A Widow’s Gift

Out of love
out of the depth of her faith
more pleasing to God
than all the others, all the powerful,
the pious, the rich,
not to its value
but for its worth, its holy worth,
the meaning in the way she gave
when compared to theirs
She gave out of her poverty, all she had,
they from their wealthy, a meager portion indeed
She gave all, all she had
they gave only a proportionate share

updated October 11, 2008
November 19 and November 23, 2007 5:48pm
Luke 20:45-21:4
The scribe and the widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007
October 15, 2008
Blog Action Day, poverty

Her Offering - Blog Action Day

She had but
Meager humble coins
She brought them to Your holy altar
given for You, Lord,
from out of her love
out of her poverty she gave
all she had;
All she had!
giving all to the Lord
Trusting God to provide
to meet her needs
her daily bread, day on day,
Releasing her, empowering her
emboldening her to give all
to turn over her very life
How much more able
are others to give
if we have her faith
even a small measure of her faith
and gave out of our abundance
reaping a greater harvest
sharing, meeting the needs of others
around the world

updated October 11, 2008
November 19, 2007 19:24
Luke 20:45-21:4
The scribe and the widow’s offering
part of the sermon, “The Widow’s Might”,
by the Reverend Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, November 18, 2007
October 15, 2008
Blog Action Day, poverty

A fitting prayer

He leapt from the hand of Peter
his legs no longer lame, strong
to let him jump, to shout for joy
praises to God
Redeemed, giving life
by the mighty name of Jesus
who died and who rose
A fitting prayer, shattering the reverence
the silence of the temple
I can walk! Praise be to God!

September 14, 2008
Acts 3:1-10 and the sermon,
“It’s Not the Size That Matters”,
Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
Suncook United Methodist Church

We Too Can Offer

Like Peter, like John, the faithful
a humble congregation, growing in faith
serving with joy, with praise, with laughter
offering what they did, the healing of the Lord
In our path, our walk with God,
discerning always his will for us
Offering hope, the risen Lord
our savior, our brother
Living water, life giving bread
as the body of Christ
here and now
we too can offer
healing to the lame,
sight to the blind
the love of God

September 14, 2008
Acts 3:1-10
John 4:1-42
The Samaritan Woman at the well
and the sermon, “It’s Not the Size That Matters”,
Pastor Ruth L. Foss, Suncook United Methodist Church

Fully Committed

I guess you could say,
Peter was fully committed
in those wondrous moments
stepping from a swaying ship
out onto the rolling seas
The master said “come”, and
he went, over the side,
up onto the waters, walking
as if on dry land
fully committed, in relationship
focused on the living Christ
the Messiah, living with him
studying at his feet,
performing miracles with him
being his hands, feeding the multitude
healing as he was taught
long before the flames
steeled his nerves

August 11, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33, Psalm 69:1-3, Psalm 130:1
and sermon, “Reach Out Your Hand”,
by Reverend Lori Eldredge,
North Kingstown United Methodist Church
August 10, 2008

Reach Out Your Hands

Like Christ, reaching to Peter,
reach out your hands
when doubts, winds of struggle,
adversity catches our focus
saps the strength of our faith
Watch for others crying out
be there, for them, when they fall
Be Christ’s hands
lifting them up
out of the deep.

August 10, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33, Psalm 69:1-3, Psalm 130:1
and sermon, “Reach Out Your Hand”,
by Reverend Lori Eldredge,
North Kingstown United Methodist Church
August 10, 2008

Impetuous Peter

Impetuous Peter, jumping
stepping out of the boat
walking without thinking
going to Jesus across the waves
blindly acting, acting out of his faith
Going because the Master called
We all must change
become like Peter
in that pure, beautiful moment
going when the Master calls
out onto the waters.

