A Glimpse of Heaven

The son of the carpenter
falling into the waters
The Son of God
rising up from the Jordan,
a glimpse of heaven revealed
a life once of sweat, of work
transformed that moment
the Spirit falling upon him
a voice from heaven
blessing this son
the Beloved,
the Son of God

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Mark 1:12-13
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH

The Fabric Cut

The curtain, the fabric cut,
heaven exposed, revealed
to the one rising from the Jordan
the one Son of God

Torn open, an opening,
the Spirit, like a flame, like a wind,
like a dove, falling, descending
alighting on him

An image of heaven, for the man
the son of the carpenter, Mary’s son
born in a stable bed, rising from John’s arms
a new creation indeed

A stitch in heaven, an opening in the curtain
the voice of God affirming
the calling of the Lord
This is my son, with whom I am well pleased

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Mark 1:12-13
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH

Cleansed by the Spirit

Not the Jordan, the dirty water,
we are cleansed by the Spirit
washed with the living water
flowing ever, washing over us,
washing into us, filling us

We are made clean, made one,
with our brother, our savior
washed by the Spirit of God
made like our brother, clean
worthy, a living child of God

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
and sermon title, Beginning, by Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Washed in the Jordan

We are all, washed in the Jordan,
joining Christ in the waters
dying to the old, to sin
washed clean, rising with him
to the anointing of the Spirit
hearing, as him, for the first time
the stirring of the voice of God
The voice growing forever within us
guiding our feet and our steps
washed in the Jordan
forevermore a child of God

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
and sermon title, Beginning, by Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Anointed by the Spirit

Like Christ, like the apostles,
each of us, anointed by the Spirit
commissioned into a priesthood
a servanthood, a fellowship
Walking with our savior, our brother
journeying together, with our brothers, our sisters
all those who walk with Christ
all heirs to his promise,
to the kingdom yet to come
A glimpse of heaven,
the tear in the curtain
a foretaste of that which will be
when we are called into his presence
and hear the same blessing for you and for me

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
and sermon title, by Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Starting to Serve

In that moment in the Jordan
the king, anointed by the Spirit
starting to serve, as he was led to the desert
the man who was Jesus, became the Christ
Emmanuel, in that moment
The Spirit, like a dove, bodily landing on him
a physical presence of God
descending from the torn curtain
the heavens opened, revealing for a moment
for the Christ, a glimpse of heaven
the voice of God, inaudible until that moment
speaking words of love, affirming the identity
the truth of who he was, the Son of God
rising up, as the people did, in the arms of John
the one crying out in the wilderness
within our savior in his hands
An ordination in the waters,
the living waters of the Jordan

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Mark 1:12-13
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
and sermon title, by Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Threads of the Prophets

Their two lives, cousins of the flesh
both parts of the history of the people
threads of the prophets, unraveling,
in the days of their lives, coming together
woven, grafted, one to the other,
the voice crying out, the one for whom he cries
together in that moment, actors, witness
standing in the Jordan, under the eye of God
washed by the current, the moving, living water
together, in the dying, the rising, the tearing open
of the fabric of heaven, the sky, the clouds,
a glimpse of the kingdom to come
the living heaven, the Spirit falling,
resting, anointing him for ministry
fulfilling the one of the one calling
the voice of God, his love, pouring down
affirming the Son of Man, stitching his life
to his destiny, his life no longer unknown
his days to be written, step by step
his life a tapestry, living out the prophets,
fulfilling his role, thread by thread

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Mark 1:12-13
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
and sermon title, by Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Claimed by the Father

By his voice, boldly, clearly
by the awesome voice of God
Jesus of Nazareth,
rising in baptism from the Jordan
Claimed by the Father as his own
the babe no longer a child
his time of learning, of growing done
Ready to fulfill his part in the Master’s plan
coming to John in the Jordan
charting a course long ago written
the steps of the servant numbered
the lamb following the Master’s voice
Marked by the Father,
by the Spirit’s branding
forever would his life now,
be at the Master’s command

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Mark 1:12-13
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
and sermon title, by Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH

Thirty Years

For thirty years
unknown, undocumented
their lives growing up, into manhood
each with a destiny, each at the River
the Jordan, at their time, ready to fulfill
each carrying a legacy, prophesy
each a part to play, in the revealing
the unfolding of the story
the story of the redeeming,
the healing of the breach, so long ago
a new age dawning, in their meeting
their lives joining again,
the voice crying in the wilderness
and the one who is to come
together, in baptism
beginning a new chapter
in the story of life

January 12, 2009
Mark 1:4-11
Mark 1:12-13
Acts 19:1-7
and sermon, “Child of God”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, January 11, 2009
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
and sermon title, by Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH