson (You can visit her website at www.BlueTreeResources.org)
for July 7, 2010
July 7, 2010
&
July 4, 2010
Oppression Still
July 4, 2010
Free to be Yoked with You
July 4, 2010
Free to Serve You
July 3, 2010
Guided in Our Freedom
July 3, 2010
Living in Our Freedom
July 3, 2010
Our Sense of Freedom
July 3, 2010
Which freedoms do we value
July 4, 2010
The Responsibility of Freedom
Alive Now Daily Reflections
for June 28, 2010 to July 4, 2010
by Nancy Ferguson (You can visit her website at www.BlueTreeResources.org)
for July 4, 2010, read July 4, 2010
&
2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
Luke 10:16-20
Galatians 6:7-10
Psalm 36:5-10 (United Methodist Hymnal #771)
Worship Theme: “The high cost of freedom”
and sermon, “The Cost of Freedom”
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
“God’s Whisper” blog
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
July 4, 2010
=====
July 4, 2010
Shocking Us
July 4, 2010
The Pursuit of Blessedness
July 4, 2010
The Pursuit of True Happiness
July 4, 2010
A Christian Manifesto
July 3, 2010
written as a series of poems:
Not to power but to mercy
-           “Not to the proud but to the humble”
Matthew 5:3
-          Not to the full but to the empty”
Matthew 5:4
-          “Not to the joyful but to those who sorrow”
Matthew 5:5
-          “Not to the proud but to the humble”
Matthew 5:6
-          Not to the silent but to the gadflies”
Matthew 5:7
-          “Not to power but to mercy”
Matthew 5:8
-          “Not to the world but to the creator”
Matthew 5:9
-          “Not to war but to peace”
Matthew 5:10
-          Not to the Timid but to the persecuted”
Matthew 5:11
-          Not to be praised but to be ridiculed”
July 3, 2010
Radically Different
July 3, 2010
Challenging Our Understanding
July 3, 2010
Changing Our Perspective
July 3, 2010
Our Happiness Recast
July 2, 2010
Living as a Blessing
July 2, 2010
These words of Christ
July 2, 2010
Beatitudes on the Fourth
July 2, 2010
Our Happiness
Matthew 5:1-13
Beatitudes
and email, “Notes from Peter” (Hey)
received July 1, 2010
“This Sunday my sermon is titled
“Pursuing More Than Happiness,”
and it is based on Matthew 5:1-13.
If you have a few minutes to read
this passage of scripture prior to attending the service,
you might get a little more out of the sermon.
In this sermon, I want to challenge us all
to live with greater intentionality and to find
deeper levels of meaning
for our lives. Instant gratification can be the
enemy of faithful living.
Intentionality is the path to blessedness.”
Wesley United Methodist Church
Concord, NH
July 4, 2010
Independence Day

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, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 36,940+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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