August 10, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33, Psalm 69:1-3, Psalm 130:1
and sermon, “Reach Out Your Hand”,
by Reverend Lori Eldredge,
North Kingstown United Methodist Church
August 10, 2008

Going to Jesus

Peter, not for praise
not to gain power
An act of faith
climbing out of the boat
going out to Jesus
standing like him on the seas
walking to the Master
uncharted, untrammeled paths
where the Master calls

August 9, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33, Psalm 69:1-3, Psalm 130:1
and sermon, “Reach Out Your Hand”,
by Reverend Lori Eldredge,
North Kingstown United Methodist Church
August 10, 2008

Lifted Up

Peter, sinking, captured by trouble,
his doubt pulling him under
falling below the waters,
the waves, sinking, darkness

Lifted up, rising, by the outstretched hand
the hand of our Savior
ready for him, immediately
reaching for Peter, for each of us
when our faith trembles
when the wind catches our attention
and we too sink

Our loving God is there,
hands ready to save us

August 9, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33
and sermon, “Reach Out Your Hand”,
by Reverend Lori Eldredge,
North Kingstown United Methodist Church
August 10, 2008

The Rock on the Water

Rocks sink, that is a given,
a certainty we all share
A rock thrown, sinks in the water
How right it is the rock, Peter,
who is the one walking on the waters
the storm around him, walking toward Jesus
Physics, fear, gravity calls him down;
but Jesus lifted him up
And he walked again,
on the waters

August 8, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33

Of More Faith than Most

Christ said “oh ye of little faith”
to the rock, the foundation of the church
how much more, could he say to us
Peter had more faith than most
the others were still scared, buffeted,
in the boat. He came when the Lord said, “come”.
He walked on liquid water, standing and walking
Fear, the winds swirling around him, doubt
caught his human heart; but the Lord lifted him us
and he walked again, on water, back to the boat
walking this time with Christ beside him
How many of us would have tried, left the boat
and ventured out, in faith?

August 8, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33

Listening to the Wind

So easy, to listen to the wind
to doubt, to sink,
to see the mountain,
not the path to climb
to listen to the wind,
not our master’s voice
Fear grips us, paralyzes,
freezes our steps, guides away
How we wish, like Peter
we could walk on water
focused on Christ
ignoring the wind
and believing that much

August 8, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33

He Said, “Come” - v2

Out of the fog, the mist, the darkness
The Lord’s voice, he said, “Come”
and Peter did, stepping out
out onto the living water
standing, walking, as if on dry land
walking toward our savior, our Lord
walking on water toward our king.

August 3, 2008
Matthew 14:22-33,
Matthew 14:28-33
Matthew 14:13-21
Matthew 14:1-33
and sermons, “Walk this Way”
and “What a Blessing”,
by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
Suncook United Methodist Church,
Suncook, NH, July 27, 2008
and August 3, 2008

Filled with the Spirit

Filled with the Spirit,
the flames of Pentecost, they preached
in the native tongue of another
Peter stood and spoke, boldly, as they all would,
preaching the truth of the Christ, the Messiah,
killed by man, the Son sacrificed,
as the prophets foretold.
The disciples commissioned on that day
to begin the work we continue,
spreading the hope of salvation
by the gift of God, freely given
and available to all

May 11, 2008
Acts 2:1-21, Pentecost
and sermon by Pastor Ruth L. Foss,
“All Fired Up”, Sanbornville United Methodist Church,
Wakefield, NH

Sermon given by Pastor Ruth L. Foss, “Get a Piece of the Rock”, Sanbornville UMC, April 20, 2008

1 Peter 2:2-10

How many of you remember that old Prudential Insurance commercial? There was this beautiful background scenery of mountains and the Rock of Gibraltar was right in the middle of it. You remember that Jingle that they had? “Get a piece of the rock” (sing). It was the best insurance. You could stand on this rock for all of your insurance protection needs. The scripture from 1 Peter this morning talks about another rock. . . a living rock. . . a cornerstone to Christians. That rock has a name and its name is Jesus. I don’t know about you. . . but this rock is the one I want to trust in times of trouble. When I need assurance in life. . . it is this stone that I turn to. . . not some insurance company that makes promises they would rather not keep.

This feeling of trust in my “foundation” is eloquently put in a poem from my favorite author, Ray Foss; it is called A Foundation of Love. It reads:

In the beginning
there was God's love
upon this strong foundation,
this rock, all else stands
God's love, His ever hopeful grace
we can depend on, we are assured.
God will open wide
Her arms of love, ready
to welcome us
when we return home.
Upon this strong foundation
we build our lives
of purpose, of service,
spreading the Creator's love
Building Your church

It is upon this Rock that I take refuge.

