Tuesday, December 20, 2016

sermon, Birthing Room, by Pastor Ruth Foss, Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church, December 11, 2016, Third Sunday of Advent



December 11, 2016
Stetson Memorial UMC
3rd Sunday of Advent
“A Sacred Moment”
Sermon Series
Psalm 146
Psalm 47:2a
Luke 1:39-56


“Birthing Room...”

A prayer of illumination so that God will speak through me or in-spite of me. . .

I would ask that you would stand as you are able for the reading of the Gospel according to Luke Chapter 1, verses 39-56. Listen to the word of God for His people. . . you and I. . .  (Read the gospel from the Common English Bible)


Have you ever been somewhere and just standing in the place just feels so holy. . . almost as if you reached out. . . you could touch the hand of God. . . ?
·        Talk about Rolling Ridge and the sacredness of the it. . .
What makes a place sacred. . . and not so sacred? Is there some kind of formula that you can follow. . . like a bunch of boxes to be checked off. . . to know this is the genuine real deal. . . ?

Over the past couple of weeks, we have been talking about the sacred. We have talked about the sacredness of the season we are in. . . the season of Advent when we expectantly wait to celebrate Jesus’ birth and wait expectantly for His return. But at times we can get so busy that we lose that sense of wonder we had and everything becomes a chore. . . a box to be checked off. . .

We, as people, as Christians need to find a way to slow down, otherwise we are going to miss the best part of this season of giving that we call Advent. We are going to miss the best gift that we could ever receive. The gift of God’s own Son in the form of a baby on a cold and silent night. As we slow down, we will see the sacredness all around us.

The word sacred itself means set apart and holy. The sacredness of something should be revered and respected but the time of reverence and awe of this season seems to get lost in the lights and glamor. In order for us to see. . . to feel. . . to touch the sacred, we need to slow down our pace and just be for the moment. . . lest we miss the awe and wonder of the manger.

This Advent season, we have begun slowing down. . . even if for but a moment. . . to see what might be missed in the hustle and bustle of the season. I would challenge us. . . you and I. . . to take a spiritual journey to see all things through the kaleidoscope. . . the display of beauty within the sacred space of Advent. . .

 Ok. . . so the places of Sacredness. . . the moments that can tend to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season are:
©     Sacred Time
©     Sacred People
©     Sacred Space
©     Sacred Knowing
©     Sacred Being
©     Sacred Doing

I would ask that we again would stop for a moment and just breath in the sacredness of the space we are in right now. . . this sanctuary where God shows up to meet us each Sunday. . . And as I have said. . . in order to really enter into the Sacredness of Advent. . . we need to do it more than just on Sunday’s so I would ask that each of us would continue to spend some time each day. . . even just five minutes and focus on. . . meditate upon the Sacredness we talk about each week. . .  Let each build upon each other until we embrace genuine purpose within this sacred moment. . .

We rediscovered that Advent is a sacred time. The time of heaven intersecting the time of the then and now. The time had come for a heart and life change. We have even talked about sacred people within the Christmas Adventure. . . remember. . . sacred people. . . set apart by and for God. We heard Mary and Joseph’s stories and discovered they were just ordinary people who “showed up” and God did the extraordinary in and through them. . . and we too have the same chance of the extraordinary. . . but we need to show up. . . that is when the extraordinary things happen. . .

In today scripture we hear about two women who “showed up” for God, Mary, and Elizabeth. Their bodies became the sacred places where hope was birthed. This hope was going to move and transform the world. Both Mary and Elizabeth were filled with the Holy Spirit. . . in fact, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit as Mary. . . who made the space for the hope of the world as she was set apart to be sacred within that sacred moment in time spent with Elizabeth. Within that sacred space. . . within our sacred space new hope is birthed. As we go out into the world we can affect the ordinary with our extraordinary lives for God and joy is birthed, peace is birthed, hope is birthed. We should be vessels, set apart for Gods purposes and sent out to be pour out over a world without hope, without peace, without joy, without love, without a Savior. The world is one big “birthing room” but we need to choose to be midwifes of the Master Physician who heals all that is broken.

There was a sacred knowing within that moment that was shared. Elizabeth shouted glory to God. . . she knew that the child Mary was carrying was the Holy One of Israel. As deep calls out to deep (Psalm 47:2a) sacred calls out to sacred. . .  And Mary sang a song of praise that is probably the most beautiful awe inspiring, glory to God song I have ever heard. . . in fact I have kind of adopted it for my own as I sing that you to God within and with my whole being.

