All of the words, of justice, of equality
those written and signed on the printed page
none of them matter, not in the least;
What really matters, what is important,
is speaking truth, of what is truly
within each of our hearts
An unvarnished accounting, honest,
the objective truth only
we must be clear-eyed about our history;
The pattern of abuse
there from the beginning
to the Native peoples
The original sin, slavery,
written into the documents
the words of equality, of liberty,
for all God’s people, a lie,
for the few, for white men alone
with land, with property only
Freedom not for all, no matter the words,
nothing of justice, in truth,
even to this day, too many, too many,
not enjoying the “American Dream”,
a lie perpetuated by those still in power
if we are clear-eyed about our history
To understand that those in power
write the history, pass the laws
that they stand on the backs of others
those they subjugate still
not free, not really, as a people
until all are given a chance
To fulfill their own dreams
here in the land of the free
and the home of the brave;
we cannot continue
with our self-serving histories
we need one clear-eyed history
For us to move forward
together as one people
within the one circle
for all to be equal,
living out our creed
for all to be free
======================
edited December 11, 2015
clear-eyed about out history – v4
(editing version 2 and version 3)
&
edited November 20, 2015
clear-eyed about our history – v3
(editing version 2)
edited October 30, 2015
Railing against the
imbalance – v4
(editing version 2)
edited October 18, 2015
Railing against the
imbalance – v3
(editing version 2, adding
stanza)
edited October 17, 2015
Railing against the
imbalance – v2
October 16, 2015
Railing against the
imbalance
Senator Bernice Sanders
Senator Elizabeth Warren
Blog Action Day 2015 – “Raise
Your Voice”
October 16, 2015
&
edited October 16, 2015
clear-eyed about our history – v2
July 3, 2015
clear-eyed about our history
New England
Conference of United Methodist Church
Annual
Conference 2015 (#NEAC15)
worship guides
NEUMC Photos
my photos
Worship
Director Marcia McFee
Guest Preacher
Bishop Gregory Palmer
New England Annual Conference Resolution on shooting in
Charleston
speech 6/23/2015
South Carolina State Senator Paul Thurmond (R), son of former
South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond, remarks on Confederate Flag. Paul
Thurmond remarks on Confederate Flag.
Mark 4:4-8
(bible study topic on 6/17/2015 at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church)
&
I forgive
you statements of victims’ family –
Nadine Collier, Anthony Thompson, Felicia Sanders
&
Hate Won’t Win
campaign
&
Jon Stewart’s
June 18, 2015 opening monologue on Charleston shooting
&
The funeral for
the Reverend Clementa Pinkney 6/26/15
&
President Barack Obama’s Eulogy (video and full text)
&
June 22, 2015
We pray for our sisters, our brothers
@dreamUMC #dreamumc tweetup on Charleston shooting
&
Guest Preacher Thom White Wolf Fassett
COMMENTARY: 2012 Act
of Repentance of The United Methodist Church
Recap of
Thursday sessions
Act of
Repentance
by Pat Warrior
Woman Parent
&
story by Thom White Wolf Fassett about Willie,
an Inuit member of the Methodist Church in Nome, AK,
janitor in the school system, and revered elder,
a bridge to the modern age and a follower of ancient ways
&
Recap of
Friday sessions
extract of
sermon
Bishop Palmer
Recap of
Saturday sessions
bible study on
Luke 10 (Good Samaritan)
led by Bishop
Palmer
worship
Laity Address
by Janet
O’Neill
opening prayer
for morning session on Saturday, 6/20/15
&
edited July 5, 2014
A New Nation – v2
July 4, 2008
A New Nation
edited July 4, 2014
Words of Mettle – v2
July 4, 2008
Words of Mettle
Read before writing the series of poems on 7/4/2008:
-
Mayflower Compact,
-
Declaration of Independence,
-
Gettysburg Address,