What is this Rock. . . this living stone. . . that Peter talks about? Well. . . let’s take a look at Peter’s letter to get a glimpse of his understanding of this Rock and Living Stone. How does this letter relate to us as Christians today? This is a Pastoral letter written by the apostle Peter to the exiles in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. Scholars say that the letter was actually written by one of the disciples of Peter. They used Peters name because they wanted to establish the claim that its teaching reflects that of Peter. The letter addresses a critical situation. The people had become marginalized and abused since their conversion to Christ. The society they once belonged to now treats them as an unwelcome, even dangerous sectarian movement.

This reminds me of how we as Christians are unwelcomed and abused in many circumstances in this world. Some of our friends look at us differently after we have accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior. They call us Jesus freaks, they are afraid to be “themselves” around us because they are afraid that we will “start preaching” to them. We are ridiculed and made fun of for our beliefs. The letter offers realistic encouragement and instructions to Christians attempting to live faithfully in such a situation.

The writer talks about Christ being like a stone, a foundation to build one’s life on. He calls Christ the living stone. Not cold and motionless like a rock but is the life giving quartz we need in life. As the scripture states “as you come”. . . it represents the circumstances under which believers are being built into a “spiritual house”. As the believer comes to Him. . . they are being built. . . being made into. . . the body of Christ. The passage shows the difference. . . the contrast. . . between mans thing of value and God’s thing of value.

++ Man rejected the stone as if it were dead and worthless
++ God has chosen this stone as living and valuable.

These Christians, like Christ and ourselves, are rejected by the world around them but they, and we, are elected. . . chosen. . . and are precious in God’s sight. Christ is the living stone and Christians are living stones as well, full of life and life giving.

Stones are built into houses, but houses are also temples, and in temples holy priest offer spiritual sacrifices. Spiritual sacrifices are surely a reference to the whole shape of the faithful life. . . the life of holiness. It underlines the close relationship between what God has done in Jesus Christ and what God is doing in these Christians and is still doing today through believers.

All Christians are living stones, built into the edifice. But the cornerstone is Jesus Christ. He is the cornerstone because the whole building rests on Him. He is the cornerstone because the building takes its design from Him. Ergo. . . no Christ. . . no building. The chosen and precious turns the allusion in verse 4 into and explicit citation.

++ Christ is chosen - reminds us that the whole pattern of salvation is part of God’s electing plan from the beginning centering in Christ but including all believers.

++ Christ is precious - reminds us of the pervasive distinction between valuable and tawdry goods, the things of heaven and the things of this world.
God’s faithfulness requires responding faith. Those who have faith know that the stone is precious but those who do not have faith, the same stone is not a cornerstone. . . they reject the stone and lay it aside. . . as if it was worthless and it becomes a stumbling block in their lives.

You know. . . all this talk about rocks has gotten me thinking. This reminds me of the transforming work of God in our lives. You see. . . metamorphic rocks are rocks that have “morphed” into another kind of rock. These rocks were once igneous or sedimentary rocks. Now. . . how do sedimentary and igneous rocks change?

Well. . . the rocks are under tons and tons of pressure, which fosters heat buildup, and this causes them to change. If you examine metamorphic rock samples closely, you’ll discover how flattened some of the grains in the rock are. We as Christians. . . as living rocks. . . are put under pressure at times from the “outside.” We are in the process of being formed into. . . being morphed into. . . the likeness of Christ. We may feel the heat at times but it is in those times when we are being shaped into what God would have us be in Christ. . . not what the world would have us be without Christ. We are being built into God’s temple so that we may become ambassadors of Christ. It takes many shapes and sizes of rocks to build a house but they all fit exactly where the “plans” have put us and are all equally important to the whole building. We become a “new kind of rock.” God is continually at work in our midst and is ever building the character of the church and of the individuals who are followers of the Way.

The scripture from 1 Peter this morning reminds us of the difference between Christians and non-Christians is not that we see different things differently but that we see. . . we view. . . the same things differently. We both see Jesus Christ, the rock. But as Christians, the rock we see is the cornerstone, that living stone, of our lives as individuals and as a community. But. . . non-believers just simply reject the rock. The difference between the two views of the same scene is faith.