Sacred place. . . I said earlier. . . the place we are sitting right now is a sacred place. We have set apart this place as a holy place, a place that is sacred because this is where we come to meet with God each Sunday. This is a place that we have set aside for God. . . much like the tabernacle in the wilderness that the Israelite’s had. . . where they met God. But here is where there is a difference. Their place to me God. . . sometimes called the Tent of the Meeting. . . was portable. When they moved. . . God moved with them. . . God went before them and they stopped where God stopped.

I want you to think about this fact for a moment. God went before them as they traveled with their tabernacle. What if. . . and I am going out on a limb here. . . what if we too took our tabernacle with us...? What if we too followed where God wanted us to go and brought our sacred place with us. That would mean that where ever we went it would be a sacred place. . . where sacred and set apart people would invite others to enter into the journey. . . as we enter into a sacred time with and for God. . . remember God is Immanuel. . . God with us. . .  If this is so. . . If we believe this mind blowing fact. . . Every place we go is sacred. . . we are always sacred people set apart. . . and our lives would be spent in the awe and reverence of God. . . within the veil of time.

As I have asked before. . . how are we going to spend this “holiday season”? Are you and I going for the superficial. . . or is there something more. . . is there a better way? I continue to challenge you and I to take a road far different than the highway that leads to the Bethlehem Stable. I dare us. . . you and I. . . to allow God to make something sacred out of our ordinary lives. We can live within the veil of a scared space knowing the time has come to seek what really matters.

Perhaps as we contemplate of the sacredness of space this week that we would walk in our own call to be sacred as we usher in the presence of peace. You were all given a safety pin this morning. The symbolism is this. While we were creating this beautiful vision, we have in the sanctuary this morning, Sara Hill was wearing a safety pin. When I asked her about it she said “it was on Facebook. There are so many people who don’t feel safe anymore in the country they live. The pin is a symbol we wear to let them know they are safe with us.” I challenge you to wear it and be that sacred place others can run to.

I challenge you and I to slow ourselves down and sit within the Sacredness of the manger where we can see and feel the sacredness of space not only in our sanctuary but as we take our “tent of the Meeting” out into a world that is in need of a “sacred, safe place” to be. . . to see the sacredness of the ordinary. . . and bring what we find there to the world through the sacredness of our lives, within the sacred space. . . the witness of what we find there. . . in and through the manger to the cross of our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

--------------------------
December 19, 2016
whispering, shouting
December 19, 2016
The angel’s announcement
December 19, 2016
The angels sang
December 19, 2016
love was alive
editing December 18, 2016
a sacred knowing – v3
December 17, 2016
if this was Christ
December 17, 2016
this is the Christ - 3
edited December 17, 2016
a sacred knowing – v2
December 17, 2016
a sacred knowing
December 18, 2016
Fourth Sunday of Advent - Love
worship theme: Sacred Knowing
Luke 2:1-15
Advent sermon series based on Marcia McFee’s series “Sacred”
Worship In Song Service
Centering Song
= Surely the Presence
Opening Prayer
Worship Video
Lighting of the Advent Wreath
= Amen
= Hark, the Herald Angels Sing
= Angels We Have Heard On High
Offertory
= Offering

Prayer of Thanksgiving
SMUMC Sacred Dance Ministry
= Away In A Manger

Special Music
= Why Can’t Christmas Just Be Christmas
= Silent Night
= Adestes Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful)
= O Holy Night