-
Emancipation Proclamation,
-
Preamble to Constitution,
-
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”
speech, 8/28/1963
written for July 4th celebration
Wesley United Methodist Church
Concord, NH
In reading this, I noted that the nomination speech
of the Democratic Convention this summer
will be on the 45th anniversary of Dr. King’s
speech
&
edited
November 28, 2014
For America to
Rise – v2
edited
November 28, 2014
shattered in a
million pieces – v2
edited
November 28, 2014
shattered into
a million pieces
edited/ new
November 28, 2014
shattered in a
million pieces
(this is my
34,000th poem)
edited/ new
November 28, 2014
For America to
Rise
edited
November 28, 2014
We must Love
our neighbors
edited November
28, 2014
Love your
neighbors
edited/merged
November 28, 2014
Love God and
your neighbor
November
28, 2014
Love
God
November 28,
2014
Love your
neighbor – 2
Matthew
22:37
-
Deuteronomy 6:5
Matthew
22:39
-
Leviticus 19:18
Matthew
22:36-40
devotion
“Two Simple Principles”
devotion
by Jep Robertson
for
November 20, 2014
read
November 28, 2014
Duck
Commander Daily Devotional
compiled by Alan Robertson
&
edited November 28, 2014
lost in our delusions – v6
(editing original again)
Black Friday 2014
edited October 16, 2014
lost in our delusions – v5
edited January 4, 2014
lost in our delusions – v4
(editing version 2)
Edited October 25, 2013
lost in our delusions – v3
Edited October 19, 2013
lost in our delusions – v2
Edited October 12, 2013
lost in our delusions
&
&
edited October 24, 2014
I love her but she is
broken – v4
(editing version 2)
Edited October 22, 2013
posted October 24, 2013
I love her but she is
broken – v3
(editing version 2)
Edited October 12, 2013
I love her but she is
broken – v2
-----
edited October 22, 2014
we pray for our nation – v8
(editing version 2)
Edited October 22, 2013
we pray for our nation – v7
(editing version 4)
edited October 19, 2013
we pray for our nation – v6
(editing version 4)
edited October 12, 2013
we pray for our nation – v5
Edited October 12, 2013
longer clip from “The
Newsroom”
&
edited October
22, 2014
I cry for the
children – v5
edited October
16, 2014
I cry for the
children – v4
Edited October
22, 2013
I cry for the
children – v3
Edited October
12, 2013
I cry for the
children – v2
Edited October
12, 2013
I love her but
she is broken – v2
October 12,
2013
We pray for
our nation – v5
&
Edited October
12, 2013
not in a
nation state
Edited October
12, 2013
the goodness
and mercy of God
Edited October
12, 2013
lost in our
delusions
&
&
Edited October
12, 2013
What should we
tell them
Edited October
12, 2013
I cry for the
children
Edited October
12, 2013
I love her but
she is broken
October 12,
2013
America is
Broken
“Why America
is NOT the greatest country in the world, anymore” video
&
watched after
reading the post by my college friend Jim Thibeau
&
&
Edited October
10, 2013
we pray for
our nation – v4
edited July 4,
2012
we pray for
our nation – v3
July 2, 2012
we pray for
our nation – v2
extract of
Prayers of the People
second of a
worship series on:
“Cruising the
Sacred Waters of Our Faith”
by Pastor Ruth
Foss
sermon blog
meditation blog
Theme - Where do we put Jesus in our lives?
Mark 5:21-43 (GOD’s WORD Translation)
Psalm 130 (Common English Bible)
2 Corinthians 8:7-15 (NIV)
Call to
Worship(Abington Worship 2012)(Psalm 130, Mark 5)
Unison Prayer
Prayer of
Dedication (Mark 5:21-43) (2 Corinthians 8, Mark 5)
(adapted from
GBOD 2012 and Abington Worship 2012)
Communion, UMH
page 9
Sermon - What Jesus Means to Me!
by Raymond A.
Foss
Suncook, NH
July 1, 2012
Fifth Sunday
of Kingdomtide
All of my
poems and photographs 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 (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
usage. See all 40,360+ of my poems at
www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry Where You Live.
