Saturday, March 14, 2015

Shocking Us – v3

The deliberate inversion
of the standard order
whom Christ defined as blessed, happy
those who are cursed,
shunned now, ostracized,
in our culture, in society

Shocking us, off our pins, our understanding,
forcing us to reconsider, to adjust,
stopping to read these words
how we live, in our freedom,
as Christ’s followers, as believers,
claiming His kinship
as joint children of God

Do we measure up,
are we faithful, really,
able to claim these blessings
in our nation, as a people,;
on this day of our freedom
flinging off the yoke of oppression
taking on the mantle of these saints
who walked before us

====
edited March 14, 2015
Shocking Us – v3

(merging edits to original and version 2)
edited February 14, 2015
Shocking Us – v2
July 4, 2010
Shocking Us
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 36,680+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Not to the Timid but to the persecuted – v2

To standing in storm
to cry out in the wilderness
to preach the love of Christ
whether or not they want to hear;
that is our calling, to be God’s witnesses,
to serve, carrying Christ’s light

Blessing not to the Timid
the ones afraid to speak
controlled by society
keeping their light covered;
their joy under a bushel
their powder always dry

Blessing for those
who stand in the gale
persecuted for standing for the right
speaking when they could be silent
even to a friend, a neighbor;
going where they are called
preaching the love of God


edited March 14, 2015
Not to the Timid but to the persecuted – v2

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 36,530+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Not to war but to peace – v2

God’s word, given by the Son
in a land under the rule
a captured nation;
under the powerful empire
not knowing sovereignty
not knowing peace.

Blessing those who would
work for peace, not for power,
for war, oppression;
that those who seek peace
would be called
the children of God.

A love of our neighbors
all of the world;
an imprinting of calm
of equality, of reverence
for all the world,
in the hearts of those
who would be children of God.


edited March 14, 2015
Not to war but to peace – v2

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 36,530+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.