Closing Music
= Carol of the Drum

= How Many Kings?
= Mary’s Little Baby Boy
= Joy to the World
= Feliz Navidad
Departing Blessing
======================
Praise Team Leader Chuck Loucka
Praise Team Members: Chuck Loucka, Pastor Ruth Foss, Chrissy McCarthy, Shanequa Foss, Theresa Schmidt, Sharon McPhee, Shyanne Foss, Ken Perkins, Ted Pettengill
service led by Pastor Ruth Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
December 18, 2016
Fourth Sunday of Advent
&
December 17, 2016
we are touched by the sacred
December 17, 2016
every place we go is sacred
edited December 17, 2016
the vessels of our bodies – v2
edited December 17, 2016
joy overwhelmed them – v2
December 16, 2016
joy overwhelmed them
edited December 16, 2016
shouting for joy – 2 – v3
edited December 15, 2016
shouting for joy – 2 – v2
December 15, 2016
shouting for joy - 2
December 14, 2016
this was Jesus - 2
December 14, 2016
they knew
December 13, 2016
filled with the Holy Spirit - 3
December 12, 2016
peace is birthed
December 12, 2016
He knew this was the Christ
December 12, 2016
set aside for God
December 12, 2016
the vessels of our bodies
December 11, 2016
carrying the sacred within us
December 11, 2016
Mary sang a song of praise
December 11, 2016
They showed up
December 11, 2016
when God needed them
December 11, 2016
joy in their knowing
edited December 11, 2016
sensing the holy – v2
December 11, 2016
sensing the holy
December 11, 2016
Knowing this place is holy
December 11, 2016
Worship in Song
December 11, 2016
John leapt for joy
December 11, 2016
Mary sang the Magnificat
December 11, 2016
hope was birthed
December 11, 2016
in the sacredness of that moment
edited December 11, 2016
we rejoice in our Lord – v2
December 11, 2016
the holy within them
December 11, 2016
leaping in the sanctuary
December 11, 2016
John sensed the Christ
December 11, 2016
A sacred moment
December 11, 2016
we rejoice in our Lord
December 11, 2016
we light this third candle
December 10, 2016
in the joy of our Lord
December 10, 2016
a sacred space for Advent
edited December 10, 2016
we will find God – v2
December 10, 2016
a holy space set apart
edited December 10, 2016
within the vessel of Mary’s womb
edited December 10, 2016
within the vessel of her body – v2
December 10, 2016
within the vessel of her body
edited December 10, 2016
in the sanctuary of her womb – v2
December 10, 2016
in the sanctuary of her womb
December 10, 2016
in the response of John, of Elizabeth
December 10, 2016
in the refuge of her home
December 10, 2016
in the sanctuary of her bosom
December 11, 2016
Third Sunday of Advent - Joy
worship theme: Sacred Space
Psalm 146
Psalm 47:2a
Luke 1:39-56
(Mary’s visit with Elizabeth)
Advent sermon series based on Marcia McFee’s series “Sacred”
and sermon “Birthing Room. . . ”
text

video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
and Children’s Message
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
December 11, 2016
Third Sunday of Advent
&
edited December 10, 2016
the response of Mary, of Joseph – v3
(editing original again)
edited December 10, 2016
matching our steps – v2
December 10, 2016
they said yes to God
edited December 9, 2016
their faith made them holy
December 9, 2016
their actions made them holy
December 9, 2016
Christ’s holy parents
December 9, 2016
they did the extraordinary
December 8, 2016
at peace in submission
edited December 8, 2016
we are called to be sacred – v2
December 8, 2016
we are called to be sacred
December 7, 2016
the sacredness of the ordinary
edited December 7, 2016
sacred people – v2
edited December 7, 2016
our own call to be sacred – v2
December 7, 2016
our own call to be sacred
December 7, 2016
sacred people
December 7, 2016
humble servants
December 7, 2016
those in the background
December 6, 2016
God used them
December 6, 2016
those ordinary people
December 6, 2016
eternity and time
December 6, 2016
because they showed up
December 6, 2016
to touch the sacred – 2
edited December 6, 2016
I am the Lord’s Servant – 2 – v2
December 6, 2016
sacred
December 6, 2016
matching our steps
December 6, 2016
we are special
December 6, 2016
same as all the others
edited December 5, 2016
the response of Mary, of Joseph – v2
December 5, 2016
we will find God
merged December 5, 2016
the response of Mary, of Joseph
December 5, 2016
following God’s command
December 5, 2016
I am the Lord’s Servant - 2
December 4, 2016
King and God and sacrifice
December 4, 2016
remembering the cross
December 4, 2016
In the storms, in the darkness
December 4, 2016
guide us in the way of peace
December 4, 2016
They answered God’s call
December 4, 2016
going makes the difference
December 4, 2016
the ordinary are made sacred
December 4, 2016
nothing special
December 4, 2016
Second Sunday of Advent - Peace
worship theme: Sacred People
hymns:
Tell Me The Story of Jesus
Where Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
We Three Kings of Orient Are
What Child Is This?
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Let There Be Peace On Earth
Psalm 72:1-7
Psalm 72:18-19
Matthew 1:18-25
Luke 1:26-38
Advent sermon series based on Marcia McFee’s series “Sacred”
and sermon “In the Ordinary. . . “
text