In this letter from Peter, they great story that feeds faith is absolutely public. It is a word that is declared aloud about the deeds seen clearly. The story of Jesus is not hidden. The language about Jesus is not esoteric, confined to insiders, like the secret languages of lodges or clubs. But when different people hear the very public story, each responds differently. Those who hear the story in faith praise God for God’s wonderful deeds while those who do not hear the story in faith laugh and stumble.

All Christians are called by God to a royal priesthood and all are called to offer sacrifices. Not the sacrifice on the alter (as they did long ago. . . that final sacrifice has already been made by Christ Jesus) but the sacrifice of faithful obedience and the life of love that goes with it. The sacrifice that Christians are called to live is a life without malice, guile, insincerity, envy or slander which 1 Peter 2:1 says we have to put off with our faith.

For believers, Christian identity is our identity. Christian community is our community, and Christian family our family. Especially in a time of ongoing racial tension, Christians (not Caucasians, African American, Hispanic, or Asian people) are a chosen race. For Christians that take 1 Peter seriously, the line on the application that asks for race ought to filled in: “Christian.”

I would like to end my sermon with another poem by my favorite poet. It is called Stones for the Kingdom, it really embodies what the body of Christ should be.

Each of us, irregular stones,
living stones, for the kingdom
each with a place, a part to play
to build up the foundations, the walls
the body of Christ, revealed, proclaimed
living in the church, in each of us together
quartz and sandstone, onyx and sapphire
clay and coal, diamonds and granite
Everyone has a niche, a spot
in the wall, the building
the living stones,
brothers and
sisters of
the cornerstone
our Lord Jesus,
the rock
on which we stand

May we always be that living stone for Christ’s Church, may we always know that we are precious and chosen in God’s eyes, and may we always do our part for the Kingdom of God here on earth. As Christians. . . our motto. . . our slogan. . . in life should not be “Get a Piece of the Rock” but “Become a Piece of the Rock.”

AMEN

Stones for the Kingdom

Each of us, irregular stones,
living stones, for the kingdom
each with a place, a part to place
to build up the foundations, the walls
the body of Christ, revealed, proclaimed
living in the church, in each of us together
quartz and sandstone, onyx and sapphire
clay and coal, diamonds and granite
Everyone has a niche, a spot
in the wall, the building
the living stones,
brothers and
sisters of
the cornerstone
our Lord Jesus,
the rock
on which we stand

April 19, 2008
1 Peter 2:2-10

A Moving Faith

By his faith he went
leaving all he had known
only the promise of God
to be with him always
A piety, a trust, that shook the world
Father of us all, teach us
by your wonderful example
going into the unknown,
setting out on a journey,
not knowing the end
going on his trust, his faith in God

April 8, 2008 17:52
Genesis 12:1-9
Genesis 12:1-4a and
sermon, “Peculiar Treasures II: Abraham on the Move”
by the Rev. Peter Hey,
Wesley United Methodist Church,
Concord, NH, 2/17/08

Witnesses as They Were

Like Peter, the other disciples
we too are witnesses, as they were
to the acts of Jesus, the power of the savior
the spirit working in the world,
in our lives, the lives of the saints before us
the grace upon grace heaped on us
the work of the creator, continuing still
alive in the world, newness each day
in the sunrise, the first breath awakening
the smile in a daughter’s eye
pulling me close to her
We are witnesses too,
proclaiming the good news

March 24, 2008
Acts 14a, 22-32
Alive Now devotional for 3/24/08

We were the Disciples

We were the disciples, who betrayed,
who doubted, who were confused
We were the disciples, who ran
We were Peter, denying the Lord,
whom we had walked with,
whom we had known, our brother
We were the shame in his heart
as the cock crowed
We were the disciples hiding
at the base of the cross,
burying our savior in the tomb

March 23, 2008
Service of Tenebrae,
Maundy Thursday
Sanbornville United Methodist Church,
3/20/08, Pastor Ruth L. Foss

Before the Flames

long before the flames of power
forty days on
they ran, scattered
before the religious authorities
timid sheep without a shepherd
followers still, not yet true disciples
nowhere to go, to run
Peter in the courtyard
denying the Messiah
Judas swinging on a tree
The maser before the judge and jury
twisted by jealousy, by station
blind to who he is
the scourge, the cross awaits
darkness in the afternoon
the earth shakes as his breath dies
Good Friday is here.

March 21, 2008
Maundy Thursday and Good Friday