Bursting Forth - Poem by Raymond A. Foss

Changed, transformed
forevermore, a new creation
like the butterfly out of its cocoon
its wings stiffening
new blood through the veins
warming in the sun, the breeze.

The same for us, the old cast off
new blood of the Spirit
indwelling within us
warmed by the Son’s light
quickened by the breath of God
Our lives changed forevermore
a new life bursting forth.

June 15, 2009 to June 17, 2009
The Epistle Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 14-17
Sermon, “New Beginnings”, by Pastor Ruth L. Foss
Suncook United Methodist Church
Suncook, NH
June 14, 2009
Call to Worship:
It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name,
O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your
faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your
deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of
your hands. (Psalm 92:1-4 NIV)
Unison Prayer:
Loving God, we thank you for this day that we may come into
Your house and worship You. We ask that Your Holy Spirit
would fall down upon us gathered here so that we may
understand all that You would have us hear this day.
We thank you for the Spirit that you have gifted us with.
We pray that our worship would be pleasing in Your sight.
This we pray in the strong name of Your Son, Lord Jesus Christ.
Old Testament Reading: 1 Samuel 16:6-13
*Prayer of Dedication (unison)
Heavenly Father, you have offered us such abundance.
We are so very blessed. Yet, we often think that we have so little.
Some of us may even feel as though our gift is too small.
Thank you for reminding us that even our mustard seed-sized
gift may grow beyond our individual possibility. So, today we
place before you all amounts of gifts – some quarters from
children, some $1 bills from adults, some larger bills and
checks – knowing that you transform our scarcity into your
abundance. Thanks be to God. Amen. (GBOD)