video
by Pastor Ruth Foss
and Children’s Message
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
December 4, 2016
Second Sunday of Advent
&
edited December 3, 2016
breathing in Advent – v2
edited December 3, 2016
sit within the sacredness of the stable – v2
December 3, 2016
are we voices crying
December 3, 2016
thinking about the Christ-child
edited December 3, 2016
this sacred time of now – v2
edited December 3, 2016
within the sacred time – v2
edited December 3, 2016
the time of heaven – v2
edited December 2, 2016
walking barefoot – v2
edited December 2, 2016
taking off our shoes – v2
edited December 2, 2016
walking in sacred time – v2
edited December 2, 2016
a closeness of heaven – v2
December 1, 2016
walking in sacred time
December 1, 2016
Have we forgotten Christ
December 1, 2016
we carry God’s message of hope
December 1, 2016
we are heralds in the darkness
December 1, 2016
we light this candle
December 1, 2016
God’s promises endure - 2
edited / new name December 1, 2016
we live in the light of the holy
December 1, 2016
we live in the light of hope
December 1, 2016
we have forgotten God
December 1, 2016
sit within the sacredness of the stable
December 1, 2016
walking barefoot
December 1, 2016
taking off our shoes
December 1, 2016
this sacred time of now
December 1, 2016
the gift of our days
December 1, 2016
the gift of now
December 1, 2016
within the sacred time
December 1, 2016
trappings of the season
December 1, 2016
the time of heaven
December 1, 2016
a closeness of heaven
December 1, 2016
we are God’s voice
November 30, 2016
prepare the way of the Lord
November 30, 2016
removing God from Advent
November 30, 2016
removing God from Christmas
November 30, 2016
the sacred space of Advent – v2
edited November 29, 2016
the light of the manger – v2
November 29, 2016
removing God from the sacred
November 29, 2016
within this sacred time
November 29, 2016
the light of the manger
November 29, 2016
God incarnate - 2
November 29, 2016
a sacred time
November 29, 2016
are our hearts open
edited November 29, 2016
are we waiting for Jesus – v2
November 28, 2016
the sacred time of Advent
November 28, 2016
breathing in Advent
November 28, 2016
breathing in these minutes
edited November 28, 2016
to touch the sacred – v2
November 28, 2016
slowing our steps in Advent
November 28, 2016
journeying on a dirt road
November 27, 2016
to touch the sacred
November 27, 2016
the wonder of the manger
November 27, 2016
the sacred space of Advent
November 27, 2016
lost in the lights and glitter
November 27, 2016
set apart and holy
November 27, 2016
we will celebrate his birth
November 27, 2016
we wait for His coming
November 27, 2016
before the turkey is cold
November 27, 2016
The day is almost here - 2
November 27, 2016
The night is almost over
November 27, 2016
put on the armor of light
Romans 13:11-12
November 27, 2016
change your life - 2
November 27, 2016
preaching in the desert
November 27, 2016
our hope is in His word
November 27, 2016
hope in that flickering candle
edited/ new name November 27, 2016
we light this candle in the hope
November 27, 2016
going doing
the Magi and John the Baptist
November 27, 2016
there is hope in the promise
November 27, 2016
are we waiting  for Jesus
edited November 27, 2016
where is Jesus – v2
November 27, 2016
awaking in Advent
November 26, 2016
we light this candle in hope
November 26, 2016
coming to Christ
November 26, 2016
crying with John
November 26, 2016
why aren’t we shouting
November 26, 2016
where is Jesus
November 26, 2016
do we listen to John
November 26, 2016
a voice of hope
November 26, 2016
preparing our hearts - 2
November 26, 2016
we join him at the Jordan
edited November 26, 2016
we stand convicted – v2
November 26, 2016
we begin in hope
November 26, 2016
we feed the flame
November 26, 2016
we begin in advent
November 26, 2016
we light the spark
edited/ new name November 26, 2016
we light a candle of hope
November 26, 2016
lighting a candle of hope
November 27, 2016
First Sunday of Advent - Hope
Prepare Ye the Way
worship theme: Sacred Time
Psalm 130
Romans 13:11-12
Matthew 3:1-12
Advent sermon series based on Marcia McFee’s series “Sacred”
and sermon “In the Business. . . “
text
video (partial before disk was full, 11:47 minutes)
by Pastor Ruth Foss
and Children’s Message
by Pastor Ruth Foss
Stetson Memorial United Methodist Church
Patten, ME
November 27, 2016
First Sunday of Advent

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